Other common issues affecting Happiness

Behaviours That Cause Concern

Many students can find the school environment challenging. Sometimes these challenges can seem overwhelming and may result in the student refusing to attend school. School refusal, as with all behaviours, may continue until the reasons behind it have been identified and addressed.

See: Challenging Behaviour.

Bullying

Bullying affects over one million young people every year (YoungMinds., 2019), and although it can affect any student, research suggests that students with autism are more likely to experience bullying than their peers.

Safety Online

When online, students can learn new things, get help with homework, express themselves creatively and connect with friends and family. However, we must ensure that the online world does not replace the concrete world. Safety issues are of utmost importance, remembering the vulnerability of students with autism.

By understanding and talking about the dangers you can help keep your child safe online. If using online forums, blogs or chatrooms please first read the advice on the NSPCC website.

Additional information for parents on online safety can be found here.

Sleep, Toileting and Feeding

Many students with and without autism (and therefore also their support providers) can experience difficulties with seemingly basic requirements of independence such as sleep, toileting and feeding. Middletown Centre for Autism has created short online modules on these specific issues, which family’s and support providers can access and watch online.

See: Online Learning