Considering changing career to work with ASD and poss help son?

[runikka]

Good evening

Hope everyone is well I am just sitting contemplating a career change...bad day at work which will probably amount to nothing but hey! Daniel has autism and at the moment I find it a real struggle to juggle work and spending quality time with him trying to help him with PECS, turn taking, food sensitivities. Sometimes I wonder whether if I changed my job to something working for/around autism that I might learn something/help someone and most importantly learn and help my son. Has anyone else experienced their child going through a diagnosis with a special need and deciding to spend time working in that field?

Also, where would I start lol

Kirsty
x

I have

I've just started a second PhD - this time in autism. I'm not sure what I'll end up doing, but I love it. I get paid to read stuff about autism now.

I'm not sure whether I want to stay hands off or get more hands on. If I decide to go hands on I'll probably start some voluntary work towards the end of the PhD.

Wow good luck That is very inspiring. It makes sense to study something close to your heart for emotional and practical reasons as well as general interest. I work in accounts at the moment but would really like time to learn to understand autism and how to help our little man. Having had a brief look though, no-where is going to let me gain any experience without at least some child/social/health qualification.

Some you can do part time though.... Or you could do something like the ABA MSc, or the online Birmingham Uni autism course. I know one Mum who trained as a VB consultant.

It's taken a while to get to this stage as I had to do a 2 year part time MSc in Psychological research methods as my background isn't psychology.

I know quite a few mums become LSA's, but it sounds as if that might be quite a pay drop for you.

I have considered salary as we do have a ridiculously high mortgage but I need to find a balance so I am considering book-keeping around any career change.

That said, sorry to be ignorant, but what is a LSA? (blush)

Kirsty

Learning support assistant..... (TA)

I am pleased to have made the switch even though I'm not quite sure where I will end up I'm fairly certain it will be autism related The beauty about a PhD is that I have (almost) free rein to look at whatever I want to. The downside is to get funding it had to be full time, but it is flexible so that hasn't really been a problem yet.

Do you know whether you want to be hands on, or involved but in a non-hands on type way?

I dont really know to be honest. I am quite shy and dont feel I have enough confidence to teach/demonstrate but I think hands on experience would be the most beneficial and rewarding. That said, I guess I have a lot to learn and maybe a non-hands on role would be a good place to start/learn/build confidence. I guess I need to sit down and discuss with DH and potentially my current employers about my long term prospects...whether I can combine two part time roles that sort of thing or whether it would need to be a complete career change.

I know that ds1's SLD/PMLD is always looking out for volunteers. (Which then sometimes leads to jobs). You could perhaps ask/offer services at local schools. Or portage? Locally portage for kids with ASD has been replaced by an early intervention team- could be good? Also autism outreach has LSA which is kind of half way between hands on and hands off. They go into mainstream schools to demonstrate techniques etc to staff and work in a limited role with the children.

The Birmingham Autism online course is a good way of getting a paper qualification whilst working pretty full on.

Not much pay for LSAs! Saying that - it's a job which fits in well with the school day (most of the time).
I've only known about ASDs since my son's dx; but now mentoring teenagers on the spectrum. Contemplating doing MA Ed in SN; but it's quite expensive..
Working with other children helps me to see a bigger picture and not get so bogged down in DS's issues; and sometimes I can use my experiences to find a solution to one of their problems, which feels great!

Thanks so much for all the info...much appreciated

I will look at the online course, definitely worth considering, career-wise or not.
Our portage worker is coming tomorrow so I might discuss it with her aswell. She might know of any opportunities.

Thanks again

RUNIKKA... Thankyou for starting this thread!!!! I had no idea the birmingham course existed untill i read YURT1's post!!!
(thanks YURT!!!!)

I have emailed the uni...i now have all the details...only sad bit is i have missed this years enrolment...jan 2008...and next year they are changing it to a september intake...so have to wait till sept 2009!!!!

(still that gives me 19 months to get the house organised so that i can make myself a study area!!!)

like you, rnikka i WANT to work within ASD environment- and certainly believe it wioll benefit my own ASD sons.

I am 40 and at 16 i was going to be a teacher. I gave up that idea - met boys...earnt money...built up debts ...and thought i'd never be a teacher.

then i had my boys...and though sometimes i do feel like a mum...i feel more like a teacher...so i often 'joke' that i did become a teacher after all!!!

looking at the birmingham webautism course...i coule probably end up doing exatly what i'd like to do now...which is run some form of 'out of school' care /club for ASD...something so lacking where i live.

so tomorrow...with that in mind...i will look at local college courses for general childminding etc...as that is something i could do before i start the birmingham course.

Life begins at 40!!!!

oh! meant to say that i am keen to help with food issues too...as my ds2 is certainly phobic with many foods! to be able to help others would be the icing on the cake...to help my own boys would be a dream!