When Lauren picked her son Lennon up after his very first Little Miracles Youth Club session, she saw something she'd been hoping for, for a very long time.

He was walking down the corridor with two or three other young people, chatting away as they headed towards the door.

"See you next week," he said. Something Lauren hadn't witnessed Lennon ever do before, he was looking forward to coming back. 

Lennon is 18 and was diagnosed with Asperger's when he was five, and looking back, Lauren says getting the diagnosis was only the beginning. Although Lennon is incredibly bright and has a photographic memory, people often misunderstood him because he wasn't disruptive. He just needed a little extra understanding.

Finding the right school took years, and eventually Lauren and her husband, Steve, had to take their local authority to tribunal to make sure Lennon could go somewhere that matched his abilities.

However, school wasn't the only challenge.

Like lots of teenagers, Lennon wanted friends and somewhere he felt he belonged. Lauren says they tried everything over the years, from music and sports clubs to Cubs, but nothing ever really fitted.

"Nowhere really had the expertise or the patience to let him be included," she said.

When Lennon joined the Little Miracles Youth Club, things started to change, and these days, Thursday has become his favourite day of the week.

"Have you booked my place?" he'll often ask first thing in the morning.

He loves finding out what's planned, especially if there's a bake off, but what Lauren notices most is how much he looks forward to seeing everyone. It's given him confidence in ways she never expected.

He's happy to head out for a walk on his own now, he's much more comfortable talking to people, and knowing there's somewhere he can simply be himself has made a huge difference.

"I think he just likes somewhere where people understand him," Lauren said. "He's not an outsider anymore."

That change hasn't just been important for Lennon. For Lauren and Steve, it's brought a real sense of relief too.

Knowing there are people who understand their son and genuinely care about him means they don't feel like they're facing everything on their own.

Lauren says that's what stands out most about Little Miracles is that "it doesn't feel like it's a job. It feels like they actually care."

When we asked Lauren how she'd describe Little Miracles to another family, she didn't need long to think.

"It's a welcoming, inclusive environment full of people who've got the patience and the skills to really support your child and your family."

For Lauren, it all comes back to that first evening. Watching Lennon walk out with new friends after just one session was something she'd never seen before.

Now, every Thursday, he can't wait to come back!