Sensory Rooms

9th Local Government and Public Sector Building Maintenance and Facility Management Conference What this presentation will cover

▪ Brief introduction on Autism ▪ What is Sensory Overload ▪ The need for Sensory Rooms ▪ Different settings for Sensory Rooms ▪ Interior Design (Including Equipment)

▪ Videos What is Autism

Autism known as a “spectrum” disorder is a lifelong, a neurodevelopmental disability that affects how a person communicates with and relates to other people, and how they experience the world around them. (National Autistic Society UK) Autism - Sensory Differences

▪ Balance (Under-Sensitive) A need to rock, swing to get some sensory input

▪ Touch (Over-Sensitive) Touch can be painful and uncomfortable

▪ Sound (Over-Sensitive) Noise can be magnified and sounds become distorted and muddled.

▪ Sight (Over-Sensitive) Objects and bright lights can appear to jump around

▪ Smell (Over-sensitive) Smells can be intense and overpowering Sensory Overload “If I get sensory overload then I just shut down; you get what's known as fragmentation...it's weird, like being tuned into 40 TV channels”. Can you make it to the end? The solution – Sensory Room The features of a Sensory Room Examples (Sensory Rooms)

▪ Shopping Centres ▪ Sporting Stadiums ▪ Airports ▪ Library ▪ Aquatic Centre ▪ Other Settings Northland – The Beginning

“The Quiet Room means that he’ll be able to take some time out, regulate the senses and go out shopping for a bit longer, and experience what typical kids experience”.

Nicole, mother of child on the autism spectrum Shopping Centres Stockland Vicinity • Shellharbour Shopping Centre • Broadmeadows Central • Green Hills Shopping Centre • Chadstone Shopping Centre • Northland Shopping Centre • Hervey Bay Shopping Centre • Wendouree Shopping Centre

QIC Eastland Currently in the early stages of working with the team to identify a location to implement a sensory room facility Sports Stadiums – Shippey Campaign UK Wests Tigers Sensory Room Sports Stadiums – Shippey Campaign UK

•AIRDRIE (Excelsior Stadium) •NEWCASTLE UNITED (St James’s Park) •ARSENAL (Emirates Stadium) •NOTTS COUNTY (Meadow Lane) •BRIGHTON AND HOVE ALBION (Amex Stadium) •RANGERS (Ibrox) •BURTON ALBION (Pirelli Stadium) •SOUTHAMPTON (St Mary’s Stadium) •CELTIC (Celtic Park) •SUNDERLAND (Stadium of Light) •CHELSEA (Stamford Bridge) •SWANSEA (Liberty Stadium) •CRYSTAL PALACE (Selhurst Bridge) •TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR (Tottenham Hotspur •DERBY COUNTY (Pride Park) Stadium) •EVERTON (Goodison Park) •WASPS [Rugby] (Ricoh Arena) •QATAR FA (Khalifa Stadium, Qatar for 2022 World Cup) •WATFORD (Vicarage Road) •LIVERPOOL (Anfield) •WEST BROMWICH ALBION (The Hawthorns) •MANCHESTER CITY (Etihad Stadium) •WOLVERHAMPTON (Molineux) •MIDDLESBROUGH (Riverside Stadium) Marvel Stadium

https://marvelstadium.com.au/sensory-room-accessibility/ Marvel Stadium Sensory Room Signage Airports with Sensory Rooms Airports ▪Shannon, Dublin – Ireland ▪Birmingham, Atlanta, Pittsburgh, Alabama, The queueing already had him hugely Miami – USA on edge and having to take off his beloved ▪ Ahmad Yana - Indonesia back-pack to put it through the X-ray ▪Gatwick - UK machine sent his anxiety levels soaring.

“Within five minutes, as our check-in Baggage disappeared down a conveyor belt, our son screamed and tried to chase it Library Sensory Space at Marsden Library Logan City, Queensland Autism and drowning (Aquatic initiatives) Aquatic initiatives

“For many of our regular participants this is the one place that they successfully visit each week, month.

For some people that are not able to access most community activities, they look forward to coming to the Southern Centre.” Other settings Final word

“I have always had to cater for Luke around a place, I have never had a place cater around Luke before.” Thank You