Pioneering Sheffield barber creates private salon to help people with autism

A Sheffield barber shop has created a specialist service for children and adults suffering from autism and other mental health issues.
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Kathy Chisholm designed a private salon to help those who would struggle with a traditional hairdressers – and keeps a book of what works for each client she works with.

The Cutting Crew, on London Road in Highfield was established in 1880. Previous owner Andrew Wilkinson, who died in 2020, had legendary status in Sheffield, his style and personality made him well known in his salons and in the city’s nightclubs.

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Andrew ran the barber shop when Kathy Chisholm joined the salon in 1984.

The Cutting Crew on London Road has created a specialist service for children and adults suffering from autismThe Cutting Crew on London Road has created a specialist service for children and adults suffering from autism
The Cutting Crew on London Road has created a specialist service for children and adults suffering from autism

Kathy said: “I qualified at college and I’d gone for a job interview, and this is where it led me. It was meant to be.”

She came up with the idea for the autism suite last year.

Kathy said: “I started it in June and we were only getting one or two children then.”

The first customer was Tobias Weller – Captain Tobias, who is known for raising over £150,000 for PACES school and Sheffield Children's Hospital.

Kathy Chisholm and Marie Jacques at The Cutting CrewKathy Chisholm and Marie Jacques at The Cutting Crew
Kathy Chisholm and Marie Jacques at The Cutting Crew
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Kathy said: “When Andrew passed away in 2020, his son approached me and said Andrew wanted to leave the goodwill of the shop to myself.

“I wanted to do something that's going to put a mark on it for him – Andrew.”

“I started the autism service in 2021, my son is autistic he goes to Heeley City Farm. He’s now 28.”

Kathy, whose son is autistic, wanted to do something special not only as a memory to Andrew, but also for children with the condition.

Kathy Chisholm has set up a private salon with distractions for those with autismKathy Chisholm has set up a private salon with distractions for those with autism
Kathy Chisholm has set up a private salon with distractions for those with autism
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Kathy said: “I needed to do something to get these kids back into some kind of normality.

“So I started doing it for them. I introduced mental health as well.”

Initially Kathy adapted her ladies salon, but she wanted to do more, along with stylist Marie Jacques

“I was doing quite a lot in my ladies salon, I needed to do something more for the children.

Kathy Chisholm and Marie JacquesKathy Chisholm and Marie Jacques
Kathy Chisholm and Marie Jacques
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“I wanted to make it more child-friendly rather than just a ladies hairdresser, where I can book appointments and it be private.

“I wanted to make something a little more special for the kids, so that’s when I did the Autism for Kids room.”

Even though some of her clients are well into their late teens, they still need that special attention.

Kathy said: “Even at 19 years old some of the kids, who are adults really, can obviously struggle with issues.”

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So how does this room help her clients relax and enjoy the experience?

Kathy said: “They like being around the Disney stuff.

“They might just sit in there, just enjoying the atmosphere, the bubble machine and the fidget toys.

“Through lockdown I realised it had been a struggle for my son. We were having to entertain him every day.

“And then when we came out of lockdown, he could gradually go back to doing things like going to Heeley City Farm.

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“For Oliver and myself coming back to work, everyone seemed very scared and felt quite intimidated, and insecure.

“I felt like I needed to do something for the children to get their confidence back.

“Some of the children who are two-and-a-half years old, had never even had their hair cut, only by their mum, and I just felt like I needed to do something here.

“So that’s when I started putting out on Facebook that I was going to start accepting appointments for anyone with autism, learning disabilities, anxiety and mental health.”

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Kathy said parents were soon ringing up to book appointments for their children.

“Then students started to ring up and ask for appointments in the private salon, because they’d been locked down for two years,” she added.

“They might not have been from Sheffield, but they’d been stuck in their room for virtually two years, doing online work, and they were very nervous about coming out.

“So there's been a real need for the students.

“I was amazed at how many people just wanted that room, just to be in a quiet place.”

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Kathy says she will do what it takes to achieve a successful outcome.

“Even if I have to get down on the floor and play with them, so be it.

“I’ve just invested in some small tables and chairs, like they’d have, in a pre-school or nursery.

“The big chair is quite intimidating for a child, but they would actually sit at the table on the little chair, and play with whatever's on that table – be it the princess doll or the cars, buses or dinosaurs.

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“But they still can get into a meltdown and end up on mum's knee.

“But it’s a process. I want to integrate from a smaller chair, to a bigger chair.”

Kathy does think she’s gaining knowledge and experience all the time.

Kathy Said '' I'm learning from them and they’re probably learning. We learn from each other.

“The kids and myself have so much fun.

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“I’ve got a book with all my clients, and I’ve made notes about everyone in them so when they come back again I've got what worked last time, and what didn’t work.

“They might like the child's clipper, as some have a lot of sensory problems, so I’ve bought some child clippers, which make a slight humming noise, and a lot prefer that to scissors, because to them the scissors make a high pitch in their ears, that no one can explain, that only that child knows what that sounds like.

“I can only try and understand, that’s why I’ve bought the right gear to help them.

“They get their hair cut while they play.”

The new service offered by Kathy, has proved very popular with people coming from outside of Sheffield.

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“I have people coming from Retford, Worksop and Nottingham,” said Kathy.

“There’s no one else offering this service which I’m amazed at really, I’m really proud of it.”

Kathy uses several distraction methods when cutting hair.

She said: “I get my clippers, and then I’m counting really slowly while I’m doing it or sing to them.

“I sing The Wheels on the Bus, or whatever we have to do to get through.

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“But they like the slow counting, it tends to relax them while I’m shaving their hair, the back and the sides.

“When I’m using the scissors on top I might count a little louder, it all depends on what they can tolerate.

“Some parents will bring their children in and we cut their hair and just get on with it, then they have a play, or vice versa, depending on each child.

“My little book will tell me what worked last time.”