AS behaviour management

[DameEB]

I know I have posted similar queries in the past but need some advice to help me put some perspective on this. Ds (10) has a fairly new sm in place. When we last had review meeting I asked when the programmes of support that were recommended would be put into place. Senco said could not do these until after Sats as they didn't want to take him out of class but would do loads for him after May . I obviously argued this and after complaint letter was told these would commence. Ds came home the other day and said he had to sign a 'contract' but couldn't say what it was about as wasn't really listening - just signed it. Have now received a copy and it is a behaviour plan. Says,amongst other things, that ds has agreed to use a warning signal when he feels threatened or distressed. There are a list oof consequences such as if he does not use the agreed signal he has 1 minute in a time-out area. I feel that when he is distressed/threatened he gets very agitated and might not think to use the signal and consequently get 'punished' in a way. I asked him what the signal was and he couldn't tell me! Do you think I am over-reacting to this or is this a common strategy used for AS dc's?

Could the signal be a time out card?
Then he doesn't have to speak or explain, he could just show the card and leave for his quiet,safe space.(Not time out space)
You need to have a meeting to sort out the specifics, because a plan is useless if those involved don't all understand it and what's going on.
It is a common strategy , but usually better managed and explained.
At the meeting, tell them to record the number of successes and failures, because if he's alwe
ays in timeout because of not using his signal, the plan needs to be adapted.
Not him.

Agree with goblin

also your ds does need to know when to use a quiet space or exit card, As he may not know at what point of frustration to use it.. Or in fact recognise that in himself. So these need sorting out as well.

that doesnt sit well with me he should have a few pecs with a sad and angry faces to show how he feels, easier to remember than a signal but even the pecs are not going to be used if he is in a state of hightend anxiety and he should have a quiet room to go in thats comfortable ,not be punished for not being able to conform as sending him to a designated time out space as a punishment then wouldnt be a good place to also send him when he just feels he cant cope and is in sensory overload and just needs some space . even with everything put in place well ,it doesnt always work if no ones there when he begins to become anxious or angry it can still get to the real hightened state so with all the best intentions in the world he will still sometimes get like this they shouldnt punish behaviour thats due to autism they need to encourage different behaviours instead

Thanks Goblin/Carrot
He is meant to be receiving training to help recognise when he needs to manage his feelings of anger,anxiety etc. but have not been told in what form this will take. Would have thought they would do that before putting the signals in place really.

sorry forgot to say a list of consequences sonds very negative a list of thigs to do at the end of the day just 15 mins with a TA or another child is more of an insentive working to a goal at the end of the days easier as goldentime at the end of the weeks almost an impossibility for my DS its too far away in the future for him to manage his behaviours for that long a period it set him up to fail in advance

Meeting, insist on clarity and a sequence of expectations and strategies to support him.
They souldn't be implementing anything muddled.

Meeting, insist that there will be NO PUNISHMENT for a child (who has a communication disorder to a diagnosed and disabling level) if he doesn't communicate. Explain that whilst you would of course never accuse them of this, they could be seen to be discriminating against him under the disability discrimination act 2005.

Thanks Mad. I did think that consequences was not a good way to put it as he thinks going to time-out area is a punishment (think you've seen other thread about box painted in playground).

Would add that we don't have a dx yet but has sensory issues and suspected AS.