Search Results for: autism outreach

Autism Outreach Service – Sensory Differences

Our lives are full of sensory experience. We all respond to sensory information. We touch, move, see, hear, taste and smell. It is important to recognise that the sensory information we process can have an impact on how we feel, how we think and how we behave and respond. Any of the senses may be over, or under sensitive, or both, at different times.

These booklets will give you some ideas and examples of things that you can try to help you support your child or young person with their sensory experiences.

  • Making Sense of Sensory Behaviour – Falkirk Council
  • Sensory Approach for Parents and Carers – Falkirk Council
  • Sensory Issues in Autism – East Sussex Council

                           

Autism Outreach Service – Some Ideas and Resources!

We understand that changes to routine, the sensory challenges of increased hand washing and the general anxiety of the situation surrounding Coronavirus (Covid-19) may be having a big impact on your child or young person, so over the next few days we will be sharing some ideas and resources that may help you manage these things at home.

We will update with new resources as and when we can so please check back regularly to see what’s new!

To get you started here is a social story written by Carol Gray that may be useful to share with your child or young person if they are feeling anxious or unsure about what is going on around them concerning the Coronavirus.

 

 

Autism Outreach Service

Who are we?

The Autism Outreach Service is a small team of teaching and support staff with specialist knowledge and experience in the field of Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC). 

We are part of the staff team at Orchard Brae School, supporting our colleagues in the mainstream nursery, primary and secondary educational sectors across Aberdeen City.

Who is in the Team?

There are currently 7 teachers and 3 PSAs in the team with a mix of full, part time and secondment posts. Our teachers are Laura May, Lara Lumbard, Heather Ross, Fabiana Ruggeri, Paula Owen, Claire Bean and Fiona Muirhead-Kerr.  Our PSAs are Teresa Calvino-Diaz, Lesley Morrison and Kyna Mowat-Gosnell .The Principal Teacher of the Service is Aleks Polanska.

Within our Early Years Early Intervention Support Team we have two Senior Early Years Practitioners, two Early Years Practitioners and four Pupil Support Assistants. Our Senior EYPs are Nicky McLeod-Hay and Tracey Milne, our EYPs are Melanie Fraser Mackenzie and Rizza Stewart. Our Pupil Support Assistants are Hannah Wood, Chiara Sissa, Nadine Jerham and Hannah Wilson. 

   

Where is the Team based?

The Autism Outreach Team are based at Orchard Brae School, Howes Road, Aberdeen, AB16 7RW, Tel :  01224 788950

If you wish to get in touch you can contact the reception desk at Orchard Brae or you can email Alex, the Principal Teacher, directly at APolanska@aberdeencity.gov.uk

What do we do?

As part of ACC’s Integrated Children & Family Services, the role of the Autism Outreach Service is to deliver universal, targeted and specialist levels of support across Aberdeen City to staff and schools who have children and young people with an Autism Spectrum Condition.

The remit of the service is wide and varied; from providing advice. to delivering guidance and training on effective practice within the field of ASC, to our education colleagues.

Our focus is on increasing knowledge and understanding of ASC and building capacity and confidence within schools.

In delivering our service the Autism Outreach Service  works closely with all partner agencies and colleagues to ensure that the approach or interventions used are appropriate, effective, consistent and get it right for every child.

The range of support…

The exact nature of the support given will be entirely dependent upon the needs of the child or young person and the needs of the staff working with, and supporting them, and can include, but is not limited to … 

      • increasing knowledge and understanding of ASC
      • supporting good autism classroom practice
      • promoting positive behaviour management
      • supporting staff in differentiating the curriculum
      • supporting implementation of flexible timetabling
      • supporting children and young people with transitions
      • promoting effective use of reinforcement schedules
      • supporting the use of visuals to aid learning and understanding
      • promoting and developing appropriate social skills resources
      • increasing the understanding of sensory sensitivities
      • supporting the set up of effective individual work systems
      • supporting emotional regulation and development
      • using social stories to promote understanding
      • providing advice, strategies and resources to meet the individual need

Essential Principles of Good Autism Practice

  • Respect for, and understanding of, the individual…based on how they think and interpret the world and their individual learning style
  • Accommodation of their strengths as well as areas of difficulty
  • The need for self-reflection in practitioners
  • High expectations with appropriate levels of targeted support and flexibility of delivery where required
  • Implementation where possible of an ‘autism appropriate’ environment.

Good practice may not be sufficient for those on the autism spectrum but good autism practice will benefit others as well as those with autism.

Our Profile

Our Profile

Orchard Brae School is an all through free standing special school for pupils age 3-18 with profound, multiple and complex needs. Orchard Brae opened on 21st August 2017. 

Orchard Brae is a purpose-built facility which has been specially designed to meet the needs of the children and young people who attend. It has a range of fully accessible specialist teaching areas that accommodate the sensory requirements of pupils. There are tracking hoists throughout and specially widened doors and corridors. There are 3 distinct areas and we are equipped with sensory, soft play and therapy rooms. The whole school facilities include: a multi-purpose hall, deck level trampoline, swimming pool, hydro pool, HE and art rooms.  The outdoor learning space is varied and large, with a good range of fixed play equipment as well as creative landscaping which lends itself to future development. The nursery, sensory, wildlife and growing gardens are also in the early stages of development.

The school has a roll of 121 children with an additional 40 place nursery; the school roll is predicted to remain constant for the foreseeable future.  The school has a management team of an Executive Head Teacher, Three Head of Areas – Head of Secondary, Head of Primary and Head of Early Learning and Child Care and five Principal Teachers, one of whom leads the Autism Outreach Service. There are 18 classes, 4 nursery classes (3 of which are based within Ashgrove Children’s Centre) plus 2 citywide outreach services – Autism Outreach Service and MOVE/Moving and Handling Team. The full-time equivalent teaching staff is 40.12fte, Early Years Practitioner 23.94Fte and Pupil Support Assistant staff is 52Fte.