Lynden Report post Posted January 16, 2012 What would your ideal autism support group provide in terms of support to parents, and to kids. I currently work as a project manager for a local charity (we support families affected by adhd and autism) and have my own ideas about where I would like to see us provide more support, although I think we offer a pretty decent service. Currently we hold two coffee morning support groups per week for parents/carers. We offer one to ones in terms of advice and form filling (DLA). We offer family counselling (with an counsellor who has 20+ years of ASD experience. (she also offers counselling to individuals with asd). We offer parenting courses which provide info on the conditions and practical behaviour management strategies (evidence based courses). We offer one off workshops where we have specialists come in and talk about puberty, behaviour management, communication etc. We have just renewed funding to provide a teen course to help with anger management, understanding emotions, social skills etc. We have a lending library. We offer drama therapy, a young adults film group and an adult adhd support group. I should say we currently primarily support up to 18, sometimes 25, as there is an adult autism service locally too. We don't offer after school clubs / playschemes etc as there is a sister charity that does that. Obviously we are hugely limited by funding - but I just wondered in an ideal world - what would people want? Lynne Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Canopus Report post Posted January 16, 2012 That is a very good question. Should it focus primarily on the low functioning / Kanner autism or on the high functioning autism / AS? Should it focus on teaching life skills for use outside of school or should it focus on social skills for school? Should if offer academic support, advice on taking exams as an external candidate etc. or should it restrict itself to social and extra curricular activities? Should it support home education or should it support school education? Should it be for parents only or should kids be allowed to attend? Should it allow computers or should it be a computer free zone? Should it offer activities or should it only offer advice? I have encountered groups that offer all the above. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lynden Report post Posted January 16, 2012 Well at present the support we offer directly to children/adolescents is aimed at the higher functioning side of things. I would like to be able to provide more for the lower functioning end but at present we do not have funding or staff to do so (it's a gap I'd like to see addressed as my son would fit in that category and I think there's sometimes an assumption that a SEN school will cover all the bases but often it doesn't). We don't as a rule offer academic support but we have helped universities set up student support groups. We also don't provide educational advice as such - we can provide general advice on IEPs, statements, transition etc but our sister charity has an advocacy service which can help with out of school tuition, getting kids back into school/the right school/tribunals etc. We don't have computers other than for staff use as we don't have the funds to provide them and aren't likely to have any time soon. Good questions though. Lynne Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kazzen161 Report post Posted January 16, 2012 I attended a 5 half-days workshop on "transition to adult" stuff and found it very useful. It is useful to have this info when your child is 14/15 as you need to plan ahead. It covered things like social services, housing options, appointee/power of attorney, wills/trusts, 16+ provision. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
trekster Report post Posted January 16, 2012 i would love something like what you mentioned above but the next towns support group will only help people in their area at 1st and will only be held 1 afternoon per week. Social groups in particular should discourage teasing and bullying by other attendees. Also the rules or guidelines should be clear especially avoiding names that could purposefully make others feel excluded 'eg 'an Asperger club' that permits classic autistics but still calls it 'an Asperger club'. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lynden Report post Posted January 17, 2012 Transition stuff is very important - we do a transition to high school workshop but we don't do transition to adult services, at least not formally. Maybe something we could look at. That's useful Trekster - particularly as we increase services - will make sure any names are inclusive. Completely OT but how are you finding the course? (you are doing the B'Ham autism course as well as me if I remember correctly). Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
butterfly73 Report post Posted January 17, 2012 (edited) From my perspective.. as a SALT.. More awareness for the underlying sensory problems, instead of teacher stumbling over the mere diagnosis.. I for one, don't see a difference when there is a kid with HS or ASD.. Though highly sensitive kids are seen as amiracle.. and kids with ASD or ADHD (let alone a combination) are seen as a nussance and a lot of extra work the do not wish to do.. A change in mindset will work miracles for these kids!! Regular and proper education and support of the teachers by SI-therapists is very advisable! If you only add to the stress, the problem will only increase! That day, for the parents at home.. and with the years.. Indeed.. better preperations to new schooling systems! Apart from that.. I would love it, if people would just look more at the pérson.. and not too much/only the behaviourisms ;-) For any kid/person: Ask for the right behaviour (specify!!) in a certain situation, before you stumble and address the wrong behaviourisms if they are inappropriate. (and even worse: telling them they are wrong/bad.. instead of addressing the real problem: the behaviour isn't what most people would like..) ** Instead of "cycle in an orderly fashion when we go on to the gym" specify: 2 by 2, A and B up front.. stay behind the people in front of you unless I ask you to change, no talking during the trip (unless there is an emergency); if there are changes you will hear them from <teacher>.. It is necessary for most kids: it's plain and simple.. It's also a matter of putting trust in them.. If they do not behave, that means that trips are of the menu: They can't handle it!These instructions might sound harsh.. but works wonders, even with adolecent kids.. ;-) With the trust, and of course a compliment, the self esteem will grow grtjes B'fly Edited January 17, 2012 by butterfly73 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
