World Autism Acceptance Week: more stories from those who’ve been supported
Throughout World Autism Acceptance Week (28 March – 3 April 2022) we’ve been posting a series of articles that demonstrate that the right support can help children and young people with autism lead independent and fulfilling lives.
Today we hear about young people who through our service “All In”, and a local community youth club, have become more engaged and communicative with their peers.
Names have been replaced with a letter to protect their identity.
Building positive relations through football
T started attending All In Juniors in May 2021. He has ADHD and suspected autism, and is on medication to manage his conditions. T loves football. His mum shared with us when he joined that he can seem rude and easily gets angry, and doesn’t like losing.
T settled in to our All In sessions very quickly – as long as he was able to play football he was happy. We have gathered since his joining us that T has a difficult time at school, and very often spends time isolated with 1 to 1 supervision.
T has attended nearly all our All In sessions. He continues to find some things difficult, particularly at times when his medications are wearing off, or are being adjusted. T will try to run off, throw items in response to situations he finds difficult; however, he is starting to mix well with the other children. By supporting positive responses and relationships with his peers, he is becoming a popular member of the All In group.
T also attended our Summer HAF (Holiday Activities and Food) activities, when he mixed well for the majority of the time with his peers and coped well with the new environment in which he found himself. He knew the coaches on duty, and they knew and understood his triggers and were able to work positively with him.
T’s mum also asked if he could join our universal fun football provision which runs on a weekly basis at Park Hall term time. T joined Junior Saints in September 2021, and thoroughly enjoys the sessions – between 30 and 40 children attend these weekly sessions.
Again, he is known by all our coaches, and is happy being coached by them, and is able to cope with the environment. Positive behaviours continue to be re-enforced, and his love of playing football just shines through. He is not allowed to join after school clubs due to his support needs, so his parents clearly appreciate the opportunities being afforded to him as a result of his attending All In.
Building confidence and engagement through youth work
C and E are siblings, aged 11 and 16, who come to our youth club. C has been diagnosed with FASD and E with Autism. When we first met them, C was really nervous and quiet, and found it difficult to let her parents go, where as E was very outspoken and would often talk over C when we managed to get her into conversation.
Over the weeks C has become more open to expressing her opinion, sharing commentary on school life and her friends. She enjoys baking and art, often sharing her new crafting experiences with the group. More recently, E has become more willing to engage with the others in the group, leading conversations with younger ones and supporting them in activities.
