Lydia Lynas & Rachel Shaw Orchardville Society. Rachel Doran NOW

Transcription

1 Lydia Lynas & Rachel Shaw Orchardville Society Rachel Doran NOW

2 Misconceptions & Stereotypes What do you know about Autism Spectrum Conditions?

3 Challenges Communication Behaviour Speech Fixation Variation Routines Concentration Learning Withdrawn Unpredictable Hyperactive

4 Strengths Creative Focused Attention to detail Memory Very Intelligent Special talents Determined Maths ICT Art

5 The Facts A life-long condition which affects people in an individual way. Can affect the way a person communicates and relates to people and the world around them Differences in: Social Skills Communication skills Imagination/ Problem solving Approximately 30,000 in NI have ASC (1:88 adults and 1:50 children (2% of children) 15% of adults with ASC are in full time employment

6 Associated Conditions: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) Dyslexia Tourette s Syndrome Epilepsy Dyspraxia (co-ordination disorder) Anxiety Depression

7 Social Differences People with ASC may have good social skills but may experience challenges with: making and maintaining friendships not understanding the unwritten 'social rules have difficulty expressing and understanding verbal and non-verbal communication find other people unpredictable and confusing become withdrawn and seem uninterested in other people behave in what may seem an inappropriate manner not be as aware of other people s emotions and feelings may prefer their own company and may not want to engage in social relationships

8 Communication Differences May have challenges in expressing themselves or understanding certain forms of communication: Gestures, facial expressions and tone Starting and ending conversations Appropriate topics Taking language literally

9 Social imagination People with ASC can have difficulty with social imagination and may find it difficult to: Imagine alternative outcomes to situations, stuck or concrete thinking Predict what will happen next cause and effect Understand or interpret other people's thoughts, feelings or actions, putting yourself in someone else s shoes

10 Sensory Hypersensitivity to stimuli eg lights, noise, smells, touch Hyposensitivity when a person is under-sensitive to stimuli. This can lead to self-stimulation ie. hand flapping, spinning, rocking or self-injurious behaviour Due to sensory issues the noise of lights buzzing may irritate a person with ASD; they may have a high pain threshold, may not be able to tolerate touch and have a need to smell everything May prefer to wear certain clothing materials, like/ dislike certain foods and can become anxious or agitated by lighting, smells and noises

11 Impact at Work An employee with ASC may find it challenging to: express themselves or understand communication eg. gestures, facial expressions or tone of voice time manage and prioritise understand abstract concepts, metaphors or sarcasm interpret and use non-verbal communication work with distractions problem solve and make decisions work in unfamiliar environments

12 Meticulous Strengths at Work Reliable and hard working Excellent attention to detail Special talents and interests Different perspective on problem solving/ creative solutions Individuality Diversity

13 Benefits for Employers Access to skilled individuals with high levels of commitment and reliability. Opportunity to promote diversity and CSR Tailored support to maximise success through various employment schemes eg Workable NI and Work Connect.

14 Possible Reasonable Adjustments Reduce new tasks to smaller steps and us repetition, use aids if required such as colour coding, checklists etc Describe new tasks using the preferred communication of method of the person eg. verbal, written (checklists, s, texts), pictorial or by demonstration Use short and concise sentences or closed questions to convey information Facilitate or accommodate the person's need to develop a regular routine with daily repetition of jobs in the same/similar sequence each day

15 Identify good natural support involving a co-worker for key times eg. induction, learning new tasks, lunch break and times of anxiety or transition. Give as much notice of upcoming workplace changes and provide plenty of detail about how the changes will affect staff Review physical environment eg. position of work station, distractions, sensory stimuli Provide information in an understandable way. You may need to adjust materials to suit those with little or no verbal communication eg. pictorial training materials or process sheets

16 Prepare person for work place by taking photos beforehand eg. who their supervisor will be, where they will be working, the lunch room etc Adjust break/lunch times if someone prefers to have some time away from people to relax Encourage employers (staff at all levels) to undertake awareness training beforehand which is interactive and provides opportunities to ask questions

17 Tips for Communicating Make sure you allow time for the person to process and respond to what you have said. Be prepared to repeat or rephrase if necessary Make sure the person understands humour, sarcasm, figures of speech or jargon Be aware that body language may not be understood Present new information in a variety of ways and in relevant blocks of detail, checking that the person is processing the information

18 Hannah

19 Jamie

20 Gary

21 Contact Details: