Need advice regarding autistic student and her behaviour

[AutismSchool]

Hi all, I am a special needs teacher in a school for autistic children from 11-19 years of age. I teach a 15 year old female, who is verbal because struggles communicating her difficulties. She joined us fully after transitioning in September. Since her being with us her behavior is very concerning. She is extremely aggressive towards her staff and towards herself. I'm not going to lie but she is hard work and probably the most challenging student of the other 20 we have.

She displays challenging behavior including locking her staff out and away from her, running round the school, running from her staff, refusing work, absconding from school and from teachers whilst offsite. She throws things at us, chairs, bottles, anything she can get her hands on, she will kick, bite, pull hair, punch, and headbut us teachers, therefore we have to hold her and restrain her but becomes too violent we have no choice but to let go. She will kick holes in the wall, draw on the walls, steals our radios we use to communicate, she will engage in headbaging on the wall or floor every now and again. She is very problematic and we have an issue with her every single day and it is tiring but we do a job to help.

We don't know what to do, we've tried everything, she has a PECS folder, a lanyard and many ways to communicate but doesn't, when she bangs her head, we have no choice but to intervene which makes it worse, she nearly knocked herself out earlier today because we had no choice but to leave her alone to do it. If we try to block it she will hurt us and then we have to move away and give her space for our safety and she won't let us help her. She's physically fit and is one of the fittest and is one of the less severe pupils but is definitely the hardest to understand and help. She will jump over fences around the school to abscond and she is a very quick runner, really quick,and she's very unpredictable. We are aware of sensory issues and communication deficits but sometimes there just isn't a reason to explain why she does what she does. She is more than capable telling us her issues, she's done it before and she is very chatty when she wants to be, and she's a very clever and sassy girl. I'm just lost at the moment. We all are, including her parents. Her hurting herself and us is our biggest mission to understand and overcome. Any ideas?

It sounds like the pupil needs a reassessment of needs ASAP, and a move to setting with more experienced, trained staff. The school desperately need up to date positive handling training ASAP.

many ways to communicate but doesn't

Behaviour IS communication. If the pupil could communicate in another way, she would, she needs interventions to help her communicate in a more appropriate way.

sometimes there just isn't a reason to explain why she does what she does

There will be, staff just aren’t spotting it. Is there an ABC chart?

is one of the less severe pupils

I highly doubt this. The autism is a spectrum, but not from mild to severe. Higher functioning does not mean the pupil has fewer needs. This explains it better.

Has she seen an OT? Properly, not just a one off assessment, but one who works with her a couple of times a week, for a few terms.
On terms of communication, its quite common to not be able to communicate when in a heigtened state or be able to explain how they got there.

Has she been referred to CAHMS? I agree with a reassessment of need. The problem is that there is little support in cahms for children/yp after they have been diagnosed.

Imip I think that’s part of the problem, lots of people think a diagnosis opens the gates to support, and sadly many are just discharged.

A psychiatrist &/or clinical psychologist assessment can be part of the reassessment of needs, so there’s no need for the pupil to be referred to CAMHS in the normal way to sit on the waiting list for an indeterminate length of time. Then therapies can be included in the EHCP, so if CAMHS can’t or won’t provide it the LA must secure independent providers, some SS have in house therapists. The same for OT, SALT and other provision. Unfortunately, many parents and professionals don’t realise this.