Summary
The Autism Support Project (ASP) enables children and young people to meet, interact and take part in activities with other young people with Autism. They build relationships, make friends, get to feel accepted and develop coping skills and life skills.
What Autism Support Project (ASP) did
This project facilitates three separate fortnightly sessions, for autistic children and young people. Weekly online ‘Dungeons and Dragons’ sessions also take place, a positive legacy from online support during covid.
The project is aimed at autistic young people with low support needs, who attend mainstream school with little to no interventions. These young people regularly miss out on support, with services often focused on their peers with multiple and complex support needs. We have noticed an increase in referrals for girls over the last year. Many of young people have still not returned to school full time because they have found transitioning after covid quite difficult.
Over the last 12 months, the project has:
- Supported 34 young people
- Provided 119 sessions (71 in person, 48 online)
- Had a total of 552 attendances at sessions
- Provided 1030.5 hours of respite
- Facilitated 6 parent support sessions, with 7 regular attendees.
All the groups have very similar interests and we encourage them to tell us what they want to take part in during their sessions and spend time with them planning future activities. We have facilitated a range of activities which has included dungeons and dragons, quiz nights, bowling, Dounans Outdoor Centre, baking and cooking challenges, clay making, t-shirt designing, tile decorating, pool tournaments, board game nights, a pizza making and themed events eg Halloween and Christmas.
The parents use their time differently when they child is at the event. A small group of parents meet for a coffee and a walk, another relaxes and reads her book and others benefit from time with their other children.
We have been able to retain a consistent staff team for these activities, including introducing our online Dungeons and Dragons staff member into the in person groups.
This project primarily addresses the Better Breaks priorities of independence and transition into adulthood.
We continue to see the development of such positive friendships between young people in the groups. The transition of these relationships out of PLUS evidences the connectivity the project offers the young people.
What PLUS (Forth Valley) Ltd has learned
Through delivering this project we have gained an insight to what families want and what the young people themselves want.
Through discussions we have in the sessions we have identified some challenges that some young people find hard to discuss with their families - for example around gender identity. With the support of a consistent staff team, we encourage young people to share these issues with the group and the support of their peers has been beneficial.
A consistent staff team has really worked well for this project and the relationship with families by keeping in touch with them when their child isn’t able to attend due to anxiety, stress and difficult days at school.
Over the last year we have learnt that although the sessions are very positive and the young people enjoy attending and socialising and making friendships within Plus and outside Plus, that there are still many young people who attend the sessions who are struggling to attend school and struggle with transitioning. The increase in the number of children who are not engaging in school is quite significant. It feels like this is a negative legacy from the periods of isolation we had throughout the pandemic.
Checking in with those parents on a regular basis is very important, and letting them know that even if their child struggles to attend for any reason that we understand this and we offer what support we can.
We have also learnt there are a higher number of girls attending groups, which have always been predominately boys up until now.
How PLUS (Forth Valley) Ltd has benefitted from the funding
Through the Better Breaks funding we have been able to offer a more bespoke service for our young people and families.
We have also managed to secure a extra rented building which has provided further opportunities for our young people.
Having consistency and security of funding for this project for the young people and their families has also been a key benefit.
Project Outcomes
Outcome
30 children and young people across the Forth Valley will regularly attend ASP sessions, participating in fun and varied activities.
Results
Over the last 12 months, we have supported 34 young people, exceeding our target. Some of the young people chose to participate in the in person and online sessions.
We facilitated 119 sessions (71 in person, 48 online), with a total of 552 individual attendances at sessions.
Through the sessions, we have seen the development of friendships between young people within the project, some of whom now meet out of PLUS - going for walks or going to each other’s houses.
Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) has been a great game that has brought many of the young people together and produces fantastic interactions and laughter at group events when they choose to play this in person. New group members are now having the opportunity to join the online sessions as well, having learned how to play the game with their peers in person.
Case study
Case Study 1:
J has been attending the ASP project 2021 since. He has grown in confidence and is well liked by the rest of his peers. He has transitioned well into next group and has made friendships within PLUS and outside. He has particularly enjoyed D&D and has joined the sessions online, where he has been able to take lead as the Dungeon Master.
Case Study 2:
M is 13yrs and started at ASP in October 2021. He was extremely shy when he joined the group but was made to feel more at ease because one of our volunteers was friends with his sibling. M was interested in D&D but hadn’t really played it. He was encouraged by staff to sit and watch and join in if he wanted to. With the support of staff, he started to join in and this helped him to engage with other YP in the group. He became friends with another boy in the group, who he discovered lives near him and they now meet up out of the group and go out walking together. M’s dad has said that M loves coming to Plus, he feels safe and relaxed and is making friends which he finds hard to do at school.
Case Study 3:
J states that PLUS is one of the few places he can just be him and people with accept and understand him. PLUS has really supported J to understand his own identity as a person with autism. He also loves D&D!
Outcome
Families will access approximately 50 hours of respite per year
Results
We facilitated 119 sessions (71 in person, 48 online), with a total of 552 individual attendances at sessions. In total 1030.5 hours of respite were provided to parents/carers.
Parents and carers have benefitted from the project, knowing that they are leaving their child in a safe environment where they feel relaxed to be themselves amongst the rest of their peers.
By dropping the young people off at events it has given parents and carers opportunities to get to know each other and we now have a group of parents that meet up and go for a coffee during the time their child is at an event. Others take this opportunity to do their shopping or simply sit in their car at a park and read a book.
Case study
One parent recently told us;
'Whilst E is at PLUS, I go for coffee with one of the other mums. This may sound trivial, but it is an absolute life-line for us both. To get to know another parent and have time to discuss our children and our lives with someone else who really understands is just fantastic. Breathing space and sanity time! I would say that my daughter's happiness and growing confidence also makes me happy.'
Another parent noted;
'Seeing how his social skills and confidence are developing gives us a big boost. It also gives my wife and I a chance to spend time together.'
Being able to relax and not worry is so important for our carers, the following quote highlights this so powerfully;
'J gets anxious about being in places out with home. It reduces my anxiety when he is in a place that I know J is calm and happy. If J is happy and calm, I worry less.'
Outcome
76 carers will benefit from respite and will have opportunities to access peer support through the monthly parent support group
Results
98 carers were able to benefit from this project, inclusive of young carers. 7 regularly attended the parent support sessions.
These parent support sessions took place in the evenings and often overran the 2 hours allocated. There is a rich and very natural peer support network within the group. The parents are proactive in offering advice and provide solutions where they can. It has been positive to see this develop over the year.
The fact that some of our families choose to spend their break in the time of other parents, going for a walk or having a coffee also shows that this peer support extends beyond the formality of a group.
Case study
Through parent feedback, we have had the following information shared with us.
'Plus was a lifeline for us during crisis times of N being unable to attend school, he was traumatised, living in & out of autistic burnout. Couldn't believe how he connected with K (staff) during our first visit & how happy he was to try the groups as we were so isolated & he had been in such poor emotional & physical health. His ASP group was the only activity/connection he had for a very long time while I had to intensively advocate for a specialist education placement for him. 3 years on he still enjoys his groups & looks forward to coming. N enjoys the connections with the other young people & staff. He also enjoys the activities & the flexibility that there's no pressure to join in if he's not up it. He likes that he can take a book & just 'be' there too.'
'I attend the ASP parent group and its been fantastic to talk to other parents/guardians about how to deal with difficult situations and to know that I am not alone in dealing with a child with ASD.'
'Always enjoy & benefit from K's (staff) parents get togethers, so appreciate this opportunity to have cuppa /chat with others parents & K, so therapeutic. Also like to add that it feels post pandemic that some care organisations have changed... don't provide the same level of face to face supports which I so value as a carer... All support seems to be telephone/online & it feels we are seen & heard less. I do appreciate the pressure on services but it can feel like almost a 'call centre' approach to families who are living with the stress of caring long term for often multiple family members. During a time where it feels like carers support is less & less accessible in the way that would benefit carers it feels like PLUS are a service who have worked so hard to provide & maintain services for the benefit of our young people & their families. It feels like PLUS truly puts the young people & families in the center of all of their services. So grateful. I value this so much...'
Outcome
30 children and young people will be able to access support.
We will work with the young people to develop coping strategies, communication techniques and tools
Results
34 young people have attended. We facilitated 119 sessions (71 in person, 48 online), with a total of 552 individual attendances at sessions.
The opportunity for the young people to socialise with other autistic people with no fear of judgement has been instrumental in helping them improve their sense of self-esteem and wellbeing. The effect of this on parents and carers is powerful. When their children feel happy and safe, talk of friendships and look forward to attending this naturally supports improved wellbeing for them.
By creating a safe and nurturing environment where the young people are accepted as they are, we are well placed to support them to develop new skills. There is an increase in attendees who are school refusers, due to overwhelm within mainstream education. The fact they continue to attend PLUS, which is often the only time they leave home, highlights the value they place on the project and the important role it plays in their families lives.
Case study
Family Quote 1
'My child has not been attending school, but is always happy when it is a PLUS evening. She loves the activities, the helpers and the other young people. She is always very up-beat after a meeting and looks forward to the next one.'
Family Quote 2
'It gets him out of the house regularly and helps him socialise. He didn't want to go at first, but loves it and looks forward to it. He has even met up with one of the other children outside of the group. He really enjoys the games of dungeons and dragons. He says it’s the only place he can go and just be his autistic self, he accepted and people ‘get’ him. He feels safe with the group.'
Family Quote 3
'A has had a very difficult year. He has had been a school refuser and has rarely left the home. Attending PLUS is the main factor in helping A gain control of his anxieties and fear of the outside world. He knows the people at PLUS value him and respect his worries and his individual needs. PLUS is Adam's main source of friendships and socialising offline.'
Family Quote 4
'Just to say 'thank you'. I think E's involvement with PLUS has helped her to make steps towards returning to school and although we are not there yet, it is encouraging that she has always kept attending PLUS even when not at school.'
Family Quote 5
'I think the ASP Group is great, K and the other staff are welcoming and I look forward to dropping M off at something he enjoys so much. It is the only activity he goes to regularly without complaint, he never wants to miss it.'
Family Quote 6
'She benefited by being able to talk to other young adults about how they cope with their ASD and how to express best how they feel. I think she enjoyed being somewhere with people who didn't treat her differently if she felt she had to be on her own for a while.'