- be provided with appropriate strategies and support to assist their inclusion, interaction, and access to all areas of the curriculum
- be confident in understanding the sensory needs of autistic pupils
- be able to set up and run sensory circuits
- be able to support a child with a sensory diet
- have a range of experienced staff in their school to support pupils with sensory needs as part of their educational programme
This course is designed to offer participants an understanding of factors underpinning EBSA together with why autistic children and young people might be at particular risk. It has been developed by members of the Autism Outreach and Educational Psychology Services and includes the sharing of theoretical information together with discussion and hands-on activities.
The course will explore evidence-based approaches and interventions in relation to EBSA and how these can be used with a range of children and young people, including those who are autistic. In addition to sharing school-based strategies, an aim of the course is to equip participants with an understanding of how authentic, impactful home-school collaborations can be developed and how these can represent the platform for effective intervention.
Those who have participated in the course found the following particularly helpful:
- Thinking about the wider context of EBSA and why autistic pupils might be at more risk
- Listening to professionals who have knowledge and experience of supporting pupils experiencing EBSA
- Understanding risk and resilience factors around EBSA
- The focus on transition points and how best to support pupils at these times
Schools will:
- benefit from staff participating in the training so they are equipped to share knowledge and understanding, so facilitating a shared approach to supporting children and young people (CYP) who experience EBSA, particularly autistic CYP within the school.
Pupils will:
- benefit from staff supporting them at school gaining knowledge and understanding of EBSA, and why autistic CYP might be at particular risk.
- benefit from staff being more equipped to offer effective support and understand the importance of their voice and collaboration with key people in their lives informing this support.
- explore key psychological models to understand the needs of CYP experiencing EBSA, and why autistic CYP might be at particular risk.
- understand how EBSA is maintained and developed over time.
- understand factors underpinning EBSA as well as risk and resilience factors in relation to EBSA.
- understand the four functions of EBSA.
- understand EBSA within the context of transitions between phases of education.
- understand the different tools to facilitate assessment that can help us understand EBSA and how these are used.
- understand the importance of the pupil voice informing EBSA intervention.
- understand the importance of authentic collaborations between home and education settings, and how these can be achieved.
Anybody who is involved in supporting children and young people who experience EBSA. Together with members of staff based within education settings, this includes members of services supporting schools and/or children and young people (e.g., Outreach services, Attendance and Advisory service, Educational Psychology, School Counsellors etc.)
- acquire phonic and spelling via a structured, cumulative, multi-sensory learning programme
- benefit from training from experienced dyslexia specialist teachers
- understand the best ways to improve reading and spelling outcomes
- have staff who are trained to deliver a successful teaching programme
- Understanding the autism diagnosis
- Sensory processing and strategies to support
- Communication and strategies to support
- Ways to help access the curriculum
- Understanding and managing behaviours, emotion and anxiety
- be provided with appropriate strategies and support to assist their inclusion, interaction and access to all areas of the curriculum.
- have a deeper understanding of autism and how it affects children and their families
- be equipped with a range of strategies to support children with autism in mainstream secondary school
- have staff who have greater understanding of best practice in relation to autistic children, as well as the sensory difficulties they experience which can affect their ability to be included