Introduction
Autism Anglia’s Speech and Language Therapists work with service users and staff from Doucecroft School, the FE Department and Adult Residential Services. They both have degrees in Speech and Language Therapy and have additional training in a number of communication methods including PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System) and Intensive Interaction. Bethan is also a Regional Makaton Tutor.

Working with our service users, Bethan and Vicky provide speech and language assessments followed by treatment appropriate to the individual or group. Direct treatment is given in a one-to-one setting or working with a group. Indirect treatment is also provided, for example, writing a programme of work or advising members of staff on how they best assist the people they work with.

“Autism is characterised by the triad of impairment (communication, social interaction and imagination) and we work on improving skills in all of these areas by developing an individual’s communication and social skills, so ultimately the students and adults can be as independent as possible.”

Bethan Franklin, Speech and Language Therapist

The goal
In developing communication skills, service users not only learning to express themselves, but also find it easier to access their environment. They are able to understand more of the things going on in the day to day life around them, in turn reducing the feeling of anxiety felt by many people with Autism. Improvements in communication allow them to share their wants and needs which in turn leads to a significant increase in their quality of life.

As with all aspects of our work, one of the main goals is to support individuals to gain an increased level of independence. Being able to communicate with those around them is a huge step towards this independence and can reduce much of the frustration felt by individuals and the people they meet.

The challenges
Just as we are all different, so our work with each of our service users needs to be tailored to the individual’s skills, level of understanding, likes and dislikes. Each time the therapists meet with a service user, the session needs to be adapted to the individual, to the activity and to the people who will be around them. Keeping on top of the planning and paperwork is a difficulty Bethan and Vicky face each day as they try to spend as much time as possible with their service users.

Of course, the rewards in the work outweigh the challenges presented each day. Each time a service user makes progress in their communication or interacts with the world around them brings satisfaction for the therapists. Focusing on one specialised area allows Bethan and Vicky to immerse themselves in working with autistic individuals, learning more each day from their experiences and from new research as it’s published.

Our therapists are encouraged to train the staff who work intensively with individual service users. In giving staff the skills and understanding to encourage service users to understand and interact with people around them, Bethan and Vicky can multiply the effectiveness of their work, ensuring a consistent approach to each service user’s development in their communication skills.

Case Study
A young service user was due to go on holiday, but before going he needed to have some injections. Several times he went to the doctors but he became very anxious and upset, and the doctor was unable to administer the injections. Bethan and Vicky sat with the service user and developed a symbol sheet which explained the whole procedure and a step by step instruction sheet for the service user to take with him to the doctors. The next time he went to the doctors, his Mother encouraged him to look at the instructions, he accepted the injections without any fuss and was able to go on his holiday.