Best area to live in terms of Autism support

[asulikeit]

We currently live in London but want to move outside as there would be better schools and more choice for our DS2 with autism or so were are lead to believe.

Your advise would be much appreciated.
Thanks

[finefatmama]

Hi Sic, it's called treetops School and may well be a first. It's an all through school with a small sixth form (ages 3-19) which is classed by ofsted as outstanding.

[silverfrog]

I think Treetops is only ABA in the nursery section (which is a bloody good start!) - it then goes onto standard provision, I believe.

whether they are aiming to introduce further ABA throughout the school, I don't know. It will be interesting to keep and eye on how things move along htere.

[finefatmama]

I think they've moved on since then. after nursery there's either class1 and VB1. Each year group has two groups. One class has small groups and the opposite class has 1 to 1. some kids only stay in the 1-1 while others move between classes. During my tour of the school, I'm sure I saw a 9 year old who only has 1-1 ABA provision at the school and the head stated that they use the principles of ABA with the year groups.

[asulikeit]

Thank you for all your help as we will be looking at as many options as possible.

Will keep you posted.
Thanks

[Spinkle]

Don't bother with Suffolk. No ASD schools. No MS schools with ASD units...

Rubbish.

There is one private ASD school over the border in Norfolk.

[sugarcandyminx]

We are in a London borough with three primary schools with ASD units and one outstanding secondary with an ASD resource, plus another outstanding SN school which takes low functioning ASD. I think our borough could be good for those with autism and MLD. But like Surrey, there's no provision for higher functioning children like DS, who has had to go to a residential school out of borough.

[chuckeyegg]

Oh no I've just read this thread and I'm panicking now. I live in Herts the intial help we have had has been okay. Should I consider moving. :(

[discodad]

Ok - here's my semi-serious suggestion. Move to the City of London.
They have one maintained primary school, and that's it.

Oh, and lots of money.

www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/Corporation/LGNL_Services/Education_and_learning/Schools_and_colleges/

[StarlightMcKenzie]

disco. If I had the money to live there, I'd have the money to fund completely my child's SN education.

[SqueezyDiva]

Hi everyone

Please tell me - what is ABA?

thanks

[StarlightMcKenzie]

Sqeezy It really is better if you start your own thread with your question in the title. You'll get much more responses and help.

[SqueezyDiva]

Hi Starlight

Sorry if I made a faux pas. My DS has recently been diagnosed with ASD. Like the opening poster, I am also looking for appropriate schooling for him in London.

This thread is choc full of interesting options and ideas it is just that lots of people have used the acronym ABA so I thought someone here might be able to enlighten me.

I will ask in another thread if no one else can help of course.

BTW, Autism London has a very useful PDF listing ASD friendly schools:

www.autismlondon.org.uk/pdf-files/factsheets/018_Schools_Lists_UK.pdf

[StarlightMcKenzie]

No, you haven't done anything wrong at all. But you just might not get the information you were looking for as it isn't flagged up in the thread title.

Sorry you're also going through the same thing. When you find that London school, let me know.

[EllenJane1]

Squeezy, it stands for Applied Behavioural Analysis and is originally an American method now used in UK also for bringing on the development of children with ASD with lots of good results from American studies. Not liked by LAs in this country as it's expensive. Lots of 1:1 intensive work. I've heard described at dog clicker training for children which is very insulting, but gives you a flavour. Lots of positive behaviour rewards etc. I'm no expert, far from it but it's a very touchy topic due to LAs and professionals slagging it off. Many people swear by it. It was never mentioned when my DS might have benefited from it but he's managed pretty well with other strategies.

Google it for more info.

[MarioandLuigi]

We are in Nottinghamshire - we have the Easrly Communication and Autism Partnership which is fantastic, but the LA are very anti-statement unless you are in a SN school.

[Mamaz0n]

Surrey is shitter than shit.

When DS was 4 we had our first Multi agency meeting for him. The ed psych said "this is a child that will never be able to thrive in a MS school"
shocked and a little upset i asked where we could send him then. the answer of every professional in the room was "well, there isn't really anywhere in the surrey district that would be suitable"

so he wont thrive but he cant go elsewhere, thanks for that.

We are in West Sussex now and thankfully they have been really good with him so far. It is possible that we have just had a bit if luck but i have few complaints.

[sickofsocalledexperts]

In case it helps, I have been trying to work up a plain English definition of what ABA is - see draft below. Any comments most welcome, but I think we need something without the jargon for people who are new to ABA (in whose number I count most LA officials!)



Behavioural analysis is a well-established science dating back to the 50s, which looks at how people behave, why, and how to influence or change that behaviour. In this context, ABA* is a well-researched and proven method of teaching autistic children a wide range of life skills. Backed by 5 decades of scientific research, ABA programmes are based on an analysis of what motivates an individual child to behave in certain ways. Each skill the child needs to learn - from speaking and self-care, right through to reading and writing - is broken down into small, achievable steps. Each step is worked on in a systematic and consistent way, using lots of appropriate rewards to encourage the behaviours needed - whether the target is asking for a sandwich or working on sums at school. Careful records are kept to monitor progress, so that targets and motivators can be adjusted along the way, according to evidence of what is and isn?t working for the particular child. Reward systems are particularly important for autistic children, given they may lack the ?social desire to please? that is often present in a normally-functioning child.

ABA is taught one-to-one either via home programmes run by a qualified ABA consultant and supervisor, or in a growing number of ABA schools in the UK ? such as Treehouse in London.

Although much of the existing research** has focused on ABA?s successes as an early intervention with young autistic children, there is no age limit on when ABA can and cannot be used as a teaching method. Indeed ABA is more than just a way of teaching autistic children: there are ABA interventions in use across the UK for all childhood behavioural problems, and for many adult issues too ? ranging from depression to addiction.


*(Applied Behavioural Analysis - ie the actual application of the science of Behavioural Analysis)
** See Scamp research from Southampton University, or Eldevik et al.

[StarlightMcKenzie]

sickof, it doesn't bother me personally, but I think the preferred term is children with autism, rather than autistic children.

[MarioandLuigi]

See thats a can of worms Starlight :o

[sickofsocalledexperts]

Good point, thanks Starlight x

[moondog]

The central tenets of ABA (and most of you on this board are only aware of it in terms of Early Intensive Behavioural Intervention for smaa kids with ASD) are as follows;

-Use of reinforcement to maximise chances of the individual co-operatiing with and enjoying therapeutic/educational intervention

-Repeated opportunities to practice and master targetted skills (massed trials or discrete trial training)

-Data collection. DSecsions as to the programme's course are then made on that data and not on vague suppositions, half baked theories, personal interests and general jiggery pokery.

No magic wands, no false promises, no snake oil, just good old fashioned hard work.

As people say to me over and over 'It makes perfect sense!'

[SqueezyDiva]

Thank you all for explaining ABA. xxx

[jeshiko]

when you guys say that schools/preschools use ABA , do you mean private school that you pay for or public schools where the government pays? I am over in NZL and we can only get ABA if we pay :(