Autism and the Special School Programme (Professional) Lisanally Special School, Armagh

Autism and Understanding Anxiety for those with additional learning difficulties

For many autistic students, school can be a major source of stress. Everyone shows their anxiety in individual ways, so the most reliable observations that a student is anxious are going to be made by the people who know the student best. This shows the importance of working closely not only within the family structure, but also with the school staff. This session is an introduction to strategies that can be used to alleviate the experience of anxiety in autistic students. This will include an introduction to cognitively based strategies and how to develop student centred strategies to deal with anxiety.

Participants will:

• Appreciate how anxiety can escalate and may result in an emotional response
• Develop some simple supportive approaches to prevent the escalation of anxiety.
• Understand the basics of cognitively based management approaches.

Autism and Communication.

This session explores the differences in neurotypical vs autistic communication styles. It provides delegates with an understanding of how to appreciate communication differences and adapt their communication style to better support autistic children and young people at home and school.

Delegates will:

• Explore current relevant theories related to communication differences
• Develop an understanding of their own communication preferences and how these might hinder or support the autistic communicator
• Explore a range of supportive practices in receptive (understanding) and expressive communication

Autism, the Special School and Sensory Processing

Many autistic children and young people have differences in how they process the sensory stimuli in the world around them. Children and young people who presents with additional learning needs may experience more challenges with how they perceive and respond to sensory input. This course is designed to look specifically at the sensory processing needs of autistic children and young people with other complex learning needs, such as communication difficulties, physical or sensory difficulties, attention difficulties and medical needs.

Participants will:

• Understand the concept of sensory processing and how this relates to participation in daily activities.
• Appreciate how sensory processing differences can affect the child or young person at home, in school and in other settings.
• Acknowledge the importance of identifying the potential sensory function of a behaviour.
• Gain knowledge about supportive practice, which can address the sensory processing needs of the children and young people with additional and complex learning needs at home, in school and in other settings.

Autism and Understanding Anxiety for those with additional learning difficulties

For many autistic students, school can be a major source of stress. Everyone shows their anxiety in individual ways, so the most reliable observations that a student is anxious are going to be made by the people who know the student best. This shows the importance of working closely not only within the family structure, but also with the school staff. This session is an introduction to strategies that can be used to alleviate the experience of anxiety in autistic students. This will include an introduction to cognitively based strategies and how to develop student centred strategies to deal with anxiety.

Participants will:

• Appreciate how anxiety can escalate and may result in an emotional response
• Develop some simple supportive approaches to prevent the escalation of anxiety.
• Understand the basics of cognitively based management approaches.

Autism and Reframing Behaviour

This training will introduce participants to the ongoing paradigm shift in understanding behaviour from a physiological perspective, drawing on research from neuroscience, psychology, and interpersonal neurobiology. It will encourage participants to pause and reflect on their current beliefs and reactions to the behavioural differences presenting within their autistic students. Participants will be supported to consider behavioural differences that are authentic to the autistic child and young person and their invaluable role in maintaining joy in their lives. Furthermore, participants will be supported to understand the underlying factors contributing to distressed behaviours, and how supporting professionals can help.

Specific topics will include: 

• Understanding the ongoing paradigm shift in how we think about behaviour.
• Factors that contribute to distressed behaviour for an autistic child or young person.
• The important role of neuroception and sense of "felt safety" in promoting a balanced regulatory state.
• The importance of professional self-care in the context of supporting an autistic child or young person in distress.

Participants will:

• Gain an understanding of the ongoing paradigm shift in how we think about "behaviour" presenting in our autistic children and young people.
• To support participants to recognise their inner biases, judgements and beliefs that may be impacting upon how they support an autistic child or young person in distress.
• To understand the underlying and environmental factors contributing to distress and overwhelm within the autistic child or young person.
• Understand their role in managing their own regulation as an essential process to the co-regulatory support they provide their autistic students.

Course Overview

• Paradigm shift and reframing our perception of behaviour.
• Underlying and environmental factors contributing to distressed behaviour.
• Proactive and reactive supports when working with distressed behaviour.