An Approach To Working With Children Who Are Deaf And Autistic In A Scottish Group Care Setting

Authors

  • Irene Stevens Scottish Institute for Residential Child Care, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland

Keywords:

autism, deafness, training, group care

Abstract

This paper discusses the development of a training course for a staff group working in a residential school for deaf children. Through the course, the staff were assisted in facing the challenges of working with autistic children who were also deaf There has been very little work done in this area, yet it is a problem that may present itself much more often in the future, given the reported rise in the incidence of autistic spectrum disorder. The staff group had been presented with challenging behaviours from young people who were deaf and autistic, and they were unsure about how to intervene. A two-day staff training programme was developed based on research in the field, the author's observations of the staff and children in the unit, and contributions from professionals in the fields of deafness, autism, and group care. Evaluation of the training course revealed positive outcomes for the staff and the children in their care. The issue of working with children with a dual diagnosis and the importance of raising awareness of autism are discussed.

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Published

2004-03-01

How to Cite

Stevens, I. . (2004). An Approach To Working With Children Who Are Deaf And Autistic In A Scottish Group Care Setting. Journal of Child and Youth Care Work, 19, 224–235. Retrieved from http://acycpjournal.pitt.edu/ojs/jcycw/article/view/389

Issue

Section

Articles