EDUCATION NETWORK 19 TH MARCH 2014 Introductions • ‘Is it all right if….?’ Building communication friendly schools:peer education in St Stephen’s High School, Port Glasgow Mags Goldthorp, Inverclyde Autism Outreach and St Stephen’s staff Short break • Outdoor Learning at Grangemouth High Fiona Hutt, Teacher Grangemouth High base 12.30 – 1.30 LUNCH • Using Technology in SQA Literacy Assessments Paul Nisbet, CALL Scotland and provisionally SQA representative • TOOLBOX update
The Autism Toolbox A Resource for Scottish Schools
Presentation Overview • Autism Toolbox Background to development of Toolbox The Autism Strategy Development of website Web content and features Future development • Web content online • Q & A • Resources / local initiatives
Ministerial message “It is well -recognised that people with autism and their families need to be supported by a wide range of services such as education, social care, housing, employment and other community based services. The Scottish Strategy for Autism aims to build on improvements to autism services and help more people access these. “The strategy details our goals to help ensure that all the recommendations have been addressed by the time the strategy concludes in 2021. Through it we have provided Scottish Autism with funding to enhance the Autism Toolbox. This will deliver an updated and improved online national tool to encourage and disseminate good practice to all education staff in schools to support children and young people with autism.” Michael Matheson MSP (2013) Minister for Public Health
www.scotland.gov.uk
Personal perspectives drawn from a range of contributors in: Sainsbury (2000) The Martian in the Playground: Understanding the Schoolchild with Asperger's Syndrome “ School causes a lot of anxiety for me. There might be a new rule of …event I would not be able to know how to handle. I can never understand the point of these rules ( probably because there isn’t one). I would be constantly paranoid and worried about what I have to do, and had no clue what to do. Things like this caused me not to want to go to school .”
“ …we do things in different ways but we are of the same worth and value and we are not broken and we do not need to be “fixed” or “cured”.” “ My social deficit is quite distinct and significant and yet no remediation was provided in this area” “I think I might have been an alien who has been put on this planet by mistake; I hope that this is so, because this means that there might be other people out there in the universe like me .”
Aims of the Toolbox • Addressing feelings of alienation, isolation, frustration is fundamental to inclusion • Recognition of strengths, cognitive styles and motivation • Importance of consistency To support staff • Reflect on attitudes, understanding & empathy • Be aware of the importance of the social curriculum • Access training/CPD • Signpost acknowledged good information and practice - Overwhelming amount of info and ‘advice’ , but is not regulated or may be contradictory. ( 14.800.000 in seconds) • Aware of knowledge base of others • Have a range of professionals are observing and advising on their practice .
Autism Toolbox 2009 Part 1 - The Policy and Legislative Context Part 2 - The Toolbox – Autism in Practice Section 1 - Knowing about Autism Section 2 - Guidance and Support for Pre-Schools, Primary Schools and Secondary Schools Section 3 – Support for Parents and Families Section 4 – Working with Other Agencies CD ROM – Interventions and Approaches Resources Local Authority Guidance Directory Practice grids and Posters
The Scottish Strategy for Autism 2011 10 year strategy Autism Reference Group - 6 times a year 6 working Sub-groups Group 1 Achieving Best Value for Services Group 2 Cross Agency Value for Services Group 3 Diagnosis, Intervention & Support Group 4 Wider Opportunities and Access to Work Group 5 Research Group 6 Users and Carers 53 local and national projects funded through the Autism Development Fund - £13.4 million over four years until March 2015
www.scotland.gov.uk The Scottish Strategy for Autism More accessible
Questionnaires Do you have a copy of the Autism Toolbox in School? Yes - 124 No - 22 Don't know - 23 No response - 8
Questionnaires Do you use the Autism Toolbox as a reference? Often - 17 Sometimes - 73 Rarely - 35 Never - 41 No response - 11
Questionnaires Do you use the Autism Toolbox for staff development? Often - 9 Sometimes - 58 Rarely - 35 Never - 68 No response - 7
Comments Practical advice on More visual format, strategies through less wordy, easy to video, podcasts, direct negotiate links to resources Links to support Secondary Staff training networks/ specific resources local contacts Topic specific information
A website to support school staff to ‘raise the bar’ for pupils with autism in Scottish schools • Owned and evaluated by a wide group of practitioners • Accessible to all • Support inclusive practices • Focus on the principles and capacities of Curriculum for Excellence and GIRFEC • Provide a forum for continually updating and disseminating good practice .
Glow Learning Community – #Autism
Glow Learning Community – #Autism National Site National PL Community
Using the Website
THEMES Understanding autism Supporting Pupils Whole School Planning Supporting Wellbeing Partnership with Families Working with others Resources
Link to original Toolbox Link to Glow Learning Community : #autism What’s new?
Think about
Look out for: Opportunity to share Links to Curriculum for Toolbox of references Excellence and other resources and signposting on Education Scotland website Information specific to Age Groups
Continuing Development of Website • Sourcing new material and current practice e.g. English as Additional Language Girls on the Spectrum Sector specific resources – profiles? Sensory issues - case studies? Nurture group in Secondary CALL Centre and Education Scotland input
Using the Toolbox Whole School – audit, plan staff development, examples from other settings Individual or groups of Staff – raise awareness, personal development, in service days Support for individual pupil – consider wellbeing factors, consistency from staff, sharing information
Recent Questions How to develop peer awareness. Anxiety and stress Working with other professionals Using a particular approach to support sensory issues Possible indicators of autism Autism awareness cards for young people Accepting help Sharing information with families Transitions Toilet training
Practical resources and case studies 10th March Partnership with Families 17th March Working with other agencies 24/31March Supporting Wellbeing 7 April Whole School Planning 14 April Understanding Autism 21 April Supporting pupils 28 April Resources and contributors
Timeline Sept – December 2013 Pilot resource Dec 2013 – Feb 2014 Review resource Jan – March 2014 Authority CPD Launch 29 th April 2014
And finally . . . ‘Don’t assume you know what the child is like if you have read a manual about autism. There are as many brands of autism as there are autistic people. Look and listen to the individual person…’ Cited in Sainsbury, (2000 p130)
moira.park@scottishautism.org jayne.porter@strath.ac.uk
Other resources you may find useful... Education Network Days at
• Specialist day and residential school for young people with autism based in Alloa • Part of national charity Scottish Autism • Hosts National Education Network Days
National Education Network Key Dates 2014 New Struan School • Wednesday 19 th March 2014 – Secondary focus 'Is it alright if...? Building communication-friendly schools: peer education in St Stephen's High School, Port Glasgow“ Mags Goldthorp, Inverclyde Autism Outreach and St Stephen’s staff Outdoor Learning at Grangemouth High, Fiona Hutt Using Technology in SQA Literacy Assessments Paul Nisbet, CALL Scotland and provisionally SQA representative • Wednesday 21 st May 2014 – Outreach focus Emotion Works update on approach and resources Claire Murray Sheena Rogerson, Dumfries and Galloway : Team Talk, a look at how to gather information from all agencies supporting a pupil. Any staff are welcome to attend either or both sessions £40 per session Contact Moira Park moira.park@scottishautism.org
Online Support Programme for Parents and Carers
Two Programmes : Child Programme Teen Programme (Eating, Sleeping, Toileting ) (Independent Living, Relationships) • 5 week programme with new content for the first four weeks and a final week to review all material • Content is mainly videos made up by our Autism Support Team on topics that parents are likely to find most challenging. Also some supporting documents that can be downloaded. • Access is free and parents can sign up at www.scottishautism.org
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