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able to lead full and varied lives within the community. Individuals are
supported to engage in a rich and varied range of activities and
opportunities tailored to meet their individual needs across their Waking Day.
Each young adult follows an individualised person-centred learning plan which is
reviewed regularly by looking at the needs of each individual while building on
their skills, strengths and interests.
Key elements of the approach include:
• utilising the TEACCH methodology, a structured approach which provides
a structured way of organising the layout of the environment and activities
across all settings in the Waking Day, individualised and tailored to support
understanding of the events in their day, thereby reducing anxieties and
facilitating independence.
• utilising a total communication approach with the aim of creating
strategies, resources and stimulating environments which will develop
individuals' non-verbal and verbal communication abilities, facilitate social
interaction, attention and understanding and support emotional
development such as self-esteem and self-assertiveness. These strategies
include the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS); objects of
reference; signing; voice output devices; communication and computer
access software such as the Grid; social stories; visual strategies; and
physical, gestural and verbal prompts.
• following a Waking Day approach, which recognises that individuals with
autism often learn best in real-life settings, learning is reinforced in a
variety of situations with a focus on meaningful skills that contribute to an
active life within the community.
• making use of data to understand young adults as individuals and autism
as a condition, with data gathered throughout a young person's day and
stored on our data recording system Prior Insight for interpretation and
analysis to improve outcomes and track learning progress.
• accessing an individualised programme of learning within the Prior's
Court Learning Framework, with the programme designed to meet each
young adults needs and build on their strengths and interests, across the
seven Areas of Learning - communication, positive behaviour support,
healthiness, daily living skills, vocational skills, functional academics and,
keeping me safe - with progress tracked using the I Can Statement
measurement system, incorporated within Prior Insight.
• Regular reviewing and updating of an individual's This Is Me plan, such as
key persons in the individual's Circle of Support, individual care and
learning plans, Positive Behaviour Support plans, protocols and risk
assessments.