Local Authority Training

The AOT have continued to provide Local Authority Training based at Columbia Grange in the form of twilight sessions.

These sessions are open to all professionals in Children’s Services as well as staff working in the independent sector as part of the Early Years Training programme.

School Based Training

The AOT have provided INSET to individual schools on request. These are delivered during INSET days or during staff meetings.

Parent Training

The NAS EarlyBird and EarlyBird Plus Intervention Programmes are meeting the needs of families with children under the age of eight.

The NAS EarlyBird programme is a 3-month intervention programme for parents and
carers who have a child under the age of 5 years who have received a diagnosis of
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). In the academic year 2006/2007 the programme
operated on a needs only basis.

The NAS EarlyBird Plus programme is a 3-month intervention programme for parents,
carers and a member of staff from a child’s school where the child is between 5 and 9
years of age and has received a diagnosis of ASD. This programme was started in
September 2005.

The AOT also runs training for the parents support group and AIM (Autism In Mind).

Training For Other Professionals

As part of the Children’s Services commitment to continued professional development,
training is delivered to the Teaching Primary Care Trust employees. This includes Health
Visitors, School Nurses and Nursery Nurses. The training gives an overview of the
difficulties for children and families as well as appropriate strategies. The aim of the
training is to improve early identification and to develop the skills of professionals who are involved in early screening.

Training can also be targeted to particular professional groups with information specific to their needs. In the past training has been delivered to CAMHS, EPS, Child and Family and City Hospitals nursing staff, Key Stage 1 Behaviour Team, Midday Supervisors, Child
Minders, Private Nurseries and Regional EPS.

Accredited Course

The AOT deliver the ‘Introduction to Autism for class professionals (L2 or 3 National
Qualification)’.

This course builds on awareness raising sessions that staff will have previously accessed. During the 30-hr course staff carry out a functional analysis of the behaviour of pupils with ASD, compile ASD specific teaching activities, ASD specific IEPs and a child based analytical report. It culminated in a working portfolio.