caring for an asd child and working with them

[forbsay]

Hi

 

Another question for you all. Who works with asd kids? Mu husband is on his third stage of being a driving instructor and i work full time at the moment in the investment industry. However, once he qualifies I am thinking of a career change and really want to work with ASD kids. My little boy is 6.5 years old and is asd. My husband is a bit concerned that I will never get away from ASD at all and I will get really stressed. I was thinking about teaching, however i would also like to help families that are effected by ASD - but I don't know how to go about it..................................

 

Any ideas?

 

Forbsay

[oxgirl]

My lad is AS and when he was younger I did some work with more severely effected autistic kids and I loved it.

 

I supported a little lad one-to-one at playgroup a couple of mornings a week, which was a lot of fun. I did respite caring for a family with a three year old autistic lad. That was two hours per week, I'd just go over and play with him for a couple of hours while his mum went out to the shops. We had lots of fun and I felt like a member of the family. Also, I worked with a family who were doing a home programme with their little girl, I'd go over twice a week for two hours at a time and work with her in her special playroom. There are always families looking for volunteers to work with their child if they are doing SonRise or something like that and I found that really rewarding.

 

I know what your hubby is saying about being autistically-overloaded, but I didn't find that at all. I just felt that having a lad with AS myself it gave me a bit more of an insight and understanding and I totally fell in love with the kiddies I worked with.

 

Good luck. <'>

 

~ Mel ~

[smiley]

It can be hard work - but the good bits far out number the bad.

Edited February 18, 2007 by smiley

[krystaltps]

I'm a teacher, and although I don't have any in my mainstream class this year, there is a very good chance I'll be getting two next year (one AS and one autistic). I'm looking forward to it, because if there's anyone who can help and further an ASD child it's the parent of one. However they are both very different from C, extremely quiet and introverted - (C is the aggressive, violent, IN-YOUR-FACE!! kind). Not sure if I could cope with the extrovert kind at work and at home.

[bid]

I work at a residential special school with kids and young adults with severe epilepsy and SLD, including ASD.

 

I love my job, but I only started once my son had gone to his residential special school! I don't think I could have coped before, as it would have been too much for me.

 

My DH also teaches at an MLD secondary school.

 

I guess special needs just sort of becomes your life!

 

Bid

[elun1]

That's really true bid!

I teach in mainstream primary at the moment which most of the time I love but since the autism diagnosis for my youngest ds (now aged 5) I'm thinking of perhaps looking at working with children with ASD's. My head is always full of autism and it seems to be all I read about these days. May as well put it to good use! Elun xxx

[Lynden]

My plan is to work with special needs kids too. I think having a SN child you learn the importance of the right people working with them and who better than someone who has insider understanding.

 

I had intended to volunteer two sessions per week in the developmental nursery of the school my sister teaches in but because we are now moving to London it'll be put on hold again but once the kids are settled in new schools etc I'll be looking into it again.

 

Lynne

[dooday24]

i dont work with children with as but i work with adults with learning disabilities

[lorryw]

I work in mainstream Junior and a lad in my class has asd. We get on famously and its a real thrill to know that I can actually help him and make his life a little easier.

Lorainex

[summertime]

I work in a mainstream primary and we have a high number of children on the spectrum and its my job to oversee them, that includes helping and training thier 1:1 support staff as well as mentoring the children themselves and educating the other pupils on asd to help them understand the needs of their asd peers. Although I dont have any asd children of my own I hope to go on to foster or offer respite when my own children are older.

I love my job but its certainly more of a vocation and its so hard to find staff who understand the needs of these kids so I think being a parent of one gives you a real advantage and Im sure someone would snap your hand off in the right role

[something vague]

I'm not a parent of a child with ASD but work as a TA in an Autism Unit. I love my job, wouldnt want to do anything else. Where else could I jump, squeal, yell and run around a gymnasium following a 15 year old boy who's having a brilliant time just being himself (Intensive Interaction) and where else can I triumph at the tiniest steps and know that they are giant ones for a particular individual. Its well worth the hard work.

 

I think working with children with ASd is very different from parenting them because you dont have such a strong emotional attatchment......you are not likely to suffer anxiety about their every little challenge. You wont feel that you've got to make everything better for them. You wont be their last stop for emotional support...........thats their parent's responsability. I think I'm putting this quite clumsily but as a parent myself I know that i WORRY about my own kids. With other people's kids I'm much stronger and feel I'm more able to find solutions. Maybe it will be the same for you?

 

Good luck

 

SV

 

BTW Oxgirl, I did Son-Rise too

[cmuir]

Hi

 

I can understand your hubby's concerns. However, my son's learning assistant is in the same boat. She has a severely autistic son, but has chosen her profession to be helping ASD children.

 

I did have serious concerns that although she would have a better understanding than most, I know that I go to work for a rest which gets me away from all the problems (and for me, that works). That said, she is great with Robert and I think it probably makes her more caring, etc. Very difficult to say whether she's able to keep emotionally detached. Somehow, I'm not convinced because she is close to the ASD.

 

Have you tried a local college, Child Care department eg look at www.stevenson.ac.uk/courses/default.aspx

 

I used to work there. I know they had an excellent Child Care and Social Care department. They also have a SEN department looking after students (can't speak highly enough of them!). At the very least they'd be able to advise you.

 

How about NAS or LAS?

 

Best of luck. Go for it! Sometimes you just know when it's time for a change.

 

Caroline.

[oxgirl]

BTW Oxgirl, I did Son-Rise too

 

Cool. I really enjoyed my time doing it, I found it very rewarding.

It's interesting what you say, because I used to find it easier in some ways working with other peoples' ASD kids than with my own. I felt free of all the worry and lighter somehow and I could just enjoy them for what they were without all the guilt and emotional strain and angst.

 

~ Mel ~

[Cynical]

There are six teenagers in my special school class (I am the teacher in charge - I have three Special Needs Assistants or SNAs as they are known.) Four of those children have Autism. Not one member of my class can speak.

 

I also have a child with Autism, and his condition is far more severe than my students.

 

And it's about personality and outlook. Most of my friends just cannot comprehend how I can get up at 5am and spend two and a half hours dealing with high-impact Autism, and then go to work and face it with another four students. And then come home and deal with my son for another 8 hours before sleeping. Meanwhile, my classroom assistants cannot comprehend how anyone can spend the number of hours I do with my child without assistance or regular breaks.

 

And you know what? Home life motivates work; work nourishes home life. Yes, I know that is nonsense, but who cares? It ###### works!

 

If your job fulfills you, if it is a vocation that feeds you, then you will feel guilty taking a salary (unless, like me, you have a daughter...)