Communicating with people who have autism to keep them safe Robert Lamb

A brief intro to autism Autism is a hidden developmental disability which has a variety of traits and to different degrees from individual to individual. This is known as the “autistic spectrum”. The exact cause of autism is unknown, however, medical research has pointed to a variety of possible causes, such as genetic factors, viruses and problems with brain development before, during or soon after birth. Autism is said to affect 1 in 100 people across a wide range of intellectual abilities, nationalities and ethnic groups. The traits of autism can be categorised into what is known as the Triad of Impairments.

The Triad of Impairments Social Communication Social Interaction Social Imagination

Some common safeguarding concerns for people with autism Not understanding risks Not being understood Travelling alone Being approached by strangers Extreme bullying / harassment

Common ‘mistakes’ when communicating with people with autism Not speaking clearly Trying to communicate in environments which have many distractions Not providing sufficient time for listening Not allowing for literal interpretation Giving instructions poorly and not in a logical order Using social language / slang / stock phrases Use of jokes and sarcasm Expecting autistic people to understand body language, facial expression and gestures

How to communicate with people who are non-verbal There are several ways in which you can communicate with people with autism who are non-verbal: PECS MakatonBSL

How to communicate with people who are non- verbal PECSMakatonBSL Short for Picture Exchange Communication Systems; developed in 1985 Named after Margaret Walker, Katherine Johnson and Tony Johnson British Sign Language has been around for centuries but was not recognised as an official minority language until Involves 2 sets of cards (e.g. between an autistic child and their parent) Involves signs and symbols which can be used straightaway but can be naturally dropped as the person’s speech develops Correct to the 2011 census, it is the preferred language of 145,000 people in the UK. The child will give a card to their parent (e.g. juice). The parent will then hold out a set of cards with different juices on them (blackcurrant, orange, etc). Makaton is therefore used alongside speech in spoken word order It is a natural language with its own grammatical structure and syntax that has evolved among the deaf community as opposed to being constructed as an aid. The child chooses one.Makaton can be used in a variety of social situations Involves movement of the hands, body, face and head The parent gives the child the juice they wanted. If you would like to see Makaton in action, watch a TV programme called Mr Tumble BSL is also used by some non-deaf people i.e. hearing relatives of deaf people, sign language interpreters or as a result of other contact with the British deaf community