Nurturing a Positive Autistic Identity in School

An autism diagnosis is much more than just a 'label'. If you're autistic, you've been autistic your whole life and you will gradually become aware that you experience the world in a different way to many of your peers. Unfortunately, an autism diagnosis carries with it a stigma, and becoming aware of this stigma can be damaging to a young person's wellbeing as they get older – and the later they are recognised as autistic, the more problematic this becomes. Naturally, we want to remove the stigma, but this depends not on the autistic young person to change, but everyone around them, which is why we advocate for whole school training on neurodiversity – the more you understand difference, not deficit, the less likely you are to stigmatise. However we can also nurture the young person so that they develop a positive view of their autistic identity, and can become advocates for themselves and others.

CPD Course Overview: Supporting Autistic Pupils and Neurodivergent Inclusion

• Develop a clear understanding of neurodiversity and autistic experiences with support from neurodivergent trainer
• Explore how environments impact autistic pupils and influence a positive sense of identity
• Understand the value of strength-based learning approaches
• Reframe differences as variations, not deficits
• Learn practical strategies to support a wide range of needs in the classroom
• Examine why behaviour charts can be harmful for autistic pupils
• Gain insight into stimming and its role in supporting wellbeing and positive identity
• Understand the internal presentation of autism, including the impact of masking
• Build awareness of rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD), including how it may present in the classroom
• Identify ways to recognise RSD and reframe interpretations of behaviour
• Understand executive functioning differences and their impact on learning and identity
• Learn simple, effective adjustments to promote a positive autistic identity
• Explore emotional regulation, including supporting pupils with alexithymia
• Develop an understanding of social justice in relation to neurodiversity and inclusion
• Apply practical strategies to nurture a positive autistic identity in pupils
• Understand the double empathy theory and its implications for practice
• Implement reasonable adjustments to support inclusion
• Use co-regulation approaches to support emotional wellbeing
• Create inclusive environments that foster belonging for all pupils

PRICE: £350 (no VAT) for up to 40 staff, please contact us for a price for higher numbers of attendees.

We are UK-based so training will take place in UK time – we can accommodate UK evening training, but if you're in Australia or New Zealand it will need to be an early start.