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    Introduction

    This information has been prepared to highlight some best-

    practice strategies for supporting young children with autism.

    Autistic children represent a very diverse group of individuals

    with some common features, so while the basic principles and

    concepts underlying the strategies below are relevant for the

    majority of autistic children, strategies should be modified

    and adapted to meet individual needs.

    To support autistic children, we can learn about autism

    The Autism Spectrum

    Autism is a spectrum condition, meaning that everyone is different. Autistic people

    are called neurodivergent because the way they experience the world can be

    different in some ways to the way non-autistic (neurotypical) people do. Autism is

    not only a diagnosis; for many people it is an identity. Some people prefer to be

    called autistic (identity first) and some people prefer to be called a person with

    autism (person-first). Both terms are used in this document out of respect for

    different preferences.

    In the Art of Autism (www.the-art-of-autism.com/understanding-the-spectrum-a-

    comic-strip-explanation/ ), Rebecca Burgess shows us that autistic people’s

    strengths and difficulties can be very varied.

    For example, one person might have well-developed motor skills and perceptual

    skills but may have difficulties with language.

    Another person might have well-developed speech and perceptual skills but might

    have difficulties in sensory and motor areas.

    It is really important to remember the positive features of autism, of which there are

    many.

    http://www.the-art-of-autism.com/understanding-the-spectrum-a-comic-strip-explanation/http://www.the-art-of-autism.com/understanding-the-spectrum-a-comic-strip-explanation/

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    Autistic people have many strengths, including these outlined below:

    (University of Leeds)

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    Autism as a diagnosis

    To receive a diagnosis of autism under the Diagnostic and

    Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th edition), a person must

    have

    - significant difficulties or differences in their social

    interaction and social communication.

    - restrictive and repetitive patterns of interest or

    behaviour. They may have significant sensory difficulties.

    In addition, autistic people may have difficulties with learning

    (intellectual disability, dyslexia, etc.), difficulties with executive

    functioning and time management, and difficulties with

    organisation and planning. They may have co-occurring issues

    such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD),

    anxiety, depression, epilepsy, dyspraxia, and other difficulties

    found in the general population.

    Autistic communication and interaction styles – differences and difficulties

    Many people with autism have their own ways of communicating. Some of this

    communication is physical, for example, through movement, sensory exploration

    or self-stimulatory behaviour (stimming). Autistic people may communicate and

    interact using vocalisation, speech, sign language or augmentative and

    alternative communication devices (AAC devices).

    “I have used a communication device as my main means of

    communication for most of my adult life. I’ve only been able to

    speak communicatively a couple times in the past thirteen years

    or so (the ability went away as unexpectedly as it showed up),

    so I am considered nonspeaking. I grew up sometimes able to

    speak and sometimes not, and with a complicated relationship

    to speech and receptive language. I slowly lost both speech-in-

    general and speech-as-communication starting in adolescence

    and continuing into early adulthood. I use both typing

    and picture symbols depending on what I need at the time. I

    communicate best outside of language altogether, but they

    haven’t made tools to interpret that. I am sometimes a good

    writer, but language is extremely tiring for me nonetheless.”

    Mel Baggs, https://ballastexistenz.wordpress.com/about-2/

    Autistic people can have difficulties and delays in language development and

    comprehension or the speed at which they process language. Their

    comprehension of language can dip when they are stressed and they may

    appear to understand something when they don’t.

    https://ballastexistenz.wordpress.com/about-2/

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    Autistic people can find it difficult to make sense of

    social cues such as body language and tone of voice.

    They may need to be taught about neurotypical social

    communication and interaction skills.

    People with autism can find it difficult to understand

    social situations and can find social interaction tiring.

    Autistic children can find unstructured play and

    activities difficult.

    They may have difficulties with social interaction skills

    like turn-taking, sharing, waiting, losing in games and

    knowing how to join in with others in play or groups.

    People with autism can be very sensitive to other

    people’s feelings but may not always be able to

    understand why others feel the way they do.

    They may have their own style of social interaction, for

    example, being happy in someone’s company without

    communicating verbally. Their presence or physical

    proximity may be their preferred way of communicating

    and interacting.

    Restrictive and repetitive behaviours / interests – differences and difficulties

    Autistic people can present with a desire for sameness and

    routine and structure. They can have difficulties with

    transitions and change. They can find uncertainty very

    challenging.

    They may have untypical physical or vocal mannerisms

    and they may engage in stimming.

    They may have very strong interests and passions. Autistic people’s strong

    interests can bring them great joy and should be encouraged.

    Children with autism enjoy play but may not play in a neurotypical way.

    Many autistic children have sensory issues which can impact on their ability to

    feel safe, be comfortable, concentrate and attend.

    ??

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    Neurodiversity and Identity

    Many autistic people realise from a young age that they are different in some ways to

    most of the people around them. Knowing you have autism and what it is, can help

    explain who you are and why some experiences are different or difficult for you.

    The Neurodiversity movement raises our

    awareness of differences among people and

    helps us appreciate the value of diversity.

    Many autistic people find it helpful to be able

    to compare themselves to peers who are

    neurodivergent and who understand what it

    is like to be autistic.

    It is important to learn about the experience of being autistic. Aoife Dooley is a writer,

    comic and artist who has written about her autism.

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    Many people suppress their autistic selves to be more like those around them. We

    call this masking, passing, camouflaging or adapting. While we all ‘mask’ to some

    degree depending on where we are, what we are doing and who we are with, for

    autistic people, masking can be exhausting.

    Masking is a natural response and sometimes a person may not know they are

    masking. They may be adapting to the situations they find themselves in. Autistic

    people can lose their sense of who they are when they mask on an ongoing basis.

    Emily @21andsensory

    If a child is masking, they may appear to ‘hold it together’ in certain settings. We

    need to listen to the child and parents when they tell us about the child’s

    experience in those settings. If a child is upset going into school and leaving school,

    for example, this may be telling us that they are under a lot of pressure in that

    setting. A child cannot and should not have to sustain intolerable pressure.

    A child’s wellbeing is of primary importance when planning their support and

    education. “The promotion of wellbeing is central to the Department’s mission to

    enable children and young people to achieve their full potential and contribute to

    Ireland’s social, cultural and economic development” (Wellbeing Policy Statement

    and Framework for Practice, 2018 – 2023, Department of Education and Skills). This

    definition of wellbeing is taken from the World Health Organisation’s definition:

    “Wellbeing is present when a person realises their potential, is resilient in dealing

    with the normal stresses of their life, takes care of their physical wellbeing and

    has a sense of purpose, connection and belonging to a wider community. It is a

    fluid way of being and needs nurturing throughout life.” (WHO, 2001). We need to

    emphasise wellbeing and We need to put supports in place to make the child feel

    safe and make their experience comfortable.

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    To support children with sensory issues we can learn about our senses

    We have a number of different senses which tell us what is

    happening inside us and outside us.

    People with sensory issues find it hard to regulate their

    sensory input.

    They can be undersensitive to sensations in their

    environment or they can be oversensitive to certain

    sensory input.

    We all try to regulate our sensory input and when we can’t,

    we may not feel safe, we may not be able to attend or

    concentrate and we may be not be able to learn.

    Being well-regulated is fundamental to feeling calm and

    comfortable and able to learn.

    Emily @21andsensory shows some daily activities that can be difficult for people

    with sensory sensitivities to tolerate. Sensory issues can cause a lot of stress and

    anxiety for autistic children. Children can show fear responses to sounds, smells,

    textures, social situations, touch and a variety of other sensory experiences.

    Sensory experiences can be very uncomfortable and dysregulating.

    Emily @21andsensory

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    Stimming

    Stimming is a natural way of regulating and expression.

    AsIam: “Stimming (short for self-

    stimulatory behaviour) is a repetitive

    series of actions which an autistic

    person may do when they are excited,

    anxious or stimulated.

    Almost everyone engages in stimming

    to some degree in their own way.

    They might crack their knuckles, tap

    their feet, or even just hum and

    whistle.

    Autistic people are usually more overt

    when stimming. Flapping their hands,

    rocking back and forth and repeating

    certain words are just some of the

    ways they regulate their sensory

    processing

    “The biggest differences between autistic and typical stimming are the

    type, quantity, and obviousness of the behaviour. It’s important to be aware and

    understanding when an autistic person is stimming. Some methods may appear

    odd or even inappropriate to onlookers, especially if it’s an adult, but drawing

    attention to their stimming will only cause more distress.

    “An autistic person is able to self-regulate through stimming and navigate their

    sensory environment. This helps them cope with challenges in their sensory

    processing in their day-to-day lives. It is a means of easing physical pain and

    internal anxiety as well as expressing one’s emotions, from frustration to joy.

    If an autistic individual doesn’t get an opportunity to stim and meet their sensory

    needs, then they may withdraw and ‘shut down’ or experience a meltdown.

    Do not try to stop a person stimming. This will only make them feel anxious and

    create negative associations in their minds with a particular person and or place.”

    AsIam, https://asiam.ie/stimming/

    https://asiam.ie/stimming/

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    To support autistic children we can adapt the environment

    A supportive environment plays a huge part in fostering a child’s wellbeing, feelings

    of safety, emotional regulation, comfort, happiness, learning and ability to take part in

    social interactions.

    The Golden Equation

    Dr Luke Beardon talks about how important it is to consider the influence of the

    environment on outcomes for autistic people. His Golden Equation explains that the

    environment has a big impact on how a person with autism gets on.

    Child’s Eye View

    It is important to take a child’s eye view when we want to best support

    children with autism. Take the time to look at the child’s

    environment - from their perspective - to identify the information

    they need from the moment they enter a school, a class, a waiting

    room, a public building, or somewhere new.

    If we imagine walking in their shoes, at their level, we might be

    able to imagine how they feel, what they need to know, and how we

    can provide the structures, supports and information they need.

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    Overwhelmed … or blossoming?

    Changes we make to the environment can help autistic people to be comfortable and

    to be themselves. Appropriate accommodations and supports can make all the

    difference in helping someone to feel safe, regulated and happy.

    Accommodations we make to support neuorodivergent pupils can help all

    pupils.

    from Steve Asbell

    https://www.steveasbell.com/comics

    A supportive environment …

    is physically safe, sensorally safe and socially safe

    feels safe

    is calm, quiet, consistent and structured with visually clear tasks and activities

    has adults who are calm and able to co-regulate

    has adults who know the child

    has people who adjust their communication to suit the child

    has adults who understand autism and neurodivergence

    affirms the child’s identity, experience and autonomy

    provides the child with access to appropriate sensory supports

    encourages and supports inclusion and acceptance of diversity

    https://www.steveasbell.com/comics

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    Environmental checklist

    ?Is it safe and calm and does it feel safe ם

    Is it quiet? Is it too bright / are there strip lights? Are there upsetting ם

    or distracting sounds in the environment?

    ?Have we asked the child / do we know what their preferences are ם

    ?Are there smells that upset the child ם

    ?Are there sensory supports ם

    ?Is there a designated haven ם

    ?Is there visual structure and clarity ם

    Does the child know where their class is / who their teachers and ם

    helpers are / where to put their lunch and coat / where the toilet is /

    where their desk is / where their seat is / where books and

    materials are / who they can ask for help?

    ,Do they have appropriate accommodations if needed (seating ם

    slant board, fidgets, assistive technology, etc.)?

    ?Are they sitting in the best part of the room for their needs ם

    Do adults around the child understand autism? Do they know and ם

    understand the child?

    ?Are adults in the environment able to co-regulate ם

    To support children with autism we can help with the their emotional and

    sensory regulation

    The Window of Tolerance (Dan Siegel) shows how everyone’s regulation varies

    throughout the day. Autistic children may have significant issues with regulation

    and need environmental supports and strategies they can use themselves to

    keep regulated. Many children are not in the window of tolerance (green zone)

    during the day and are not able to engage with requests or demands. To be able to

    engage with requests and demands, we need to be regulated and calm.

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    Fear responses

    When children find it hard

    to maintain focus or

    comply or engage it is

    frequently because they

    are in state of

    dysregulation due to

    being afraid and not

    feeling safe.

    Therefore, when children

    are not engaging, check

    to see if the reason is

    that they are afraid or

    dysregulated.

    Supporting engagement

    To support regulation and engagement,

    we need to make sure a child feels safe,

    calm and comfortable.

    They need to feel confident in

    themselves and their abilities.

    Adult support and understanding are

    very important in helping a child stay

    regulated.

    Co-regulation is a key strategy that

    adults can use to support a child’s

    regulation and feelings of safety.

    It is important to physically get down to

    the child’s level when communicating

    and interacting with them

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    Co-Regulation

    Where appropriate, we can connect and communicate in relation to how they are

    feeling.

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    When and where appropriate, we can help the child reflect on their dysregulation and

    talk about what needs to be solved or changed.

    Supporting sensory regulation

    We can put a number of strategies in place that support a child’s regulation, for

    example, by using visuals that support difficulties with change and transition, by

    implementing sensory strategies, and by allowing a child to engage in self-

    selected activities and interests that help them to be happy and calm.

    We can try and help the child avoid becoming very anxious and

    burnt out by helping them pace themselves, manage their

    energy levels and sensory issues and allowing them to be

    themselves as much as possible.

    When a child makes a choice, we can respect their choice and

    support their autonomy.

    Asking parents how a child feels coming in to school and leaving school will help

    us understand how the child experiences the school day. We can make sure to

    share important information with new staff so everyone can have a consistent

    approach to supporting the child.

    Below are some strategies to support children’s sensory regulation. Visuals can be

    used to support them in making choices and using different strategies.

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    Supporting support social communication and social interaction

    use the child’s special interest to help them relax and restore themselves

    explore a child’s sensory needs with them and find out what activities help them keep calm, attend and concentrate

    make sure a child has individualised and appropriate sensory breaks at regular intervals during the day

    provide equipment, strategies and techniques to help the child manage their sensory issues and be calmer

    provide a quiet area or haven to help the child restore and relax

    make sure a child has a chance to engage in their preferred sensory activities / stimming where safe to do so

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    Supporting emotional awareness

    Children with autism can have difficulties with emotional regulation. They may

    not be able to recognise or name feelings in themselves or others. We can …

    Demonstrating, modelling and using visual strategies can support children in their

    social communication and social interaction. To monitor and support understanding

    and communication, we can …

    label and model our own feelings to help children learn to recognise them in other people and also to understand that everyone has feelings

    use social stories, skill sheets, visual prompts, and modelling to teach children about emotions

    use strategies such as breathing, teaching about interoception, the Zones of Regulation and Autism LevelUP as appropriate

    name the child’s feeling for them if they can’t and if appropriate

    model the appropriate term or phrase if the child cannot, for example saying the child is sad as if the child were saying it

    label feelings while they are happening if appropriate as this makes them more concrete and may help the child to understand what’s happening

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    How visual strategies help

    Visual strategies are recommended for a number of reasons:

    Kristin Wiens, www.northstarpaths.com

    Children with autism are often skilled visual learners

    They may take time to process language and need access to the information that visuals provide

    they need the reassurance and consistency that visuals provide (especially at stressful times)

    They need structure and clarity around activities and tasks

    They need important information about social situations, for example, what to do, how to do it, when to do it, etc.

    They may need prompts to start a task, finish a task or move between tasks; prompts to take a break, make a choice or ask for help

    http://www.northstarpaths.com/

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    Remember that visuals can take many different forms and can be adapted to a

    child’s needs and preferences. Some children use sign-language or picture

    prompts, while others use written schedules and checklists. Some children use

    real objects or parts of objects. Visuals can be viewed as being along a dimension

    from concrete (real object) to more abstract (speech). We use visuals that best

    support understanding:

    Easy

    More difficult

    For children with visual or hearing impairments, we use methods appropriate to their

    needs and that complement needs arising from their ASD.

    puzzle

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    With visuals, we can …

    Commonly-used visual prompts can be worn on a lanyard or keychain so they are

    always easily available.

    use a change card to help children learn about the concept of change and remain calm when a change is taking place

    introduce children to the concept of First/then visually and verbally

    use visual schedules to let children know how their day is going to go and what is happening next

    use timers to let children know a change is coming and help them understand the concept of time.

    use skill sheets and schedules to help children manage sequences in daily living activities.

    use a Finish card or sign to make sure a child knows when an activity is finished. To give a child notice that something is coming to an end, we can say “Last one, then finished”, or say “two minutes, then finished”, or use a visual timer

    use yes and no cards to help a child make choices and make their wishes known

    Typical difficulties that may need to be worked on explicitly include:

    Coping with change

    Making choices Asking for help Sharing Taking turns Losing in games Understanding other people’s perspectives

    Waiting

    teach children the social and coping skills they need in everyday interactions

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    Visuals from Autism Journeys Visuals

    Programme reproduced with kind

    permission from www.autismjourneys.ie

    Visuals from Brothers of Charity

    Services

    use a wait card to help children learn to wait

    help children learn to make choices by teaching them how to choose among items and activities. We can give them choice boards to help them learn to make choices

    use a turn-taking rota to help a child know when it’s their turn

    teach the child to notice when they need a break and to independently ask for a break. We can use a system, such as the ‘blue break system’ to structure break times

    use a visual prompt for help to remind a child they can ask for help or to support them in asking

    use strategies like Backward Chaining to give a child satisfaction and a sense of competence

    use Social Stories and Comic Strip Conversations to teach skills like turn-taking and losing

    support the child in answering questions and telling their news by providing visual prompts to help them remember

    help the child cope with making mistakes and perfectionism using social stories and highlighting differences between people, and the fact that everyone has strengths and weaknesses

    http://www.autismjourneys.ie/

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    We can support play and social interaction

    Play is, by definition, self-selected and enjoyable. Children with autism may play

    differently to peers. Some of their play might involve lining up toys and arranging

    objects in patterns, repetitive activities with objects (emptying and filling

    containers), spinning objects, drawing, painting, making sounds, making

    puzzles, construction, sensory, physical and functional play, etc. We can

    support a child’s play skills by allowing them to play in their way and joining in if

    appropriate and in supporting them in learning about other ways of playing.

    To see how learn about a child’s play skills, we can …

    Observe the child playing and note their level of interaction:

    To support social play, we can …

    are they more interested in playing by themselves?

    are they watching other children at play?

    are they playing beside other children?

    are they playing with other children when asked to join in?

    are they spontaneously joining in?

    structure the environment (yard, class), structure games, structure play activities and play areas so a child knows what to play and howStructure

    monitor a child’s interaction with their peers to see what their strengths and needs are Monitor

    use visual strategies, Social Stories, Comic Strip Conversations and visual prompts to support children in learning play and social skillsUse

    teach the child the rules of games to prepare them for playing with other childrenTeach

    use buddy systems and adult support so children are helped to join in and make links with other childrenUse

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    We can support organisation and self-care

    Some children with autism can have difficulties planning and organising their work

    and materials. They may have difficulties carrying out activities with specific

    sequences, such as dressing.

    To support independence and organisation, we can …

    help a child learn to organise their own books and materials, for example, colour-coding subjects, and providing visual clarity and structure with materials

    teach the child to get their own lunch, put on their coat and manage self-care using strategies such as visual prompts, skills sheets and backward chaining

    teach a child to use lists and diaries

    break activities into small steps and sequence them

    give a child practice in sorting and categorising

    use physical structure and including containers and organisers so the child can see and find necessary objects

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    Useful Resources

    Information on Autism

    South Lee Blog: https://southleeasd.wordpress.com/

    Middletown Autism service: https://www.middletownautism.com/

    National Autistic Society (UK): www.autism.org.uk

    Autism Journeys radio, local radio show: https://www.facebook.com/AutismFm/

    Autism Journeys advocacy and advice: https://www.autismjourneys.ie/

    Beardon, L. (2019). Autism and Asperger Syndrome in Children.

    Prizant, B. (2015). Uniquely Human.

    Visuals and structure

    TEACCH: www.teacch.com

    Visual Aids for Learning: www.visualaidsforlearning.com

    Northstarpaths: http://northstarpaths.com/visuals/

    Dyrbjerg, P. and Vedel, M. (2007). Everyday Education: Visual Support for Children

    with Autism. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers

    Link to Boardmaker software: https://mayer-johnson.com/collections/boardmaker-

    software

    ConnectABILITY: www.connect-ability.com

    Do 2 learn: www.do2learn.com

    Sensory and Emotional Regulation

    Delahooke, M. (2019). Beyond Behaviours.

    Greene, R. W. (1998). The Explosive Child.

    Siegel, D. J. and Payne Bryson, T. (2011). The Whole-Brain Child.

    SticKids, software and activity kit that supplies user friendly therapeutic strategies to

    support Sensory Processing, Sensory Integration and motor challenged children:

    https://www.stickids.com/

    Zones of Regulation: www.zonesofregulation.com

    https://southleeasd.wordpress.com/https://www.middletownautism.com/http://www.autism.org.uk/https://www.facebook.com/AutismFm/https://www.autismjourneys.ie/http://www.teacch.com/http://www.visualaidsforlearning.com/http://northstarpaths.com/visuals/https://mayer-johnson.com/collections/boardmaker-softwarehttps://mayer-johnson.com/collections/boardmaker-softwarehttp://www.connect-ability.com/http://www.do2learn.com/https://www.stickids.com/http://www.zonesofregulation.com/

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    Autism LevelUP, resources, consultation, training:

    https://okautism.org/portals/1244/Assets/documents/Conferences/2019/Leveling%20

    UP.pdf?ver=2019-11-20-125631-653

    Kelly Mahler Mahler, K. (2015). Interoception: The Eighth Sensory System. Kansas:

    AAPC Publishing; www.mahlerautism.com

    Information on sensory processing: https://southleeasd.wordpress.com/

    Information and infographs on sensory issues: https://21andsensory.wordpress.com/

    SCERTS© Model: an intervention framework for people with autism: http://scerts.com/

    Kuyper, Leah, Zones of regulation: https://www.zonesofregulation.com/index.html

    Communication and Social Skills

    Picture Exchange Communication System: www.pecs.org.uk

    Social Stories and Comic Strip Conversations: www.thegraycentre.org

    The Hanen Centre: Homepage of the Hanen speech and language therapy

    programmes; providing information and training around development of speech,

    language and social communication: ww.hanen.org

    Lámh sign language: https://www.lamh.org/

    WikiHow information on conversation skills by autistic contributors:

    https://www.wikihow.com/Talk-Politely-About-Your-Special-Interests-if-You%27re-

    Autistic

    Winner, M. G. (2007). Thinking about You, Thinking about Me, (2nd ed.). Think Social

    Publishing

    Winner, M. G. (2008) You are a Social Detective.

    Homepage of Social Thinking which focuses on teaching social competencies:

    www.socialthinking.com

    Teaching social and emotional concepts, Kari Dunn Buron’s website:

    https://www.5pointscale.com/

    Cooke-O’Toole, J. (2013). The Asperkid’s (Secret) Book of Social Rules. Jessica

    Kingsley Publishers.

    Sheehan, Valerie. Tony the Turtle series http://www.tonytheturtle.com/

    https://okautism.org/portals/1244/Assets/documents/Conferences/2019/Leveling%20UP.pdf?ver=2019-11-20-125631-653https://okautism.org/portals/1244/Assets/documents/Conferences/2019/Leveling%20UP.pdf?ver=2019-11-20-125631-653http://www.mahlerautism.com/https://southleeasd.wordpress.com/https://21andsensory.wordpress.com/http://scerts.com/https://www.zonesofregulation.com/index.htmlhttp://www.pecs.org.uk/http://www.thegraycentre.org/http://www.hanen.org/https://www.lamh.org/https://www.wikihow.com/Talk-Politely-About-Your-Special-Interests-if-You%27re-Autistichttps://www.wikihow.com/Talk-Politely-About-Your-Special-Interests-if-You%27re-Autistichttp://www.socialthinking.com/https://www.5pointscale.com/http://www.tonytheturtle.com/

  • 26

    Education and learning

    Educational Resources for schools, parents and

    carers: www.autismeducationtrust.org.uk

    Learning and attention issues: https://www.understood.org/en/about .

    https://www.understood.org/

    ReachoutASC, educational resources, training, etc.: https://www.reachoutasc.com/

    Creative Education, educational CPD training: https://www.creativeeducation.co.uk/

    National Council for Special Education: www.ncse.ie

    Self-awareness

    Vermeulen, P. (2013). I am Special, 2nd ed. A Workbook to Help Children, Teens and

    Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders to Understand Their Diagnosis.

    Castellon, S. (2020). The Spectrum Girl’s Survival Guide. How to Grow up Awesome

    and Autistic.

    Hartman, D. (2019). The Little Book of Autism FAQs.

    Bullying

    https://www.autism.org.uk/about/in-education/bullying/guide-parents.aspx

    Lovegrove, E. Autism, Bullying and Me (2020)

    http://www.jkp.com/jkpblog/2020/05/autism-bullying-and-me/

    Wellbeing

    Link to DES Policy Report on Wellbeing:

    https://www.education.ie/en/Publications/Policy-Reports/wellbeing-policy-statement-

    and-framework-for-practice-2018%E2%80%932023.pdf

    Take 5 steps to wellbeing, HSE:

    https://www.hse.ie/eng/about/who/healthwellbeing/our-priority-programmes/heal/5-

    ways-to-well-being.html

    New Economics Foundation:

    https://neweconomics.org/uploads/files/ff3a4f865b349e6e48_b5m6b1ah0.pdf

    Wellbeing leaflet: https://www.publichealth.hscni.net/publications/take-5-steps-

    wellbeing-english-and-11-translations

    http://www.autismeducationtrust.org.uk/https://www.understood.org/en/abouthttps://www.understood.org/https://www.reachoutasc.com/https://www.creativeeducation.co.uk/http://www.ncse.ie/https://www.autism.org.uk/about/in-education/bullying/guide-parents.aspxhttp://www.jkp.com/jkpblog/2020/05/autism-bullying-and-me/https://www.education.ie/en/Publications/Policy-Reports/wellbeing-policy-statement-and-framework-for-practice-2018%E2%80%932023.pdfhttps://www.education.ie/en/Publications/Policy-Reports/wellbeing-policy-statement-and-framework-for-practice-2018%E2%80%932023.pdfhttps://www.hse.ie/eng/about/who/healthwellbeing/our-priority-programmes/heal/5-ways-to-well-being.htmlhttps://www.hse.ie/eng/about/who/healthwellbeing/our-priority-programmes/heal/5-ways-to-well-being.htmlhttps://neweconomics.org/uploads/files/ff3a4f865b349e6e48_b5m6b1ah0.pdfhttps://www.publichealth.hscni.net/publications/take-5-steps-wellbeing-english-and-11-translationshttps://www.publichealth.hscni.net/publications/take-5-steps-wellbeing-english-and-11-translations