AUTISM AWARENESS
Specialist Education for Children on the Autistic Spectrum HILLINGDON MANOR Hillingdon Manor School first opened its doors in September 1999 as a specialist primary school for children with an autistic spectrum disorder. By 2003, the school had expanded to open a middle and upper school, and now provides specialist education with access to the National Curriculum for 130 children with autistic spectrum condition aged between three and nineteen. Hillingdon Manor has the philosophy that an emotionally healthy school community promotes the development of emotional intelligence, the foundation for an environment where optimum learning can take place. There is a real feeling of community in the school, which is built on the philosophy of treating the pupils with respect and dignity. Being a person with autism means that, to varying degrees it is difficult to understand what is expected by other human beings and by society in general. A ‘No Blame’ culture within the school enhances personal and social development, which improves the pupils’ ability to relate effectively with other pupils and teaching staff. A combination of clear and consistent rules, boundaries and expectations provide a framework for security and understanding. There are approximately 70 staff at the school, which offers a wide range of Therapies including Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Music Therapy, Drama & Movement Therapy, Counselling and Cranial Sacral Therapy. Pupils at the school have various needs across the autistic spectrum and, over its 10year history, the school has implemented a number of learning tools, introduced to support the pupils’ educational development.
I Visual tools are used for the pupils who are mute or selective mute, to aid in communication. I Pupils with food anxieties are introduced voluntarily, to a variety of foods and can get involved with food preparation, cooking and fun tasting sessions. Healthy eating events are part of the enriched curriculum, which promotes the development of human resources and capabilities. I There is a one-to-one snug area for pupils who are experiencing anxiety or frustration, allowing space for individual support. This is vital for those who have sensory challenges and react badly to sound and other environmental factors. Hillingdon Manor maintains contact with a local mainstream primary school and promotes a whole range of out of school activities linked with the local community. Whether it is a trip to the local shops or archery classes, all are designed to equip pupils with an understanding of the environment around them and the social skills to interact with others.
The Lawns The Lawns is yet another site that now extends Hillingdon Manor School. This building was acquired in September of this year and is being used for 16 plus provision. This will now enable us to educate 150 pupils, making us the largest school for children with autism in the UK and Europe For more information about Hillingdon Manor School, visit
www.hillingdonmanorschool.org.uk Telephone: 01895 813679
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YIEWSLEY GRANGE Wednesday 20th October saw the official opening of Yiewsley Grange for 50 primary age pupils with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Situated in large grounds in Yiewsley, West Drayton, Middlesex the school has nine classes, a hall, therapy room, offices and a pleasant outdoor area and garden for children to play. Using a visually biased range of strategies, including highly structured work-systems and learning environments the school provides an effective, specialist education that includes the National Curriculum. By focusing on the barriers to learning that pupils on the Autism Spectrum encounter and working closely with their parents/ carers, Yiewsley Grange enables pupils to achieve their full potential in education and life outside school.
AUTISM AWARENESS
Empowering Adults on the Autistic Spectrum…
The Speech & Language team, along with other specialists, support the development of pupils’ communication and interaction skills as they experience a broad curriculum. Positive reinforcement will include individually meaningful reward systems that motivate pupils to participate in activities and to begin to take responsibility for their own learning. Yiewsley Grange was recently acquired by award winning school Hillingdon Manor to expand its specialised facilities for children with ASD. Hillingdon Manor has earned an outstanding reputation for teaching children with Autistic Spectrum Conditions and the new building will provide much needed space for new pupils. The school has really captured the imagination of many people who are concerned with autism and its patron is Esther Rantzen. For more information about Yiewsley Grange school admissions email stacey.moore@ hillingdonmanorschool.org.uk or call 01895 813679
www.hillingdonmanorschool.org.uk
West London Community College is a well-established Independent Living Skills provision for adults with an Autistic Spectrum Condition or Asperger Syndrome. Located in Uxbridge this small college provides a high quality, holistic approach with individual programmes including budgeting, social practice, vocational skills, independence, emotional literacy and critical thinking. A multi-disciplinary team offer the support and encouragement required for students to reach their goals.
OUR MISSION Is to enable adults with Autistic Spectrum Condition to develop the skills, knowledge and understanding which will afford them the opportunity to achieve as fulfilled, meaningful and independent a life as possible through the provision of a high quality, personalised life skills programme that meets their needs and interests. Growth within our service at Colne Lodge in Uxbridge has arisen in the need to open a second site at The Stables Courtyard on Church Road in Hayes, Middlesex. Colne Lodge will now be able to offer a provision for adults with more complex needs and who require a higher level of support. West London Community College is currently welcoming all new applications for both services with viewings of the new site by appointment. Autistic Spectrum Condition Awareness Training Set up by local people with Asperger’s Syndrome and West London Community College, ASCAT (Autistic Spectrum Condition Awareness Training) was established to spread awareness of the condition for the benefit of the community. Creating a sense of pride, ASCAT benefits not only the individual but also those around them, allowing workplaces, local authorities and colleges to utilise the hidden capabilities within their workforce and students.
Parental Support Working closely with parents and carers has always been a priority for the college, which offers a fantastic support group that meets at West London Community College monthly. To further this support the college launched its new respite service in March, available 44 weeks of the year on Saturdays between 9.00am and 4.00pm. Free Time Fun! The West London Community College Football Club training sessions are a fun method to participate in Football. The team are competing in the first ‘International Football Friendship Festival’ for people with disabilities in Balon, Gran Canaria in November. The 8-member team will compete against athletes from all over Europe and enjoy socialising in the warm winter sunshine.
The team will be competing in a competitive league from next season organised by the Middlesex County Football Association. League winners receive medals and the opportunity to play in a cup competition. The club are currently looking for players to join the team, all kit and equipment is provided, and players have the opportunity if they wish to, study for a FA level one coaching badge. For ASCAT and enquiries relating to West London Community College Football Club, email craig.appleton@wlcc-uk.com To find out about funding and admissions visit www.autismconsultants.org or telephone 01895 619700. West London Community College Colne Lodge • Longbridge way • Uxbridge Middlesex UB8 2YG
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AUTISM AWARENESS
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AUTISM AWARENESS
ANNA KENNEDY shares her thoughts on the INITIATIVE FOR FREE SCHOOLS The new government seems to be pressing ahead with implementing its plans to change the process that leads to the opening of a new school. Essentially, it is intended that that existing academies programme be expanded thus resulting in more academies. As someone who has opened a school, I am interested in what are being called ‘free schools’. The government identifies these as all-ability, state-funded schools, set up in response to parental demand. Under the new plans charities, universities, businesses, educational groups, teachers and groups of parents will be able to start new schools. Enthusiastic support for the free school policy is balanced by an equally articulate group of opponents. I don’t see it as my place to come down on one side or another. What I would like to do is share with you my experience of opening a school in order that the reader can get some idea of the challenges facing anyone opening a free school. Firstly, one thing anyone involved in opening a school must be prepared to do is devote huge amount of time to the process. The amount of work to be done is prodigious! I can say without fear of criticism that opening a school a full time job, and indeed it is not one that can be done over a short amount of time either. In short, be prepared for some members of the project team to have to give up their jobs. Secondly, there is a very steep learning curve. Fortunately, when I first opened a school, I could draw on the expertise of people like my husband who has multiple university degrees. To be clear, I am not suggesting that people should be intimidated by this challenge rather I am alerting potential founders that new skills will have to be acquired and used quickly.
Anna Kennedy’s Story With mainstream school completely unsuitable for the needs of my two sons – Angelo diagnosed with autism and Patrick diagnosed with having Asperger Syndrome, things had turned from bad to worse. Twenty-six special schools within an hour’s drive of where my family and I lived turned down applications for my boys' placements. Doors were being shut in our faces on a regular basis and my family hardly knew where to turn. With a friend, I began a support group for families in a similar situation, which soon became fully subscribed. Faced with the difficulties of finding anywhere that would provide educational support for my boys and the lack of finding suitable childcare for children on the autistic spectrum in our locality, I took drastic measures.
Lastly, anyone opening a new school needs to have suitable levels of finance. Whilst it is not clear how much financial support, if any, will be offered as part of the new initiative, it is almost certain that at some points in the project, potential founders will have to use some of their financial resources to oil the wheels of the project. As you can see, opening a school is not a job for the faint-hearted. Perhaps the best advice I can give as someone who has done it before is to go into it with your eyes open and be prepared to stick at it, however long it takes.
For more information about the initiative for free schools visit www.education.gov.uk or newschoolsnetwork.org.
Having discovered a derelict school in Hillingdon, we approached the local council and asked if we could purchase it and turn it into a centre of excellence for children on the autistic spectrum. Hillingdon Borough Council eventually agreed they could lease the school, but at an asking price of £627,000! Obviously, we did not have such a sum of money in our bank account but even then, I refused to accept defeat, remortgaging our small home and rallying the support of local councillors, local companies, charities and the media to get this venture off the ground. After much hard work, endless campaigning, tears and frustrations, we eventually found ourselves in a position to recruit an experienced head teacher and suitably qualified staff who would assist us to open Hillingdon Manor School. Initially providing education and life skills to 19 pupils between three and nineteen years of age, Hillingdon Manor School has gone from strength to strength and has helped hundreds of children on the autistic spectrum to get the education they deserve and which, quite frankly, is their right.
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AUTISM AWARENESS
Anna and Autism Coalition ACT Now! Back in February we featured award winning mum, wife, autism campaigner and businesswoman Anna Kennedy. Working with Anna for the last year has given My Family magazine a glimpse into the life and work of this amazing woman. Her dedicated campaigning to raise awareness of autism has resulted in new hope for the future of people touched by Autism and their families.
Anna Kennedy can be found on Facebook where her network reaches out to those who feel frightened, isolated and frustrated by the condition. Anna has received a constant steam of emails, phone calls and letters from parents, family and carers of children on the autistic spectrum, which inspired her to create the online resource www.annakennedyonline.com
ACT Now! Determined to protect the future of families with Autism in the UK they launched their own Impact Assessment Report on 18th October 2010 at the De Vere Hotel, Portland Place, London. The 33 page thorough and detailed report takes first hand accounts to highlight the needs of families with autism. The report focuses strongly on the impact of cuts on families with autism – the evidence is clear that autism drives families into poverty and this report explains the difficulties facing families and the need for financial support. The guest list included Members of Parliament, Lords, the National Autistic Society, other service providers, parents and young people with Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome. The message that was delivered on the day was loud and clear with the hope of decision makers taking note and listening to the voice of autism. The ACT NOW Campaign has gained an enormous amount of national support through the strength, commitment and tireless efforts of its founders.
Following an extremely successful launch, the six founders of “ACT NOW” headed off to Downing Street at 3pm to present the much-valued Impact Assessment Report and to deliver 6000 signatures on a petition.
Recently Anna joined forces with five other leading autism campaigners: Carole Rutherford – Co-founder (Autism In Mind), Ivan Corea (UK Autism Foundation), Richard Exley (Autism Consultancy Services), Alison Wiles (Founder, Autism – United Kingdom) and Sandy Howarth (author of “No Matter What”) – to form Autism Campaigners Together. The group details their concerns on the ACT NOW website. If you would like to offer your valued support to this autism coalition or find out how the proposed cuts will affect you visit: www.actnow01.web.officelive.com/ default.aspx
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Autism Campaigners Together – (from left to right) Ivan Corea, Carole Rutherford, William McKenzie, Richard Exley, Sandy Howarth, Anna Kennedy and Alison Wiles.
AUTISM AWARENESS
A Person Centred Approach in the Support of People with Learning Disability or Autism West London Specialist Support Services is a supported living and outreach service that is primarily aimed at individuals affected by Autistic Spectrum Conditions, Learning Difficulties, Acquired Brain Injuries and Physical Support Needs. The service is registered with the Care Quality Commission as a domiciliary care agency, this may not mean much to a layperson but legally we have to be registered to provide care and support to people in their own homes. This is where the comparison with a normal domiciliary care agency (which some people might refer to as home help) and West London Specialist Support Services ends.
WLSS has built a reputation of providing Person Centred support to people with a learning disability or autism; this means that our support is centred around how the individual wants to be supported with everyday tasks. If you think about your daily morning routine, little things like whether you have a bath or shower, tea or coffee at breakfast, radio on or off, are things we don’t even think about but can have a significant impact on our mood. It is our attention to detail in finding out about these personal preferences in every single daily activity, which has led to our success in supporting people with complex needs and autism. We have also found that people like to be able to chose their carers and feel in control of their support package. By carefully matching support staff to the customer- for example matching people with similar hobbies and interests, has helped to improve the outcomes for our customers. Lauren and her team work closely with the individual, their families and social workers, ensuring that our staff is committed
and enthusiastic when offering to support someone to go to the local football match or the long country walk on a damp winter’s day. When you have to rely on a paid carer to support you in every aspect of your life, it is essential that the carer’s preferences do not influence what you do. There has been a growing awareness of the service that we offer and we have been approached by services supporting people with Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) to provide support staff. ABI can affect people in many different ways and the affects are often hidden for example comprehension of complex sentences, memory and fluctuating emotions, each person is very different in how the ABI manifests itself. We have found the training that we give our staff in communication, de-escalating conflict and working in a person centred way can be transferred to help meets the needs of this client group. Whatever diagnosis a person might have, does not change the fact that they are unique, having different preferences that are important to them. We work hard to ensure our support meets their physical and health needs but consider that it is equally important to consider preference, emotional and cultural needs. Repeat referrals are evidencing that we are getting it right for our customers. Luckily, many of us will never need the support of a carer but if you did, think about what would be important in your daily routine. How important it would be that someone took the time to find out about this and ensured that it happened. This is how we like to treat our customers, supporting them to choose how they live their lives and enabling them to reach their full potential regardless of their disability. For more information contact: Lauren Whittingham (Registered Manager) Vine House • Harlington Road • Hillingdon • Middlesex UB8 3HD Tel: 01895 619930 • Fax: 01895619931 Email: lauren.whittingham@summacare.co.uk
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