Flexibility of thought

• Has a strong preference for things to be the same.
• Changes to rules and routines or unexpected events may be difficult to manage.
• Others not following the rules or routines can be difficult to process or manage.
• Making choices or decisions can add to feelings of overwhelm.
• Prefers to be self-led and/or direct their focus to areas of their own interest.
• Finds it easier to engage in closed-ended tasks.
• May be very focused on their own passions, hobbies and interests.
• Finds it challenging to work with others on a shared task.
• Finds it hard to understand the concept of danger.
• Focuses on the here and now.
• May be showing signs of school avoidance or have an increase in absences.

Based on need, some of this provision will be effective.

• Personalised visual supports are used to support understanding of routines, for example timetables, Now and Next boards, calendars.
• Social narratives are used to develop a wider view and understanding of situations.
• Strategies to manage stressful events are explicitly taught, for example the 5-point scale. These are co-created and practised with the child or young person so that they can be supported to manage stressful events. These might include increased access to intense interests or extra sensory breaks.
• Anticipate triggers which may lead to distress. Staff know the child or person well and intervene early to prevent the situation occurring or escalating, using visuals and pre-emptive warnings and support to minimise escalation and distress.
• Prepare children and young people for events through rehearsal and role play. Plan opportunities to prepare for planned events outside of the ‘normal’ timetable.
• Explicitly teach ways to manage change. Change, oops or surprise cards on a visual timetable might be used, initially for changes which are positive for the child or young person.
• Adults recognise and support both micro and macro transitions. Children and young people and their families are involved in identifying helpful strategies.
• Exit plans are generated and practised with the child or young person, in anticipation of times when it may be necessary to move away from overwhelming situations or environments. These are reviewed alongside children and young people.
• Adapt language to reduce demands. Staff consciously adapt their language to reduce the suggestion or perception of demands, using declarative language (statements, comments or observations), or rephrasing things to talk about an object rather than a person.
• Deliberate use of indirect communication including:
  • physical prompts (for example tapping shoes instead of saying “Please put your shoes on”)
  • visual prompts (pictures or checklists, ensuring the child or young person has an element of choice and control, for instance in the order that things are done rather than a more formal ‘first this…then that …’ approach)
  • telling someone else to do something whilst in the child or young person’s earshot
  • leaving leaflets or books ‘lying around’ for the child or young person to pick up out of natural curiosity
  • communicating using role play or via a third party, for example communicate through a favourite toy or by adopting the persona of a favourite character.
• Adults adjust task expectations and reduce demands pro-actively.
• Personalised visual supports and task plans are in place to support understanding of the steps needed to complete a task.
• TEACCH (Teaching, Expanding, Appreciating, Collaborating and Cooperating, Holistic) type approaches are implemented to support engagement in tasks and to develop independence in learning.
• Use of role-play to support to support understanding of different perspectives. Role-play, drama and the use of props, for example puppets, optical illusions where a picture can be interpreted in two different ways etc. are used to act out stories to support understanding of different perspectives.
• Explicit teaching of strategies to manage feelings of overwhelm. Supportive strategies are explicitly taught, practised and scaffolded into real-life situations. This might include using tools such as energy accounting or scaling.
• Access to a distraction free ‘work station’ to complete tasks. Children and young people are taught how to request and access it appropriately.
• Use of the ATTEND Framework to support EBSA. If your child or young person is presenting with school avoidance or you are noticing patterns of absence, use the ATTEND Framework as an early intervention to identifying needs and managing their concerns around attending school.

Support services

• Autism training from Devon’s Communication and Interaction Team
• Neurodiversity – Children and Family Health Devon
• Request support from Devon’s Communication and Interaction Team
• Devon’s Educational Psychology Service

Further reading and information

• The Anxiety Curve and the Incredible 5-Point Scale
• Making Transitions Easier for Autistic Learners | Autism Education Trust
• Supporting learners during micro-transitions
• Examples of task plans
• Stories That Explain book
• Autistic Burnout and Energy Accounting
• Resources for autistic teenagers
• Introduction to the ATTEND Framework – for use when children and young people are at risk of Emotionally Based School Avoidance.

Resources to share with parents

• Helping Kids With Flexible Thinking | Child Mind Institute
• Information leaflets regarding transitions, for parents from Early Years to 16 years | Autism Education Trust
• Helpful approaches for parents and carers | PDA Society
• Understanding autism: Our introduction | Children and Family Health Devon
• Parental Minds