Description

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The Autism Resource Manual for Families is a treasure trove of practical, realistic and achievable strategies to support neurodivergent young people and their families with everyday life. Clearly laid out for easy use and access, it explains autism in context and provides ideas that are relevant not just for parents and carers, but for family support workers, social workers and family intervention teams.

The resource covers a wide range of situations and offers an array of supports, with key topics ranging from anxiety, behaviour, and communication, to socialising, family life, and moving towards independence. With the lived experiences of parents and autistic children and young people in mind, this empowering manual includes:

• A wealth of situations from daily life, clearly addressed with examples of how autistic individuals may experience these and practical strategies for effective support
• Encouragement for parents and mini mantras for autistic children and young people to use in different situations
• Strategies for supporting autistic children in daily family life, including working with siblings, family holidays and eating out
• Advice for helping autistic young people through school, including attendance, homework and after-school exhaustion
• Guidance on initiating and carrying out productive conversations, as well as downloadable resources for visual conversation support.

This book will be an essential tool for parents and carers of neurodivergent children and young people, as well as family or parent support workers and family intervention teams. It will also be valuable reading for pastoral teams, CAMHS, and social workers supporting these families.

About the Author

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Debbie Riall is a Specialist Teacher for Neurodiversity currently working for The Athelstan Trust across five secondary schools. She originally worked as a class teacher of autistic pupils for over 20 years, then as an advisor for the last 15 years. She also trained in the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) and joined the weekly multi-agency diagnostic team in south Wales for five years. Her first book, The Autism Resource Manual: Practical Strategies for Teachers and other Education Professionals was published in 2022.