Advice / strategies - runner

[baranigirl]

I would like some advice on how to help someone at work

 

Can't go into details, but when things get out of control the response is lashing out and then running, I have spent this morning running around a field to keep said person in sight whilst waiting for mum to collect

 

Gave ** a five min warning of Mum coming at which point ** ran outside and jumped the fence into the park next door. The reason Mum was called was a third instance of harming another participant in as many days and Mum was warned a formal warning would be given if it happened again

 

** only got a recent (matter of weeks) dx and things are not settled at home from my understanding

 

** is difficult to soeak to calmly and explain to why hurting someone is not good as runs off, but there is also an awful lot of attention seeking behaviour happening, which is being ignored as best as possible.

 

Limited structure to the day as it is a playscheme so the emphasis has to be on free play (great for everyone else) ** was asked today by 1:1 support worker if ** wanted to make a routine up for the day and this was refused.

 

Sorry details are probably sketchy and all over the place as I have just finished a 12 hour day and I am tired and not thinking straight, but want to try new strategies tomorrow

 

Tomorrow ** is coming for half a session instetad of a whole session to see if that helps

[justine1]

Hi

Sounds like he does need more structure,expectations etc. I know it is free play but maybe if he knows what he is doing each day it may help,even more so if he has no such structure at home.I know this was suggested or it seems offered to the child and they refused,but I think the child shouldnt decide this it should be done to see if it will work.

 

I dont really have any other suggestions,sorry

[baranigirl]

thanks hun, thats pretty much what I thought, but it's difficult as ofsted are only interested in EYFS stuff we have to focus on that rather than anything else, which is really frustrating

 

Will get 1:1 support worker working out a structure for him (in her head) and see if that makes a difference, really don't want to see ** have to leave the scheme

[puffin]

Surely it is the job of the 1:1 to structure to the day? Asking the child seems very strange - a stressed out child is in no position to form a cognitative idea on how to structure the day - of course the child will say no

 

Would also suggest that some chill-out activities are build into the day which will prevent sensory overload and the risk of getting stressed by noise and movements of others - perhaps some quiet activities or time alone/in small groups

 

Also 1:1 could look at patterns that lead to incidents and look at the possibility to intervene or divert the child into other activities if they can see tensions building up

[baranigirl]

Thanks Puffin, I can see where you are coming from there, sadly ** didn't come in today, so although the day was easier to managee I am sad ** didn't show up as it is good social mixing for **

 

The 1:1 is not trained as none was requested originally by the family, so basically just a playworker been brought down to assist as a support worker with little knowledge or experience with AS etc. The 1:1 was asked to sit with ** and see what activities ** wanted to do during the day to give the day structure, but ** wasn't interested in doing any activities at all or talking about the activities ** would like to do, which can be organised for the following day most of the time.

 

It is extremely difficult to 'build in' chill out activites as the whole room is free flow for the children and although there is a quiet mat (with books) and the children have been explained they sit there when thy want to be left alone (** eyes lit up when this was explained) and board games as well as sewing, knitting, colouring etc, the other children are quite an exciteable lot and they are all at school together and a very close knit community - thus meaning the other children are led away from ** but often ** will follow them or be wound up by them.

 

Yesterday the 1:1 saw the overload coming when the group was outside playing a team game (yes ** also played for 45 mins which was fantastic!) so ** was taken inside with me and the 1:1 and played checkers for 20 mins or so before the rest came in, sadly the group has to be all in or all out of the hall at anyone time due to staffing numbers, we can manage a group split for around 20 minutes as I need to be working with all the children rather just a few in or out and none of the others have experiences with AS etc.

[Kerr]

I have AS myself but was also worked with Autistic children.

At the place I used to work there is a boy(aged abt 9 or 10) who has no verbal communication but higher fuctioning Autism. Every staff member at one point or another had been hit, kicked, punched or had things thrown at them by this boy. Most were quite affaird to work with him. I started working with him and like them I was very careful to make sure I wasnt close enough to be kicked punched etc. But then I noticed he used to put his hands over his ears alot, so I thought about myself and what it used to be like for me when I was younger and would get sensory overload regularly. The next time he was acting up insted of rasing a voice or shouting I spoke to him really queitly, it worked a little bit but didnt stop all of his misbehaving. Then we took a group of children to a music event and he tried to run out of the room, this time I was right at his ear level so I whispered to him to go and sit down with one of the staff memebers and that we would be going back to the centre soon and he did it. I couldnt believe that it worked but it did. Other things that seemed to work were, drama play(but these sometimes got out of hand and he would throw props), when he seemed to be having an over load turning the vloume down on things or trying to take him somewhere quieter, one of the staff told me spinning children with autism who are having an overload on a office chair helps them, and when he really couldnt control himself putting him in his room(the centre had bedrooms) with the curtains closed and maybe a dvd or cd of music he liked for 20mins. Other things that helped minimise injuries were trying not to be in the doorway when he wanted to go thru it as he had no way of telling you he wanted past so he would just kick you until you moved and not telling him what to do but asking him.When it came to choices insted of a large number of choices having 1 or the other and letting him hold them in his hand always generally give the best results, if possible.