Supported by: GOOD AUTISM PRACTICE: FULL REPORT Karen Guldberg Ryan Bradley Kerstin Wittemeyer Note: To reference this guide, give the following details: Guldberg, K., Bradley, R., Wittemeyer, K., Briscombe, J., Phillips, C. and Jones, G. Good Autism Practice: Full Report. London: Autism Education Trust. GOOD AUTISM PRACTICE: FULL REPORT TABLE OF CONTENTS Contents Page List of abbreviations .......................................................................................7 Structure of the report ....................................................................................8 About the guide ..............................................................................................8 About the Autism Education Trust (AET) .........................................................9 About the Autism Centre for Education and Research ...................................9 About Integra ..................................................................................................9 Acknowledgements .........................................................................................9 About the authors ...........................................................................................9 Professor Karen Guldberg ......................................................................................... 9 Dr Ryan Bradley ..................................................................................................... 10 Dr Kerstin Wittemeyer ............................................................................................. 10 Jo Briscombe .......................................................................................................... 10 Claire Phillips ......................................................................................................... 11 Dr Glenys Jones ..................................................................................................... 11 Introduction ...................................................................................................13 The Autism Education Trust ...........................................................................14 The aims and structure of this report ...........................................................15 Terminology ..................................................................................................16 The autism spectrum .....................................................................................17 Subgroups within the autism spectrum ..................................................................... 17 Pathological Demand Avoidance ............................................................................. 18 Approaches to teaching children and young people on the autism spectrum ............................................................................................18 Evidence informed practice ..................................................................................... 19 Current priorities that have emerged from this report ...............................21 Why is it important to reduce rates of exclusions? ..................................................... 22 Why focus on mental health? .................................................................................. 22 Why do we need to understand more about how gender affects children and young people on the autism spectrum? .............................................................................. 22 What are the issues facing cultural and linguistically diverse autistic children and young people and their families? ....................................................................................... 22 2 GOOD AUTISM PRACTICE: FULL REPORT TABLE OF CONTENTS Why there is a need to focus on friendships, peer relationships and bullying? ........... 22 Perspectives from the AET Young People’s Panel ........................................23 The Ofsted inspection framework ................................................................24 Early Years Ofsted inspections ................................................................................. 24 School Ofsted inspections ....................................................................................... 25 Further Education and Skills Ofsted inspections ........................................................ 25 Principles of Good Autism Practice ...............................................................25 Principle One: Understanding the strengths, interests and challenges of the autistic child and young person .........................................................29 Key points .............................................................................................................. 29 Why is this principle important? ............................................................................... 29 Literature and research evidence that supports Principle One ................................... 30 Implications for practice .......................................................................................... 31 SEND Code of Practice recommends ....................................................................... 31 Links to the Teacher Standards ................................................................................ 32 Links to the AET autism standards ............................................................................ 32 Links to the Case Studies report ............................................................................... 32 Principle Two: Enabling the voice of the autistic child and young person to contribute to and influence decisions ..........................................................33 Key points .............................................................................................................. 33 Why is this principle important? ............................................................................... 33 Literature and research evidence that supports Principle Two .................................... 33 Implications for practice .......................................................................................... 34 SEND Code of Practice recommends ....................................................................... 35 Links to the Teacher Standards ................................................................................ 35 Links to the AET Standards ...................................................................................... 35 Links to the Case Studies report ............................................................................... 36 Principle Three: Collaboration with parents and carers of autistic children and young people ..........................................................................37 Key points .............................................................................................................. 37 Why is this principle important? ............................................................................... 37 3 GOOD AUTISM PRACTICE: FULL REPORT TABLE OF CONTENTS Literature and research evidence that supports Principle Three .................................. 38 Implications for practice .......................................................................................... 38 SEND Code of Practice recommends ....................................................................... 39 Links to the Teacher Standards ................................................................................ 39 Links to the AET Standards ...................................................................................... 39 Links to the Case Studies report ............................................................................... 39 Principle Four: Workforce development to support children and young people on the autism spectrum .........................................................41 Key points .............................................................................................................. 41 Why is this principle important? ............................................................................... 41 Literature and research evidence that supports Principle Four ................................... 41 Implications for practice .......................................................................................... 43 SEND Code of Practice recommends ....................................................................... 43 Links to the Teacher Standards ................................................................................ 44 Links to the AET Standards and Competency Frameworks ........................................ 44 Links to the Case Studies report ............................................................................... 44 Principle Five: Leadership and Management that promotes and embeds good autism practice ...............................................................45 Key points .............................................................................................................. 45 Why is this principle important? ............................................................................... 45 Literature and research evidence that supports Principle Five .................................... 46 Implications for practice .......................................................................................... 46 SEND Code of Practice recommends ....................................................................... 47 Links to the Teacher