Focus on adaptations to the environment that enable children to feel safe within the school environment and promote their general wellbeing. Understand their stressors and how to respond to meltdowns in school if they occur (please see: Trauma | Autism Barriers to Education, which includes The Nest Approach to supporting autistic children with meltdowns).

Provide a more personalised curriculum allowing flexibility in the organisation of the learning environment and the school day. For example, you could offer access to a low stimulus, distraction-free base either within or outside of the classroom for certain tasks.

Consider the child’s all round development and use trackers such as the AET Progression Framework (see Assessments section) to identify strengths, support needs and monitor progress in response to intervention.

Use of personalised visuals (e.g. objects of reference, now/next, first/then, working for boards, activity boards, sand timers). If a child has a personalised Visual Timetable they will need to be told as early as possible about any changes to their routine. Discussing the day’s events at the start of the day allows the opportunity to identify potential difficult times and ensure additional support is available. Consider if the child is developmentally ready for symbols on their timetable, or if photographs or objects of reference are needed. Visual supports (autism.org.uk)

Provide visual structure and support, e.g. visual schedule, task planner and graphic organisers to support children’s work.

Attention Autism is an intervention model which aims to develop natural and spontaneous communication through group work and the use of visually based and highly motivating activities.

Use of a Sensory Checklist and environmental adaptations to minimise impact of sensory distractions and sensory processing differences (e.g. opportunities to work in quieter spaces with reduced distractions when completing focused activities, access to tailored sensory activities or resources). This sensory audit resource was coproduced with Bury young people. Click here to access it.

Develop understanding of sensory processing, for example using resources such a Sensory Dinosaurs which includes stories alongside practical strategies.

Support the development of children’s emotions by using visuals and modelling naming of emotions in context, e.g. using an Emotion Coaching approach (also see the SEMH section).

Use of Interoception based resources to support children to better understand their internal signals and how their body is feeling (this is closely linked to self-regulation).

Zones of Regulation is an intervention that supports the development of self-regulation and emotional control.

Develop peer support and understanding

Whole class presentations can be found here, alongside resources for staff, parents and children to challenge misconceptions and celebrate neurodiversity: Powerpoint Presentations | Neurodiversity Celebration Week (neurodiversityweek.com) and  Student Resources | Neurodiversity Celebration Week (neurodiversityweek.com)

Circle of Friends  is a group intervention that enhances inclusion through peer support. The Circle of Friends approach works by mobilising the young person’s peers to provide support and engage in problem solving with the person in difficulty.

Develop collaboration skills alongside children, using neurodiversity affirming resources, such as:

• The Brick by Brick programme. By Play Included, Brick by Brick is free and uses Lego to develop social connection and interaction. It is recommended for use with autistic children rather than Lego Therapy.

• Sea Bridge is a strengths-based social-emotional curriculum for children aged 5-10 years.

• The ‘EST’ (Empathise, Sharing Context, Teamwork) of the NEST approach.

• The Collaborative & Proactive Solutions (CPS) model is a model to help supporting adults focus on identifying the problems that are causing concerning behaviours and solving those problems collaboratively and proactively.

Use of digital workbooks and lesson plans to develop inclusion and develop self-advocacy, such as ‘Standing up for Myself’: Social Skills Books | AUsome | Autism Books on Social Skills (ausometraining.com)

Social Detectives  is a comic book that teaches children to develop their own social detective skills through repeating and reviewing their communication.

Other helpful resources include:

• Spectrum Gaming’s Padlet: https://padlet.com/spectrumgaming/AutismResources

• Book list for children and adults: https://notanautismmom.com/2020/07/20/autism-books

• Autism and social skills webinar for staff, which explores impact of more traditional social skills training has on autistic children and their wellbeing (such as masking).