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• maintaining a positive approach to managing challenging and
inappropriate behaviour which recognises the challenges that face our
young people, takes a holistic approach to understanding the individual,
their autism and their specific needs, and teaches them the skills and
strategies to enable them to reduce anxieties and self-manage behaviour.
• encouraging exercise and an active, healthy lifestyle as a key way to
support young people with autism, improving attention and sleep
patterns, releasing excess energy, providing opportunities for leisure and
social interaction, and as part of the repertoire of calming strategies for
anxious individuals.
• as an integral part of the Prior Approach there is access to advice and
support from a multi-disciplinary team including a Positive Behaviour
Support team, Speech and Language Therapists, and Occupational
Therapists.
• a strong focus on staff training to ensure the highest levels of autism best
practice and understanding of not only the needs of the young people as a
result of their autism but also their rights as an individual to dignity,
freedom and safety.
The key areas of focus within the Young Adult Provision and in line with the seven
Areas of Learning in the Learning Framework are:
•Independent living skills
There is a focus on developing self-care and life skills for
all individuals. This includes developing personal care
routines and good hygiene, learning to plan, shop for
and cook their own meals, learning to do their own
laundry and take responsibility for their personal
belongings, learning to complete day-to-day domestic
jobs including the cleaning of personal and communal
areas, learning to manage their money and developing
their skills to travel on a variety of transport within the
community.
•Choice-making, advocacy, and personal development
A range of strategies are used to enable young adults to make real choices about
their lives such as what to wear, preferred leisure activities, and personalising
their bedroom. Our aim is to provide experiences for our young adults which will
enable them to achieve a sense of personal identity, self-esteem and self-respect.
Through a focus on personal development, citizenship and opportunities for
decision-making about their lives presented throughout the Waking Day, we
strive to create a happy and stimulating environment for the development of
sexuality, physical, intellectual, emotional, spiritual and social skills, which takes
into account the special needs of our young adults.