A short guide for families using Alfie. Read this once before your first message, then get on with it. Alfie works best when you use it like a conversation, not a form.
Alfie is an AI support tool for parents. That matters. It's designed to help you think things through, not to give you diagnoses, treatment, or professional opinions. Clarity on what Alfie does and doesn't do will save you frustration and help you get more out of every conversation.
Alfie responds best when you write the way you'd speak to a thoughtful friend who understands neurodiversity. Short, honest messages. Real situations. No need to explain everything upfront, and Alfie will ask if something's unclear.
You'll receive a WhatsApp message from Alfie confirming you're set up. Reply with a simple "hello" or ask a question. There's no wrong way to begin.
In the first few conversations, Alfie will gently learn about your family: your child's age, what you're working through, what's gone well, what's been hard. You don't need to prepare this; it comes out naturally.
After a few conversations, you'll notice Alfie remembers what you've shared. You won't need to re-introduce your child every time. The support gets more relevant the more you use it.
Every few weeks, we'll ask for your feedback. You are not just a user. You are shaping how Alfie develops. What you tell us becomes what Alfie becomes.
Alfie is a support tool, not a crisis service or a substitute for professional help. If a conversation touches on something serious, Alfie will say so plainly and won't pretend to be qualified for it.
Alfie is not a crisis line and cannot replace professional support. For emergencies, the right first call is always your local emergency services.
For anything else you'd like a person to look at, you can always email support@spectrumalpha.org.
Full details are in our Safeguarding Policy.
Alfie remembers your conversations so it can help you better over time. That memory is stored securely, used only to improve your experience, and never sold or shared with third parties. Your conversations are private to you, with the single exception of our safeguarding commitments, which may require us to act where there is a risk of harm.
What you build with Alfie feeds your child's Living Profile, part of the wider picture Spectrum Alpha is building over time. It belongs to your family and, in time, to your child. You can ask for a plain-language copy of it at any time, to keep or take elsewhere.
Full details on what we store, for how long, and how to request your data or its deletion are in our Privacy Policy.
If Alfie is already active on your WhatsApp, just send a message. If you haven't registered yet, you can register your interest below.
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