Autism

[Jubby1]

Hi all,

seriously contemplating moving abroad and starting an autism friendly bed and breakfast where we can can create a unique holiday for each family. so it’s home from home, I have 3 kids and 2 of them are autistic. I want to live abroad anyway and feel like this would be a great option for my children to thrive in Spain. Can I ask any parents of autistic kids out there…. would you consider this type of holiday ? Any feedback much appreciated 🙏🏻

This would be quite a lot of social interaction with strangers for our family. I would definitely consider a self catering place tailored to families with autistic children but not B&B. All families are different though, I'm sure it would work for others.

Oh do you know the name of the site? Eurocamp do have the nets and blackouts but they aren't great quality. We had to tape them down by the 3rd night!

It was a Yelloh campsite - I'll PM you the name of it.

Some of this sounds brilliant but I don't think I've ever searched for a bed and breakfast holiday with our autistic son. We go SC or AI. I associate bed and breakfast with us all having to share one room with neighbours on either side, and that doesn't appeal at all. I think what you're offering may be different to that, but I would be more likely to find you via Google if you were offering a self catering apartment with maybe an optional breakfast.

We would love access to evening meals, not necessarily full restaurant experience but some way to feed ourselves without too much effort. Minimising the effort of planning meals, shopping and cooking is a big part of holidays for us, and with an autistic child restaurants can be stressful.

How old are your children? If you’re a single parent I’m not sure you could babysit for guest children as well as look after your own?

Amazing wifi would be an absolute must for us. It sounds amazing!

I'm guessing you work for this company?

How will your children react to guests who may not cope well in a strange place? How will you cope if they are scared or upset?
Do you speak enough Spanish to negotiate hospitals and pharmacies for guests?
Beyond babysitting what do you offer that a normal villas holiday would provide?

I think it sounds like a fab idea. I think for our family it would involve more interaction with strangers than we’d like, as a pp said, and my children won’t even be left with close family let alone anyone else, but for others it might work.

I’m all for autism friendly venues though, I’m not into ‘coping mechanisms in normal surroundings’ which is masking imo and usually detrimental.

I guess the issue is going to be that autistic people vary so much in what we like and need, some are sensory seeking and loud, others need quiet and predictable. I would also consider carefully whether your dc would cope with the co start influx of visitors and interaction with new people, as it would be hell for one of mine, but awesome for another!

I’d think carefully about moving dc away from their dad, however much you don’t want to be with him and even if he is a twat, he is their dad. I speak as someone whose dad was a twat. You don’t want them to blame you for a poor relationship with him when they grow up, or for not getting to know him.

I would love this if you could include in your service level being able to get UK branded foodstuffs delivered in order to be able to cater for restrictive diets. I know that there are "british supermarket abroad" businesses but making arrangements with one to have a delivery of the food your child will eat to be ready and waiting for you the day you arrive for your holiday isn't a service that such places offer - their market is the expat community. If I could liaise with you before arrival and didn't feel awkward explaining that no it does have to be this exact item because anything else won't do, because you understand about how my child will be able to tell the difference and won't just eat what is available if hungry enough, that would be amazing.

I’d love to resurrect this thread, such a great idea!

I have 2 autistic dc (now teen), I have taken them on holiday 2 or 3 times a year since they were 2 years old, mainly uk. We don’t really consider looking for ‘autism friendly’ because what would suit one of them wouldn’t suit the other. We tend to just look for quieter places. I would like to think most places are autism friendly but for us it’s not the accommodation that’s the issue but more the places we want to visit whilst we are away.

Im sure it’s a great idea and some people would love to use something like this, holidays are always much harder with autistic children.

Would you be catering for people with LD as well as Autism?

I've been there and wouldn't date it as highly as you tbh.