Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - Children and Family Health Devon

My child needs more help in school, how can I get this?

u003cstrongu003eThe National Autistic Society u003c/strongu003eu003ca href=u0022https://www.autism.org.uk/what-we-do/help-and-support/education-advice-lineu0022u003eeducation advice helplineu003c/au003e u003cstrongu003ecan provide general information about educational rights and entitlements, as well as advice on specific topics such as getting extra help in school, assessments, education plans, reviews or school transport.u003c/strongu003ernrnThe u003ca href=u0022https://www.devon.gov.uk/education-and-families/send-local-offer/u0022u003eDevon SEND Local Offeru003c/au003e provides clear, comprehensive and accessible information about the support and opportunities that are available to children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) in Devon. Their website provides information about education support, including information on how to request an Education and Health Care (EHC) needs assessment.rnrnSupport should always be needs led rather than diagnosis led, so it shouldn’t be the case that a school waits for a diagnosis before implementing support. If the school is struggling to support your child, it may help initially to discuss with your school’s SENDCo. This could lead onto a Team Around the Family (TAF) meeting, and a plan of action agreed.rnrnu003ca href=u0022https://devonias.org.uk/u0022u003eThe Devon Information and Advice Service (DIAS)u003c/au003e provide confidential and impartial information, support and training for parents who have children aged 0-25 years with additional educational needs. They are also able provide additional support to parents in TAF meetings. u003ca href=u0022http://sendiasstorbay.org.uk/u0022u003eSENDIASSu003c/au003e is the Torbay version of this service.rnrnA ‘graduated response’ approach is a way of meeting needs through effective implementation of support before moving a child or young person onto higher levels of support by following the assess, plan, do and review cycles. Visit the u003ca href=u0022https://www.devon.gov.uk/support-schools-settings/send/devon-graduated-response/u0022u003eDevon Graduated Response (DGR)u003c/au003e or the u003ca href=u0022http://fis.torbay.gov.uk/kb5/torbay/fsd/advice.page?id=TRXN0Er3pnQu0022u003eTorbay Graduated Response (TGR)u003c/au003e to find out more.rnrnIt may also be appropriate to discuss whether the young person should be referred to any other Pathway depending on their specific needs, such as the Cognition and Learning Pathway, or the Communication and Interaction Pathway.

My child is refusing to go to school, what can I do?

The Autism Education Trust have produced a comprehensive u003ca href=u0022https://www.autismeducationtrust.org.uk/resources/school-exclusions-school-stress-and-anxietyu0022u003eguide to school stress and anxietyu003c/au003e in autistic pupils and how this can lead to school refusal. The guide includes strategies to overcome barriers to inclusion and gives advice on how to work with the school to best support the child or young person.rnrnIt can help for parents to sit down with their child and attempt to break down what is causing their anxiety about attending school. This can help come up with a plan for how to address the issues, as simple adjustments can sometimes make a big difference. Use a visual approach such as a mindmap, and consider all the different areas e.g. sensory needs, physical environment, peer interactions, learning and adult demands. It is then beneficial to meet with the school SENDCo to talk through your child’s needs and any adjustments that can be made.

What if they are at risk of exclusion from school?

The Devon Information and Advice Service (DIAS) have produced a u003ca href=u0022https://devonias.org.uk/information/suspension-and-exclusion/permanent-exclusionu0022u003eschool exclusion guideu003c/au003e explaining the facts and law related to school exclusion, giving advice on what you can do if your child is excluded from school or is at risk of exclusion.

How can I help my child when they are dysregulated and demonstrating challenging behaviour?

You could consider your child’s behaviour to be the tip of an iceberg. There is often lots going on underneath the water that can help explain their behaviour. It is helpful to ask why a child or young person has behaved in a particular way and to try to identify any particular triggers.rnrnSome young people are triggered by sensory issues (noise, itchy labels, smells, someone bumping into them). For others, it is something unexpected happening, or not being in control, or transitioning from one thing to the next. If you can work out what the triggers are, you can then try to put things in place to prevent these things from happening (or reduce their impact). For example you could remove sensory stressors or use visuals to show what’s happening next and to make abstract ideas more concrete. It’s important that any visuals used to support a young person’s emotional regulation are simple. u003ca href=u0022https://www.5pointscale.com/u0022u003eThe Incredible 5 Point Scaleu003c/au003e is a good example.rnrnYoung Minds have created a comprehensive guide for parents on u003ca href=u0022https://www.youngminds.org.uk/parent/parents-a-z-mental-health-guide/challenging-behaviour/u0022u003ecoping with challenging behaviour.u003c/au003ernrnThere is also a wealth of information about behaviour on the u003ca href=u0022https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/topics/behaviouru0022u003eNational Autistic Society websiteu003c/au003e.rnrnu003ca href=u0022https://www.calmerlives.co.uk/u0022u003eAt Your Side (calmerlives.co.uk)u003c/au003e is a local charity which offers behaviour support consultations for parents of children and young people who are demonstrating challenging behaviour.

How can I help my child manage their anxiety?

Anxiety is very common in autistic individuals. General strategies to help reduce anxiety include using visuals (e.g. planners, calendars, tick sheets) to show your child visually what is happening next. Visuals help to reduce the young person’s anxiety regarding change as well as supporting them in planning, organising and sequencing tasks. It can also be helpful to google images/websites of new places before going there. Our u003ca href=u0022https://cfhd.tsdft.uk/neurodiversity-pathway/resources/u0022u003e1 Minute Guide to Anxietyu003c/au003e contains further strategies.rnrnCerebra have produced a u003ca href=u0022https://cfhd.tsdft.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/anxiety.pdfu0022u003eguide to anxietyu003c/au003e in children with brain conditions, including autism. The guide includes many practical strategies that families can use to alleviate and cope with anxiety.rnrnu003ca href=u0022https://happymaps.co.uk/u0022u003eHappy Mapsu003c/au003e is a free psychological wellbeing service for 5-18 year olds and offers support and intervention for low-mood, anxiety, and behavioural difficulties.rnrnu003ca href=u0022https://www.youngdevon.org/u0022u003eYoung Devonu003c/au003e has supported young people across Devon Torbay and Plymouth for over 70 years and are passionate about putting young people at the heart of Devon. Their Wellbeing service is nationally recognised, and staff are hugely experienced. They are able to offer wellbeing conversations, counselling and CBT for young people aged 11 and over.rnrnu003ca href=u0022https://www.ymcaexeter.org.uk/cwpwellbeing/u0022u003eYMCAu003c/au003e offer a psychological wellbeing service for 5-18 year olds struggling with low mood, anxiety, and behavioural difficulties. The team of Wellbeing Practitioners use CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) techniques and goal-setting to build up emotional wellbeing and resilience in young people and their families.rnrnThe u003ca href=u0022https://www.kooth.com/u0022u003eKoothu003c/au003e team also provide free, safe and anonymous online support and counselling.rnrnu003ca href=u0022https://www.autistica.org.uk/molehill-mountainu0022u003eMolehill Mountainu003c/au003e is a free app for autistic teenagers and adults, designed to help them to understand and manage their anxiety.rnrnThe u003ca href=u0022https://www.healthforkids.co.uk/devon/introducing-the-devon-mental-health-support-team-in-schools-mhst/u0022u003eMental Health Support Team in Schoolsu003c/au003e (MHST) work with children and young people with low-level/mild to moderate common mental health difficulties (anxiety, low mood and behavioural difficulties). Their webpage explains how to access this support and whether it is provided in your child’s school.

How can I support my child's sensory differences

It is helpful to explore your child’s sensory profile and their individual sensory sensitivities and aversions. This can then be used to develop soothing strategies which can help them self-regulate. u003ca href=u0022https://www.falkirk.gov.uk/services/social-care/disabilities/docs/young-people/Making%20Sense%20of%20Sensory%20Behaviour.pdf?v=201906271131u0022u003eMaking Sense of Sensory Behaviouru003c/au003e, a booklet created by the Falkirk Occupational Therapy Service, is a helpful resource for exploring your child’s sensory profile.rnrnIt is also a good idea to discuss your child’s sensory needs with their school SENDCo. The u003ca href=u0022https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/professional-practice/sensory-classroomu0022u003eNational Autistic Societyu003c/au003e have compiled a number of strategies to support children and young people’s sensory needs in the classroom.rnrnu003ca href=u0022https://www.sensoryintegrationeducation.com/u0022u003eThe Sensory Integration Networku003c/au003e is free to join, and provides members with resources and up to date information about sensory differences.rnrnOur u003ca href=u0022https://cfhd.tsdft.uk/neurodiversity-pathway/resources/u0022u003e1 Minute Guide to Sensory Differencesu003c/au003e may also be helpful.

My child struggles to sleep at night, what can I do?

u003cdiv class=u0022flex_column av-si2g-f75ebc1e5c67a56d8b0908d1e9605375 av_one_full avia-builder-el-2 el_before_av_one_full avia-builder-el-first page-intro first flex_column_div u0022u003ernu003csection class=u0022av_textblock_section av-liltcjed-d95d0c7a7a00785e3b4fa4740fcb4bc4 u0022u003ernu003cdiv class=u0022avia_textblocku0022u003eu003c/divu003ernu003c/sectionu003eu003c/divu003ernu003cdiv class=u0022flex_column av-uss8-8171e3eff43ae1cdee586784dc61a4c7 av_one_full avia-builder-el-5 el_after_av_one_full avia-builder-el-last first flex_column_div column-top-marginu0022u003ernu003cdiv class=u0022togglecontainer av-lilufa9t-cf06f83f71bf16ca002e9918befc0388 av-elegant-toggle avia-builder-el-6 avia-builder-el-no-sibling toggle_close_all enable_togglesu0022u003ernu003csection class=u0022av_toggle_section av-lilu3i3q-9dfa6ff48c436b0de9c80913beae8cafu0022u003ernu003cdiv class=u0022single_toggleu0022 role=u0022tablistu0022 data-tags=u0022{All} u0022u003ernu003cp class=u0022toggler av-inherit-border-color activeTitleu0022 tabindex=u00220u0022 role=u0022tabu0022 data-fake-id=u0022#toggle-id-7u0022 aria-controls=u0022toggle-id-7u0022u003eu003cspan style=u0022font-size: clamp(1.125rem, 1.023rem + 0.291vw, 1.25rem);u0022u003eDifficulties with sleep are common in autistic individuals. It is important to practise good ‘sleep hygiene’ (the lead-up and routine around your child’s bedtime). This guide from u003c/spanu003eu003ca style=u0022font-size: clamp(1.125rem, 1.023rem + 0.291vw, 1.25rem);u0022 href=u0022https://www.gosh.nhs.uk/conditions-and-treatments/procedures-and-treatments/sleep-hygiene-children/u0022u003eGreat Ormond Streetu003c/au003eu003cspan style=u0022font-size: clamp(1.125rem, 1.023rem + 0.291vw, 1.25rem);u0022u003e outlines some good sleep hygiene practices.u003c/spanu003eu003c/pu003ernrnu003cdiv id=u0022toggle-id-7u0022 class=u0022toggle_wrap active_tcu0022u003ernu003cdiv class=u0022toggle_content invers-color av-inherit-border-coloru0022u003ernrnCerebra have created a guide to help parents understand the nature of u003ca href=u0022https://cfhd.tsdft.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/sleep.pdfu0022u003esleep problems in childrenu003c/au003e with brain conditions (including autism) and what can be done to improve sleep.rnrnu003c/divu003ernu003c/divu003ernu003c/divu003ernu003c/sectionu003eu003c/divu003ernu003c/divu003e

My child presents with traits of Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) Can they be assessed for this?

u003cdiv class=u0022flex_column av-si2g-f75ebc1e5c67a56d8b0908d1e9605375 av_one_full avia-builder-el-2 el_before_av_one_full avia-builder-el-first page-intro first flex_column_div u0022u003ernu003csection class=u0022av_textblock_section av-liltcjed-d95d0c7a7a00785e3b4fa4740fcb4bc4 u0022u003ernu003cdiv class=u0022avia_textblocku0022u003eu003c/divu003ernu003c/sectionu003eu003c/divu003ernu003cdiv class=u0022flex_column av-uss8-8171e3eff43ae1cdee586784dc61a4c7 av_one_full avia-builder-el-5 el_after_av_one_full avia-builder-el-last first flex_column_div column-top-marginu0022u003ernu003cdiv class=u0022togglecontainer av-lilufa9t-cf06f83f71bf16ca002e9918befc0388 av-elegant-toggle avia-builder-el-6 avia-builder-el-no-sibling toggle_close_all enable_togglesu0022u003ernu003csection class=u0022av_toggle_section av-lilu5tvv-ae5005034e0285f3b7168d162d26097du0022u003ernu003cdiv class=u0022single_toggleu0022 role=u0022tablistu0022 data-tags=u0022{All} u0022u003ernu003cp class=u0022toggler av-inherit-border-color activeTitleu0022 tabindex=u00220u0022 role=u0022tabu0022 data-fake-id=u0022#toggle-id-8u0022 aria-controls=u0022toggle-id-8u0022u003eu003cspan style=u0022font-size: clamp(1.125rem, 1.023rem + 0.291vw, 1.25rem);u0022u003ePDA is not currently a recognised diagnosis in international diagnostic manuals so the NHS does not assess for or give this diagnosis. However, it is recognised that many young people with autism present with a profile of demand avoidance, especially at times of heightened anxiety.u003c/spanu003eu003c/pu003ernrnu003cdiv id=u0022toggle-id-8u0022 class=u0022toggle_wrap active_tcu0022u003ernu003cdiv class=u0022toggle_content invers-color av-inherit-border-coloru0022u003ernrnThe u003ca href=u0022http://www.pdasociety.org.uk/u0022u003ePDA Societyu003c/au003e is a helpful website to visit for advice and support regarding demand avoidance.rnrnu003c/divu003ernu003c/divu003ernu003c/divu003ernu003c/sectionu003eu003c/divu003ernu003c/divu003e

My child is struggling with their gender identity- how can I help them?

The u003ca href=u0022https://gids.nhs.uk/parents-and-carers/u0022u003eGender Identity Development Serviceu003c/au003e provides information on how to support your child with their gender identity, including from an autistic perspective.