Autism

Autism

0-25 Specialist Teaching & Support Service

Social, Communication, Interaction & Learning (SCIL) Team

Communication & Interaction

 

Key documents

 

Ten Top Tips. 

Top Tips (Early Years and Primary)

Sensory Profile

(Primary)

Sensory Profile 

(Secondary)

Wellbeing Profile (Primary)

Wellbeing Profile

(Secondary)

STAR Analysis

Adapting Language Help sheet

Support for pupils completing exams/ assessments.

 

Exam season is a difficult and stressful time for all pupils but for autistic pupils or those presenting with communication and interaction difficulties this is magnified. The change to routine, heightened expectations and the lack of their usual support are some of the changes that can cause confusion and uncertainty. Here are some ideas to consider in order to support autistic pupils.

 

For this reason, the SCIL Team have put together some guidance and Social Stories for schools to support children. Please click on the links below. 

 

 

Resources To Support Transition

 

The move from one setting to another could be a daunting time for children.  These transition packs are designed to support children make the transition from Nursery to Primary school and from Primary to Secondary school.  The packs are interactive booklets which provide opportunities for children to familiarise themselves with their new settings by learning key information such as important places, key adults, daily routines and expectations.  The transition packs are aimed at children but are also informative for parents/carers. 

 

 

Helpsheets (Click the title and download)

 

Website (click on the link)

              

 

 

New Beginnings

Living with COVID

 

 

            

The last 2 years have been tough for everyone especially children; working in bubbles; Isolating at home; online learning and missing out on social events such as birthdays, Christmas and school trips (to name a few).  On Thursday 24 February, Covid rules were relaxed and for most children life seems to be getting back to normal.  However, for some children, this is yet another change resulting in anxiety, uncertainty and a change in structure, routine and rules again!

For this reason, the SCIL Team have put together a bank of resources to help parents and schools support children to see this time in our lives as a “new beginning” and equip them with the tools they need to cope with “Living with Covid”

 

First /Then

This resource can be used to encourage children to complete an adult direct task followed by an activity of their choice.  It can also be used to explain the sequence in which activities are going to take place.

Visual timetables

Visual Timetables are an excellent visual representation of the sequence in which activities are going to place.  They can also be used to break up a task such as washing hands and performing a Lateral Flow Test etc. correctly. Having step by step visuals can help teach children the correct order in which tasks need to be completed reducing their stress and anxiety levels.

Social Stories

Social Stories are used to introduce change to children’s normal routine which could help children come to terms with “living with Covid”. 

Sensory profile 

This document is a tool to assess children’s sensory needs.  It helps you understand a child's sensory processing patterns and identify the effect that this has on their participation at home, in school, and in the community.  Your child may present with hyper sensitivities from for example light, sound, the feel of certain textures to smells and tastes. 

Primary 

Secondary

STAR Analysis

Is a useful method of assessing what happens before, during and after an episode of unacceptable behaviour and allows you to see a pattern in behaviour which can then be addressed.

Zones of Regulation

Living Through Covid and now adapting to the “new normal” can be an extremely anxious time for children with Autism. This strategy allows adults to teach children a variety of social-emotional skills, from early emotional skills to self-regulation and navigating social situations

Talking Mats

Talking Mats can be used to enable children express their feelings towards different aspects of their life including “living with Covid”.

 

 


 

 

Restricted Diets

 

Children with autism may have a restricted diet. This is due to their sensory processing issues making them over or under-sensitive to smells, tastes and textures of different foods. This may affect their relationship with food and lead to meal times being a highly anxious time.  The environment in which they eat their food can also be overwhelming for example a noisy school diner hall. 

The SCIL Team have put together some resources to support parents and teachers to identify children’s sensitivities towards food, help reduce anxieties and making mealtimes a more pleasurable experience.

 

Sensory Profile       

This assessment tool helps adults identify children’s hypo and hyper sensitivities including sensitivities around food.

Primary

Secondary

Talking Mats

Talking Mats can be used to enable children express their feelings towards different aspects of their life including food

Visual Timetables

This strategy is used to help children prepare for daily routines, changes in routines, one off events etc. Visual timetables can help children prepare for mealtimes

Zones of Regulation

This strategy allows adults to teach children a variety of social-emotional skills, from early emotional skills to self-regulation and navigating social situations.

Top Tips

Quick ideas and strategies to put into place to prepare and reduce anxieties.

STAR Analysis

Is a useful method of assessing what happens before, during and after an episode of unacceptable behaviour and allows you to see a pattern in behaviour which can then be addressed.

 

 

 

Page owned by Lynda Hitchen, last updated on 08/05/2022. This page has been viewed 13,684 times.