The Autism Resource Manual for Families: Practical Strategies for Parents and Family Support Professionals

The Autism Resource Manual for Families is a treasure trove of practical, realistic and achievable strategies to support neurodivergent young people and their families with everyday life. Clearly laid out for easy use and access, it explains autism in context and provides ideas that are relevant not just for parents and carers, but for family support workers, social workers and family intervention teams.

The resource covers a wide range of situations and offers an array of supports, with key topics ranging from anxiety, behaviour, and communication, to socialising, family life, and moving towards independence. With the lived experiences of parents and autistic children and young people in mind, this empowering manual includes:

• A wealth of situations from daily life, clearly addressed with examples of how autistic individuals may experience these and practical strategies for effective support
• Encouragement for parents and mini mantras for autistic children and young people to use in different situations
• Strategies for supporting autistic children in daily family life, including working with siblings, family holidays and eating out
• Advice for helping autistic young people through school, including attendance, homework and after-school exhaustion
• Guidance on initiating and carrying out productive conversations, as well as downloadable resources for visual conversation support.

This book will be an essential tool for parents and carers of neurodivergent children and young people, as well as family or parent support workers and family intervention teams. It will also be valuable reading for pastoral teams, CAMHS, and social workers supporting these families.

Key features:

• Provides what parents say they need: strategies that are practical and realistic. • Explains the impact of autism in the context of everyday life, very clearly and simply. • Is user-friendly and easy for the reader to find what they are looking for, presented in a ‘trouble shooting’ format. • Covers a wide range of situations and a wide range of needs. • Includes accompanying downloadable resources.

Table of Contents

Front Matter

• Acknowledgements
• Preface
• Foreword
• How to use this book

SECTION 1: ANXIETY

• Methods for unpicking problems
• Need for Predictability
• Pause to Ponder
• Other emotions
• Other Issues
• Resource Sheet 1: The 5-Point Scale
• Resource Sheet 2a: Unpicking a problem blank
• Resource Sheet 2b: Unpicking a problem example

SECTION 2: COMMUNICATION

• Conversation skills Understanding Pause to ponder
• Resource Sheet 3: Processing

SECTION 3: DIAGNOSIS

• Before diagnosis
• Diagnostic process
• Following diagnosis
• Pause to ponder

SECTION 4: FAMILY LIFE

• Applies to all topics below
• Away from home
• Bedrooms
• Family Events
• Family Mealtimes
• Helping out
• Living between two homes
• Siblings
• Pause to Ponder
• Resource Sheet 4a: Scales of preference blank
• Resource Sheet 4b: Scales of preference example

SECTION 5: REACTIONS

• Disengaging
• Pause to Ponder
• Reactions Naughtiness or autism
• Interpretation of phrases
• Taking responsibility
• Towards success

SECTION 6: SENSORY SENSITIVITY

• Co-ordination
• Interoception
• Response to smells
• Response to sounds
• Response to taste and texture
• Response to touch and texture
• Response to visual input
• Pause to Ponder Sensory Overload

SECTION 7: SOCIALISING

• Friendships
• Visiting another home
• Visitors to home
• Pause to Ponder

SECTION 8: SUPPORTING SCHOOL

• Attendance
• Incidents in school
• Pause to Ponder Routines School trips Tests and exams

SECTION 9: TOWARDS INDEPENDENCE

• Personal care
• Useful skills
• Pause to Ponder
• What next?
• Resource Sheet 5: Life’s path

USEFUL RESOURCES

"I have so enjoyed reading through this book. I've picked up so much advice and food for thought."
- Jenny Hayward, parent