Book excerpt: 'Being strength-aware has brought many moments of joy to our family life. It is this potential for growth and joy that I now want to share in this book' This flexible, dip-in-dip-out guide will introduce you to the strengths-based approach that is helping autistic children and their families to thrive. By focusing on how to identify, develop and use your child's strengths to support them throughout childhood and into adolescence, this transformative approach is here to show you and your child that their unique character-strengths can empower them and shape their future. Claire O'Neill combines her personal experience as an autistic person and mother to autistic children with her expert knowledge as a professional working with autistic young people to demonstrate the value of a strengths-based approach. With step-by-step instructions on how parents and teachers can incorporate this approach easily into family and school life, Claire also offers a variety of specific tips, tricks and engaging activities to provide ongoing support for parents and teachers alike.