Developing good autism practice in the Early Years Puzzle National Conference 1 st May 2014 Dr Karen Guldberg Director Autism Centre for Education and Research University of Birmingham

 The EYFS 2012  Good autism practice  The Inclusion Development Programme  The Autism Education Trust (AET) Early Years programme  Training materials  The National Standards  The Competency Framework Structure of talk

EYFS 2012 review Dame Tickell, Ofsted. Three prime foundations Personal, Social and Emotional development; Communication and Language and Physical Development. Areas of learning Literacy, Mathematics, Expressive art and design, Understanding the world. Early learning goals More aligned with NC and reduced from 69 to 17. The context

 Identify learning barriers earlier  Multi agency working  Informal assessment between 24 and 36 months  Child Health Review  Parents as learning partners  Information sharing between agencies.  Evidence of staff CPD as part of the new inspection framework The context

 Each child and their family as unique  Developing good relationships  Understanding the individual  Children learn and develop in diverse ways  Knowledge and understanding  Support and extend children’s learning  Practice in meeting all children’s needs EYFS: Key Elements of Effective Practice

 “To be effective, early year practitioners must be able to make careful observations of children, and interact with them to form an understanding of each individual child, applying what they know about how children develop and play in a reflective and considered way.”

 Focus on difference and not deficit  Promote positive attitudes to autism  Build on strengths  All early years staff can have an impact Good autism practice

Wendy Lawson “When another human being takes time to walk beside me, interact with me and treat me with dignity I am much more likely to respond to that person in a similar way.”

“ Teaching children with autism gives you a crucial opportunity to re-evaluate your teaching of all children and to re-assert the values and goals that most of us believe should be at the heart of education. ” Professor Rita Jordan Ethos and Values

Charman et al.(2010) Report outlining principles of good practice in autism education.

Autism is more than a collection of behaviours……

 Understand the individual  Knowledge and understanding about autism  Children learn and develop in diverse ways  Communication and language  Social understanding  Sensory processing differences A Unique Child

 Respect the child  Ongoing teacher and parent partnership  Involve families  Collaboration between professionals  Multi-agency assessment  The importance of peers Positive relationships

“Early years practitioners need to be able to work inclusively, so that the individual needs of all young children are identified and met in the context of interdisciplinary collaboration with other related professionals and with families.’

 The ‘culture of autism’  Structure the physical environment  Adapt language, communication and social interaction style  Visual supports  Take into account sensory difficulties  Change and transitions Enabling environments

 Direct teaching in areas which other children develop naturally  Functional spontaneous communication and language  Attention and special interests  Social understanding  Imitation and play  Development of social relationships and play skills with peers  Autism as a lens for understanding behaviour Learning and development

 School-based programme  -27,000 trained  -Over 100 local authorities  -Excellent evaluation  -Self-sustaining

Draft EY materials

 Grouped under the four headings  Enhance educational practice in settings  Enable staff to self evaluate current practice  For each Standard there are examples of how they might action these The National Standards

Draft National Standards

The AET Professional Competency Framework  Self evaluation tool for practitioners to rate their current practice and understanding against a set of descriptors (knowledge, skills, personal qualities).  Provides a reference point to inform further professional development and monitor progress.

Draft Professional Competencies

Sample resources

Further information Dr Karen Guldberg Thank you