WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.680 Hi, my name is Jordan. I am a special education 00:00:02.680 --> 00:00:06.160 teacher from the UK. I share my passion for everything 00:00:06.160 --> 00:00:09.119 communication, sensory regulation and fun lesson 00:00:09.119 --> 00:00:11.660 ideas for my classroom of disabled pupils aged 00:00:11.660 --> 00:00:15.300 4 to 11. Each week I am joined by experts in 00:00:15.300 --> 00:00:17.640 the field answering your questions and sharing 00:00:17.640 --> 00:00:19.559 our knowledge and experience working alongside 00:00:19.559 --> 00:00:22.539 our beautiful young people. Let's get started. 00:00:28.489 --> 00:00:30.949 First of all, a message about our sponsor. Today's 00:00:30.949 --> 00:00:33.649 sponsor is Octopus Energy. 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Head to the link in the description below 00:01:04.400 --> 00:01:07.180 to make the switch today. Now to the episode. 00:01:09.069 --> 00:01:11.530 Hello everybody, my name is Jordan and welcome 00:01:11.530 --> 00:01:14.989 to the Sensory Classroom podcast. Today I am 00:01:14.989 --> 00:01:18.409 joined by Faye, who is AAC Brothers on social 00:01:18.409 --> 00:01:22.930 media, a mum of two autistic boys who are huge 00:01:22.930 --> 00:01:25.189 advocates for AAC and I was desperate to have 00:01:25.189 --> 00:01:29.510 her on here. Hello Faye! Welcome. So first of 00:01:29.510 --> 00:01:31.230 all, could you tell us a little bit about your 00:01:31.230 --> 00:01:34.689 family setup? Yeah, so there's me, my husband, 00:01:34.750 --> 00:01:37.390 Matt, and then our two sons, Sullivan and Tristan. 00:01:37.730 --> 00:01:40.549 Tristan's eight and Sullivan is six. And when 00:01:40.549 --> 00:01:44.109 did you start sharing your story online? Yeah, 00:01:44.129 --> 00:01:46.530 I think it was only a few months ago now, but 00:01:46.530 --> 00:01:50.329 I just... With how passionate I am about AAC, 00:01:50.569 --> 00:01:53.450 and you see lots of speech and language therapists 00:01:53.450 --> 00:01:56.689 on Instagram, which is great, but you don't see 00:01:56.689 --> 00:02:00.230 a lot of parents who are big AAC users and advocates. 00:02:00.329 --> 00:02:03.189 And I think it's important to show that. Yeah, 00:02:03.209 --> 00:02:05.370 that was what completely enamored me with your 00:02:05.370 --> 00:02:07.750 account. Actually, you kind of came out of nowhere. 00:02:07.930 --> 00:02:10.710 And it was exactly I feel like what the space 00:02:10.710 --> 00:02:14.110 is needing a massive advocate for AAC and also 00:02:14.110 --> 00:02:18.259 showing parents how it can just integrate fully 00:02:18.259 --> 00:02:20.919 into your life in everything you do and the impact 00:02:20.919 --> 00:02:25.199 it can have on the family, I suppose. Yeah, definitely. 00:02:26.000 --> 00:02:29.439 So let's go back. Because lots of the people 00:02:29.439 --> 00:02:31.099 listening here, yes, they're teachers and they 00:02:31.099 --> 00:02:34.020 might not have even heard of AAC before. They 00:02:34.020 --> 00:02:35.659 might not even know much about autism, but also 00:02:35.659 --> 00:02:37.840 lots of parents may be in those early stages 00:02:37.840 --> 00:02:41.060 of wondering, you know, if their child has autism 00:02:41.060 --> 00:02:43.770 or if... AAC is right for them so let's go it's 00:02:43.770 --> 00:02:47.009 important to go back maybe so what was your understanding 00:02:47.009 --> 00:02:52.229 of autism before your boys came along next to 00:02:52.229 --> 00:02:55.689 nothing honestly I think what most most people 00:02:55.689 --> 00:03:00.009 think is it's rain man and things like that people 00:03:00.009 --> 00:03:03.389 like that um I did used to see people with special 00:03:03.389 --> 00:03:06.530 needs that were what I now know is stimming but 00:03:06.530 --> 00:03:09.960 I didn't had no clue that was autism. It wasn't 00:03:09.960 --> 00:03:12.479 until Tristan was a baby and was flapping his 00:03:12.479 --> 00:03:15.500 hands and I googled it and it said autism and 00:03:15.500 --> 00:03:18.300 I was like, what does that mean? And then you 00:03:18.300 --> 00:03:22.340 go into a rabbit hole and you're like, this is 00:03:22.340 --> 00:03:25.919 autism. I had no clue about this. So were they 00:03:25.919 --> 00:03:27.159 the kind of things you were seeing? Was it the 00:03:27.159 --> 00:03:29.319 stimming, like flapping hands that you were seeing 00:03:29.319 --> 00:03:32.310 initially that gave that clue? Yeah, stiffening 00:03:32.310 --> 00:03:37.270 up, the lack of speech, high anxiety, not wanting 00:03:37.270 --> 00:03:40.289 to go out. Tristan, bless him, was like an anxious 00:03:40.289 --> 00:03:42.710 little bundle when he was a baby and a toddler. 00:03:42.990 --> 00:03:47.530 He found it so hard to even just go to the supermarket, 00:03:47.550 --> 00:03:51.210 to a park. He hated being around other children. 00:03:51.689 --> 00:03:53.969 It was, yeah, it was really tough. I suppose 00:03:53.969 --> 00:03:57.050 having that idea in your head of autism was that... 00:03:57.479 --> 00:04:00.780 helpful was that comforting was that scary like 00:04:00.780 --> 00:04:04.340 what what did that kind of research self -research 00:04:04.340 --> 00:04:09.199 do for you and your yeah feelings about what 00:04:09.199 --> 00:04:12.979 was to come I suppose I knew after reading that 00:04:12.979 --> 00:04:16.579 that he was autistic but in my opinion health 00:04:16.579 --> 00:04:19.220 visitors look at you like you're nuts when you 00:04:19.220 --> 00:04:24.360 say that um and because he was so young yeah 00:04:24.360 --> 00:04:26.639 and I just feel like when you say that everyone 00:04:26.639 --> 00:04:29.160 around you looks at you like you're crazy even 00:04:29.160 --> 00:04:32.920 though you know that is you know something is 00:04:32.920 --> 00:04:36.779 off something isn't going as it should be and 00:04:36.779 --> 00:04:39.600 the health visitor I had even said oh he doesn't 00:04:39.600 --> 00:04:44.660 look autistic and I was like okay and then she's 00:04:44.660 --> 00:04:47.019 like oh everyone's a bit autistic this is a health 00:04:47.019 --> 00:04:50.600 visitor saying this to me yeah so I and As well, 00:04:50.600 --> 00:04:52.480 she was like, oh, he's watching too much TV. 00:04:52.560 --> 00:04:54.740 You need to get him out and socialize him more. 00:04:55.180 --> 00:04:57.540 I was then pregnant. So completely parent blaming. 00:04:58.420 --> 00:05:02.279 Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, 100%. And I was pregnant 00:05:02.279 --> 00:05:04.759 with Sullivan when Tristan was 18 months old. 00:05:04.800 --> 00:05:07.259 And I was taking Tristan out two, three times 00:05:07.259 --> 00:05:10.459 a day with hyperemesis, trying to socialize him, 00:05:10.500 --> 00:05:13.060 taking him to baby classes. And he was screaming 00:05:13.060 --> 00:05:15.680 and crying and melting down. Everyone's looking 00:05:15.680 --> 00:05:18.430 at me like. And I just didn't know what to do. 00:05:18.470 --> 00:05:20.870 I'm being told that it's my fault that I need 00:05:20.870 --> 00:05:23.730 to take him out. By the expert. Yep, exactly. 00:05:23.990 --> 00:05:26.470 I need to get him out more, turn off the TV. 00:05:26.970 --> 00:05:29.550 And I was doing everything I could. And I just, 00:05:29.550 --> 00:05:33.689 I knew that he was different. What do you, now 00:05:33.689 --> 00:05:36.209 you know what you know, because you're an expert 00:05:36.209 --> 00:05:38.250 in your boys, but you're also an expert in autism, 00:05:38.389 --> 00:05:41.110 I have to say. What would you say to the health 00:05:41.110 --> 00:05:44.910 visitor now, if you could? Have a conversation 00:05:44.910 --> 00:05:48.269 with her. Go and get some training. Yeah, I mean, 00:05:48.269 --> 00:05:49.990 that's what it comes down to, doesn't it? It 00:05:49.990 --> 00:05:52.310 doesn't come down to she wasn't being cruel. 00:05:52.410 --> 00:05:56.370 She genuinely didn't know, I suppose. But that 00:05:56.370 --> 00:05:59.470 is, it's wild to me that these professionals 00:05:59.470 --> 00:06:04.350 come into our homes and are essentially judging 00:06:04.350 --> 00:06:08.129 us, but then they don't have all the tools they 00:06:08.129 --> 00:06:11.519 need to be able to guide us on things. Yeah. 00:06:11.540 --> 00:06:14.100 So judgment without guidance isn't helpful, is 00:06:14.100 --> 00:06:17.480 it? No, not at all. Not at all. I do think there 00:06:17.480 --> 00:06:21.319 needs to be early years training in AAC, especially 00:06:21.319 --> 00:06:25.279 because when you get told your child's flagging 00:06:25.279 --> 00:06:29.079 up for autism or something like that, it's all 00:06:29.079 --> 00:06:32.480 doom and gloom, you know, and when you're left 00:06:32.480 --> 00:06:36.519 with my child might not ever talk or the possibility 00:06:36.519 --> 00:06:40.839 of that, you go into a hole. You don't know where 00:06:40.839 --> 00:06:44.199 to turn. Whereas I think if they steered it in 00:06:44.199 --> 00:06:47.019 the direction of, you know, speech might not 00:06:47.019 --> 00:06:50.220 be here yet or might not, but here's an alternative. 00:06:50.620 --> 00:06:53.720 I can, you know, point you in the right direction. 00:06:54.040 --> 00:06:57.779 Even just a simple, if a health visitor comes 00:06:57.779 --> 00:06:59.899 into your home and suspects that your child is 00:06:59.899 --> 00:07:02.680 autistic, they have so many leaflets anyway. 00:07:02.860 --> 00:07:06.649 Why not pull out a little symbols? simple symbols 00:07:06.649 --> 00:07:09.810 cards or something similar I just I just think 00:07:09.810 --> 00:07:12.850 it needs to change yeah I agree and there is 00:07:12.850 --> 00:07:15.089 so much out there on social media now but you 00:07:15.089 --> 00:07:17.649 need to know what words to search for to find 00:07:17.649 --> 00:07:19.829 that information there's also a lot of misinformation 00:07:19.829 --> 00:07:22.290 out there as well so it's really hard for parents 00:07:22.290 --> 00:07:24.810 to navigate this stuff on their own without that 00:07:24.810 --> 00:07:27.730 guidance I suppose which is also why I'm so grateful 00:07:27.730 --> 00:07:31.810 that your social media account is here now because 00:07:31.810 --> 00:07:34.470 it's a safe place for parents to turn to with 00:07:34.470 --> 00:07:37.329 realistic expectations because you've been there 00:07:37.329 --> 00:07:40.310 you get it and nothing that you say that you're 00:07:40.310 --> 00:07:42.529 doing is unrealistic because you're doing it 00:07:42.529 --> 00:07:45.730 it's not like and I feel like sometimes my expectation 00:07:45.730 --> 00:07:48.170 can be unrealistic for parents because I have 00:07:48.170 --> 00:07:50.329 nine teaching assistants in my class and I have 00:07:50.329 --> 00:07:52.350 training and all these kind of years of experience 00:07:52.350 --> 00:07:54.829 whereas actually you come from a different place 00:07:54.829 --> 00:07:56.750 you come from a place of like I get it I've been 00:07:56.750 --> 00:07:59.329 literally in your shoes like I've walked this 00:07:59.329 --> 00:08:02.509 path and actually you could I've made the mistakes 00:08:02.509 --> 00:08:04.670 for you almost so that you don't have to and 00:08:05.050 --> 00:08:07.970 kind of come with me i suppose is so helpful 00:08:07.970 --> 00:08:14.089 so aac alternative communication has that what 00:08:14.089 --> 00:08:15.689 does it look like for your children i suppose 00:08:15.689 --> 00:08:18.189 what what does it look like in your home using 00:08:18.189 --> 00:08:23.829 aac so now both my boys use vocas um they use 00:08:23.829 --> 00:08:28.069 grid um and it has just been so life -changing 00:08:28.069 --> 00:08:31.660 for us um i can't even put into words how life 00:08:31.660 --> 00:08:34.139 -changing it is but we didn't start off with 00:08:34.139 --> 00:08:37.899 bocas um we did start off with tristan we started 00:08:37.899 --> 00:08:42.220 off with um objects of reference um photos and 00:08:42.220 --> 00:08:44.519 then we moved on to symbols and then can you 00:08:44.519 --> 00:08:46.740 explain what objects of reference look like in 00:08:46.740 --> 00:08:49.740 your home we would take a photo of his bottle 00:08:49.740 --> 00:08:53.000 and print that off laminate it and put it on 00:08:53.000 --> 00:08:55.279 the wall and then if he wanted that he would 00:08:55.279 --> 00:08:57.100 go up and point at it and same for the object 00:08:57.100 --> 00:08:59.720 you might have the actual bottle yeah yeah yeah 00:08:59.720 --> 00:09:04.419 exactly yeah We are so lucky because in our town, 00:09:04.519 --> 00:09:08.980 we've got a charity run early years called Trax 00:09:08.980 --> 00:09:12.220 Autism. And that is where our AAC journey began, 00:09:12.419 --> 00:09:14.799 really, because I had no clue about AAC before 00:09:14.799 --> 00:09:18.679 then. And we walked in there and visuals everywhere. 00:09:18.860 --> 00:09:21.340 They had a brilliant communication lead called 00:09:21.340 --> 00:09:24.720 Emma, who now works at my boy's school as well. 00:09:24.779 --> 00:09:27.480 So she's been with them. through their whole 00:09:27.480 --> 00:09:29.860 journey. And she made Tristan his first communication 00:09:29.860 --> 00:09:33.120 book that was full of symbols. This is when he 00:09:33.120 --> 00:09:36.039 started to understand symbols because he clocked 00:09:36.039 --> 00:09:38.440 onto that quite quickly, actually. I remember 00:09:38.440 --> 00:09:41.899 the first time because, you know, in the early 00:09:41.899 --> 00:09:46.059 days before AOC, it was really hard. Yeah. What 00:09:46.059 --> 00:09:47.720 did that look like, I suppose? Because then I 00:09:47.720 --> 00:09:51.889 suppose parents can then understand. where you're 00:09:51.889 --> 00:09:54.129 coming from and might be able to relate to their 00:09:54.129 --> 00:09:56.529 situation. So what did it look like before AAC? 00:09:57.269 --> 00:10:00.669 Well, Tristan couldn't point at that moment in 00:10:00.669 --> 00:10:03.029 time. So this is like between two and three years 00:10:03.029 --> 00:10:07.090 old, a lot of frustration, a lot of meltdowns. 00:10:07.450 --> 00:10:11.169 He could hand lead and pull by clothing, but 00:10:11.169 --> 00:10:13.850 still sometimes it wasn't enough to get the message 00:10:13.850 --> 00:10:16.070 across of what he needed. And it would just cause 00:10:16.070 --> 00:10:18.340 him a lot of frustration. Yeah, I was going to 00:10:18.340 --> 00:10:20.519 say, he's incredibly frustrated because he knew 00:10:20.519 --> 00:10:22.419 what he wanted and he just couldn't make his 00:10:22.419 --> 00:10:25.159 needs known. I mean, God, imagine that frustration 00:10:25.159 --> 00:10:27.100 and anxiety as well. You said he was already 00:10:27.100 --> 00:10:29.340 an anxious child. That'd only make you more anxious, 00:10:29.399 --> 00:10:31.820 wouldn't it? Yeah, exactly. And I was pregnant 00:10:31.820 --> 00:10:35.299 at this point as well with Sullivan. So I was 00:10:35.299 --> 00:10:39.019 just a ball of anxiety. I just didn't know where 00:10:39.019 --> 00:10:42.960 to turn. We visited a mainstream nursery and 00:10:42.960 --> 00:10:46.389 I was just like, I cannot see. my child in here 00:10:46.389 --> 00:10:49.950 it was just packed full of children and they 00:10:49.950 --> 00:10:52.269 were like oh there is an autistic child in here 00:10:52.269 --> 00:10:54.870 and they couldn't find him and i was like yeah 00:10:54.870 --> 00:10:57.990 so i was like no we can't we can't send him there 00:10:57.990 --> 00:11:01.330 and then we heard about tracks autism and we 00:11:01.330 --> 00:11:04.350 visited there and they were they were just so 00:11:04.350 --> 00:11:07.629 welcoming they weren't shocked by any of his 00:11:07.629 --> 00:11:10.730 behaviors or his anxiety and they just got him 00:11:10.730 --> 00:11:14.779 straight away and I've never felt more comfortable 00:11:14.779 --> 00:11:17.700 leaving my child somewhere than I did with them. 00:11:17.919 --> 00:11:20.340 Yeah, I suppose because he was understood and 00:11:20.340 --> 00:11:23.779 loved for everything he is and everything that 00:11:23.779 --> 00:11:26.960 you love about him. They loved and saw and understood. 00:11:27.220 --> 00:11:28.919 And I guess you knew that even if they didn't 00:11:28.919 --> 00:11:30.460 understand, they'd do their best just like you 00:11:30.460 --> 00:11:33.519 would to try and understand and meet his needs. 00:11:33.759 --> 00:11:36.080 That must be so comforting for a parent having 00:11:36.080 --> 00:11:39.909 not had that experience before. Definitely. And 00:11:39.909 --> 00:11:42.669 I think as well, communicate like you're communicating 00:11:42.669 --> 00:11:46.149 with them, whether that is gestures or something. 00:11:46.230 --> 00:11:48.649 And you see that and you're like, there are other 00:11:48.649 --> 00:11:51.549 children like my child. It's like stepping into 00:11:51.549 --> 00:11:54.870 a new world. And it's a world of positivity, 00:11:54.990 --> 00:11:58.230 I would say, when you find a tribe of people 00:11:58.230 --> 00:12:01.710 that are just living the same life as you understand 00:12:01.710 --> 00:12:05.720 your child. Yeah, I completely agree. I see that 00:12:05.720 --> 00:12:08.860 with parents. When children start my provision, 00:12:09.080 --> 00:12:10.820 actually, they might have been in mainstream 00:12:10.820 --> 00:12:14.840 for five years or more. the children are benefiting 00:12:14.840 --> 00:12:17.620 because they're finding peers and having their 00:12:17.620 --> 00:12:19.899 needs met and finding a safe environment but 00:12:19.899 --> 00:12:22.179 the parents are benefiting too because finally 00:12:22.179 --> 00:12:24.980 at the gate they're not being judged or shamed 00:12:24.980 --> 00:12:28.120 or stared at they're being welcomed in and comforted 00:12:28.120 --> 00:12:31.559 and with amazing advice from people and people 00:12:31.559 --> 00:12:35.639 that just get it and you can just see their whole 00:12:35.639 --> 00:12:39.529 body just relaxes because they haven't got to 00:12:39.529 --> 00:12:42.049 hold all of this and it's quite isolating otherwise 00:12:42.049 --> 00:12:44.470 isn't it and they're not on their own they will 00:12:44.470 --> 00:12:46.570 be invited to birthday parties or whatever it 00:12:46.570 --> 00:12:48.210 is you know all of a sudden they can just let 00:12:48.210 --> 00:12:52.549 all go because they're in this safe space how 00:12:52.549 --> 00:12:57.070 old was he when he went to tracks three tristan 00:12:57.070 --> 00:12:59.649 was three sally started at two and a half because 00:12:59.649 --> 00:13:03.049 we we knew straight away with sally Sully's lucky 00:13:03.049 --> 00:13:06.470 because Tristan was the learning curve for us. 00:13:06.529 --> 00:13:08.909 And then Sully, we were just expecting him to 00:13:08.909 --> 00:13:11.230 be autistic. So we were just like, yeah, we know 00:13:11.230 --> 00:13:13.309 what to do now. Have you noticed a difference 00:13:13.309 --> 00:13:16.710 in them or in their progress because of that? 00:13:16.809 --> 00:13:20.769 Or has it made no difference at all? Yeah, 100%. 00:13:20.769 --> 00:13:24.830 Because from when Sully was born, he has had 00:13:24.830 --> 00:13:29.389 AAC around him. Yeah, of course. He has like 00:13:29.389 --> 00:13:33.000 that. just he he's watched Tristan using it and 00:13:33.000 --> 00:13:35.200 he was like oh that's how I get what I need and 00:13:35.200 --> 00:13:38.259 then he he was using the symbols we made him 00:13:38.259 --> 00:13:41.259 a communication bucket too um and he was using 00:13:41.259 --> 00:13:44.940 it and then um when Tristan got his AOC device 00:13:44.940 --> 00:13:47.840 Sully was like oh and he was using it I was like 00:13:47.840 --> 00:13:49.720 said to Matt we're gonna have to get him one 00:13:49.720 --> 00:13:53.440 like look at him he's nailing it How did you 00:13:53.440 --> 00:13:56.700 get access to those focus or those AAC, those 00:13:56.700 --> 00:13:58.759 high tech devices? Because I think that's a real 00:13:58.759 --> 00:14:02.779 barrier for parents often. So Tristan, his communication 00:14:02.779 --> 00:14:05.480 team at school, they'd been sort of trialling 00:14:05.480 --> 00:14:09.200 him for, you know, a few years on. But he was 00:14:09.200 --> 00:14:11.279 he was very set in his ways about his communication 00:14:11.279 --> 00:14:13.799 book because that is what he'd had from. It's 00:14:13.799 --> 00:14:16.639 his safety, isn't it? Yeah. Yeah, exactly. And 00:14:16.639 --> 00:14:21.480 then his. communication lead at school she made 00:14:21.480 --> 00:14:25.399 a grid set that reflected his communication book 00:14:25.399 --> 00:14:28.720 on a school vocer and that's when he started 00:14:28.720 --> 00:14:32.139 using it and then she was like right let's trial 00:14:32.139 --> 00:14:34.519 it at home over the Easter and we brought it 00:14:34.519 --> 00:14:37.419 home and I think when you take it home start 00:14:37.419 --> 00:14:40.500 using it at home like any AAC whether it's symbols 00:14:40.500 --> 00:14:43.500 whether it's vocers when you implement that in 00:14:43.500 --> 00:14:45.440 your everyday life at home they're like mummy's 00:14:45.759 --> 00:14:48.539 doing it now so and then it gets the ball rolling 00:14:48.539 --> 00:14:50.519 and then they start using it more and more and 00:14:50.519 --> 00:14:54.679 more um yeah because I suppose people with autism 00:14:54.679 --> 00:14:56.919 can become so rigid in their patterns it doesn't 00:14:56.919 --> 00:14:58.700 mean they don't know how to use it or it doesn't 00:14:58.700 --> 00:15:01.100 mean they don't want to use it but they it might 00:15:01.100 --> 00:15:02.820 not even occur to them they could even could 00:15:02.820 --> 00:15:05.639 use it at home You know, it's so rigid in their 00:15:05.639 --> 00:15:07.399 patterns that this is what I do at school and 00:15:07.399 --> 00:15:09.700 this is what I do at home. So if it doesn't come 00:15:09.700 --> 00:15:11.700 out of the bag at home or at school, you know, 00:15:11.700 --> 00:15:13.419 let's not blame either one. You know, if it doesn't 00:15:13.419 --> 00:15:17.019 come out of the bag in a certain setting, then 00:15:17.019 --> 00:15:19.539 it might not even occur to them that they even 00:15:19.539 --> 00:15:22.019 could. So we need to be modelling that, don't 00:15:22.019 --> 00:15:25.340 we? And I know you're a huge advocate in modelling. 00:15:25.440 --> 00:15:27.240 This is what I love about you and your account. 00:15:27.559 --> 00:15:31.700 What does modelling look like in your home? Where 00:15:31.700 --> 00:15:35.190 does the vocal go? How do you, you know, how 00:15:35.190 --> 00:15:38.190 does it look? So the Vocas, we have the Vocas 00:15:38.190 --> 00:15:42.330 out all the time and the boys use them for requesting 00:15:42.330 --> 00:15:45.049 like breakfast, what they want for lunch, what 00:15:45.049 --> 00:15:47.370 they want for dinner. But what we try to do is 00:15:47.370 --> 00:15:51.330 we try to sort of intrude. So if we're, if you've 00:15:51.330 --> 00:15:53.330 ever done more than words intruding. So what 00:15:53.330 --> 00:15:56.129 we do is if we're playing with toys or so you'll 00:15:56.129 --> 00:15:58.830 probably see a video on my account of Sully doing 00:15:58.830 --> 00:16:03.720 Goldilocks and the Three Bears. So we add. the 00:16:03.720 --> 00:16:05.480 characters are Goldilocks and the three bears 00:16:05.480 --> 00:16:08.379 and all that all too hot too cold for the porridge 00:16:08.379 --> 00:16:12.120 and he loves it when we do things like that he 00:16:12.120 --> 00:16:15.240 just loves it and we model it and then we're 00:16:15.240 --> 00:16:17.700 playing with the toys and then he he just does 00:16:17.700 --> 00:16:20.620 it on his own now yeah yeah so you're so not 00:16:20.620 --> 00:16:22.879 only are you using in everyday life like for 00:16:22.879 --> 00:16:25.639 food or where you're going in the day or answering 00:16:25.639 --> 00:16:27.720 questions and all those kind of things but you're 00:16:27.720 --> 00:16:30.460 also purposefully facilitating opportunities 00:16:31.519 --> 00:16:33.620 really rich opportunities in order to model and 00:16:33.620 --> 00:16:37.059 use that, like setting up a play setting or putting 00:16:37.059 --> 00:16:38.799 their favorite characters when you're watching 00:16:38.799 --> 00:16:40.460 a TV program, for example, you make sure the 00:16:40.460 --> 00:16:42.720 characters are on their device or you have symbols 00:16:42.720 --> 00:16:45.519 for them to facilitate you being able to model 00:16:45.519 --> 00:16:50.159 in all the contexts. Yeah, definitely. And I 00:16:50.159 --> 00:16:53.100 think it's important for parents to learn how 00:16:53.100 --> 00:16:56.399 to edit the vocals and personalize it because 00:16:56.399 --> 00:17:00.659 that is where you see them using it more in everyday 00:17:00.659 --> 00:17:04.019 life. And it takes the pressure off of them because 00:17:04.019 --> 00:17:06.420 sometimes my boys don't want to use their vocal. 00:17:06.559 --> 00:17:08.960 Sometimes they don't want me intruding. And I 00:17:08.960 --> 00:17:11.319 listen to that. You don't want to do it. That's 00:17:11.319 --> 00:17:15.660 fine. We can just play with the toy. But editing 00:17:15.660 --> 00:17:19.880 them so that. It's got things they enjoy on it. 00:17:20.119 --> 00:17:24.140 It just promotes it so much. And then you're 00:17:24.140 --> 00:17:26.539 getting different types of communication. Recently, 00:17:26.539 --> 00:17:29.240 we had a situation at school where Tristan's 00:17:29.240 --> 00:17:31.480 been a bit uncomfortable with another child at 00:17:31.480 --> 00:17:34.039 school, and he's been able to communicate that. 00:17:34.519 --> 00:17:37.579 And that, you know, as sad as it is that he's 00:17:37.579 --> 00:17:39.299 got a situation at school where he's not feeling 00:17:39.299 --> 00:17:41.259 comfortable, the fact that he can now communicate 00:17:41.259 --> 00:17:45.819 that and navigate his VOCA is just, it's incredible. 00:17:46.640 --> 00:17:49.319 Yeah, when people are saying that it's changed 00:17:49.319 --> 00:17:51.380 our life, AAC has changed our life, that's what 00:17:51.380 --> 00:17:53.519 they're talking about, isn't it? They're talking 00:17:53.519 --> 00:17:56.799 about it being, it validating what the student 00:17:56.799 --> 00:18:00.200 is going through. It helps you understand what 00:18:00.200 --> 00:18:03.559 they know, what they're going through, their 00:18:03.559 --> 00:18:05.579 feelings. So rather than guessing all the time, 00:18:05.599 --> 00:18:07.839 which can be so much confusion for parents and 00:18:07.839 --> 00:18:10.160 so much frustration for children because you're 00:18:10.160 --> 00:18:14.210 getting it wrong, actually by having that. device 00:18:14.210 --> 00:18:17.089 or low -tech, high -tech, whatever it is, by 00:18:17.089 --> 00:18:19.609 having that access for them to be able to be 00:18:19.609 --> 00:18:22.849 understood is life -changing. That is not an 00:18:22.849 --> 00:18:25.769 overused word. It is literally life -changing 00:18:25.769 --> 00:18:29.190 for relationship building, lessening dysregulation, 00:18:29.529 --> 00:18:32.650 all of it, isn't it? It really is. And that's 00:18:32.650 --> 00:18:36.450 why it's so frustrating that it's proving so 00:18:36.450 --> 00:18:38.710 difficult for parents to be able to get these 00:18:38.710 --> 00:18:40.789 high -tech devices and they're having to meet 00:18:40.789 --> 00:18:43.660 certain criteria. to get these devices because 00:18:43.660 --> 00:18:47.000 because we know that there are you know low -tech 00:18:47.000 --> 00:18:49.960 like symbols and stuff but we have to be honest 00:18:49.960 --> 00:18:53.599 not all of that relates to all children some 00:18:53.599 --> 00:18:57.799 children just they're not motivated by that but 00:18:57.799 --> 00:19:01.380 they're motivated by tablets they're motivated 00:19:01.380 --> 00:19:03.599 by ipads so if they're given the opportunity 00:19:03.599 --> 00:19:07.880 to trial one of them and then be able to have 00:19:07.880 --> 00:19:11.839 it to communicate with That would be life -changing, 00:19:11.980 --> 00:19:14.420 but there's so many barriers at the moment. Yeah, 00:19:14.420 --> 00:19:17.099 there's so many. Expense and time and, yeah, 00:19:17.099 --> 00:19:19.119 like you say, having to prove that you can do 00:19:19.119 --> 00:19:21.380 certain things are all such huge barriers that 00:19:21.380 --> 00:19:25.099 absolutely shouldn't be in the way at all. Yeah, 00:19:25.140 --> 00:19:26.920 there's so many benefits to a higher -tech version 00:19:26.920 --> 00:19:29.240 in comparison to low -tech. Also, even things 00:19:29.240 --> 00:19:32.220 like losing symbols, you know. We're constantly 00:19:32.220 --> 00:19:34.460 losing symbols in my class. I mean, it's so frustrating. 00:19:34.900 --> 00:19:36.680 You know, they get posted somewhere or eaten 00:19:36.680 --> 00:19:39.180 or ripped or lost behind a cupboard or whatever. 00:19:39.980 --> 00:19:43.119 constantly getting lost or wet or whatever. And 00:19:43.119 --> 00:19:45.599 actually that doesn't happen with a high -tech 00:19:45.599 --> 00:19:48.500 device. It's instant. It's always there. It's 00:19:48.500 --> 00:19:50.519 consistent. It's always in the same place. You 00:19:50.519 --> 00:19:52.319 can always find it in the same place. And I think 00:19:52.319 --> 00:19:56.000 that no wonder they prefer that. And also things 00:19:56.000 --> 00:19:58.170 are instant as well. I mean, even if you're really 00:19:58.170 --> 00:20:01.549 fast, it could take an hour from needing a symbol 00:20:01.549 --> 00:20:04.049 to making it, laminating it, getting the Velcro 00:20:04.049 --> 00:20:05.710 on and putting it in the book. That's fast as 00:20:05.710 --> 00:20:07.910 well, an hour. That's like if you're fully committed 00:20:07.910 --> 00:20:10.369 to doing it there and then with no distractions. 00:20:11.329 --> 00:20:14.130 So much can happen in that hour. It's not quick 00:20:14.130 --> 00:20:16.569 enough. It's not enough. Whereas on AAC, what? 00:20:16.730 --> 00:20:19.769 It's five seconds, 10 seconds max, and you've 00:20:19.769 --> 00:20:21.450 got it there. It's ready to use and it's permanent 00:20:21.450 --> 00:20:24.750 and it's permanently there. Again, such a huge 00:20:24.750 --> 00:20:28.240 benefit for parents. teachers and the student 00:20:28.240 --> 00:20:31.759 as well it's a no -brainer of course that's better 00:20:31.759 --> 00:20:34.619 which is why it's so frustrating to me that children 00:20:34.619 --> 00:20:38.720 have to often prove that they can use paper -based 00:20:38.720 --> 00:20:41.519 systems first because there are so many flaws 00:20:41.519 --> 00:20:46.420 in that system that don't exist in AAC high -tech 00:20:46.420 --> 00:20:50.420 AAC so they may not get as frustrated or they 00:20:50.420 --> 00:20:52.339 may be able to access that a little bit better 00:20:52.339 --> 00:20:56.380 yeah it's incredibly frustrating yeah definitely 00:20:56.380 --> 00:21:01.079 what what helped you to decide what system to 00:21:01.079 --> 00:21:03.420 use or was it just that you know it was offered 00:21:03.420 --> 00:21:06.420 to you and that they they took to it or was there 00:21:06.420 --> 00:21:09.059 some kind of trial and error thought process 00:21:09.059 --> 00:21:12.920 around which system to choose um so our school 00:21:12.920 --> 00:21:18.210 is a smart box school so that's where um tristan 00:21:18.210 --> 00:21:21.289 first trialed the voca and that was with grid 00:21:21.289 --> 00:21:23.490 yeah so it makes sense that if that's what he 00:21:23.490 --> 00:21:25.170 already knows he already knows that kind of symbol 00:21:25.170 --> 00:21:28.269 system he already uses widget it just makes sense 00:21:28.269 --> 00:21:31.329 that that it would all match with school okay 00:21:31.329 --> 00:21:35.349 yeah um and then obviously sullivan has grown 00:21:35.349 --> 00:21:39.150 up with widget symbols and grid so he just instantly 00:21:39.150 --> 00:21:41.329 took to that as well yeah because they're all 00:21:41.329 --> 00:21:43.700 much of a match isn't there so And they're all 00:21:43.700 --> 00:21:45.799 similar in expense and all those kind of things. 00:21:45.819 --> 00:21:48.000 There's lots of things to navigate. But yeah, 00:21:48.039 --> 00:21:49.660 that's often what I say. What symbols do they 00:21:49.660 --> 00:21:51.519 already know? Or what systems are they already 00:21:51.519 --> 00:21:54.079 using? Well, then go for that. What are the school 00:21:54.079 --> 00:21:56.240 using? Or what do homes feel comfortable with? 00:21:56.299 --> 00:21:58.240 What do they already know? Because ultimately, 00:21:58.420 --> 00:22:00.319 then it's going to be used more and then it's 00:22:00.319 --> 00:22:02.720 going to be successful, isn't it? If they already 00:22:02.720 --> 00:22:05.279 know a whole language of symbols, why choose 00:22:05.279 --> 00:22:08.180 a different language of symbols? Just stick with 00:22:08.180 --> 00:22:11.960 what they already know. Yeah, exactly. And you 00:22:11.960 --> 00:22:15.440 might trial one system and think, oh, do you 00:22:15.440 --> 00:22:17.740 know what, they're not understanding this or 00:22:17.740 --> 00:22:20.119 whatever. And then you can trial another one. 00:22:20.299 --> 00:22:23.019 And I think that's why it's so important to be 00:22:23.019 --> 00:22:26.220 able to get these devices on the NHS, because 00:22:26.220 --> 00:22:29.140 you've got a team of people on the NHS that are 00:22:29.140 --> 00:22:32.400 experts in this. And if something's not working, 00:22:32.500 --> 00:22:35.119 they can come in and go, right, let's have a 00:22:35.119 --> 00:22:37.740 look here. What can we change? And they can do 00:22:37.740 --> 00:22:40.079 these things pretty. fast whereas yeah that's 00:22:40.079 --> 00:22:42.380 really great advice that is such great advice 00:22:42.380 --> 00:22:45.619 i've got 50 50 in my class actually 50 of them 00:22:45.619 --> 00:22:48.279 parents have not wanted to wait not wanted to 00:22:48.279 --> 00:22:51.039 um uh go through the barriers of paper -based 00:22:51.039 --> 00:22:52.779 systems improving and all of those kind of things 00:22:52.779 --> 00:22:54.640 because it isn't often a long way and they've 00:22:54.640 --> 00:22:57.970 just bought it which On the surface is wonderful. 00:22:58.190 --> 00:22:59.890 How wonderful that parents can purchase these 00:22:59.890 --> 00:23:02.210 things. But yeah, you're absolutely right. When 00:23:02.210 --> 00:23:04.470 it gets broken, it's them then that has to fix 00:23:04.470 --> 00:23:06.869 it or it has to go through their insurance. Or 00:23:06.869 --> 00:23:09.190 when they need an updated system, it's them that 00:23:09.190 --> 00:23:11.450 has to do it. Or when they don't get offered 00:23:11.450 --> 00:23:14.410 training. So often it's not really modelled in 00:23:14.410 --> 00:23:18.970 the official ways or not edited efficiently how 00:23:18.970 --> 00:23:21.650 it should be or whatever. And yeah, there's not 00:23:21.650 --> 00:23:23.930 somebody checking in and checking how it's going, 00:23:24.009 --> 00:23:25.769 how the progress is, you know, if they need anything. 00:23:26.410 --> 00:23:28.829 added to it whereas if you do go through the 00:23:28.829 --> 00:23:31.490 nhs or and through speech and language often 00:23:31.490 --> 00:23:35.569 then via through the nhs then yes okay you might 00:23:35.569 --> 00:23:37.029 have to wait a little bit longer yes okay you 00:23:37.029 --> 00:23:39.309 might have to go through more barriers but then 00:23:39.309 --> 00:23:43.730 for life i believe yeah they have got training 00:23:43.730 --> 00:23:47.430 support replacements updated systems you know 00:23:47.430 --> 00:23:50.069 when aac naturally update grade their system 00:23:50.069 --> 00:23:53.170 more every three years you get the new app you 00:23:53.170 --> 00:23:55.900 know When an iPad gets thrown and smashed or 00:23:55.900 --> 00:23:58.880 left in the rain, as we always get, or dropped 00:23:58.880 --> 00:24:01.619 in the bath we've had, it gets replaced. If they 00:24:01.619 --> 00:24:04.539 need a new case, it gets replaced. So there are 00:24:04.539 --> 00:24:07.460 so many financial, but also just time and just 00:24:07.460 --> 00:24:11.880 quality assurance by doing it that way. And I'm 00:24:11.880 --> 00:24:14.420 really pleased to hear that you find the same 00:24:14.420 --> 00:24:19.460 actually. Yeah. So we have bought Sully an iPad 00:24:19.460 --> 00:24:21.599 because we're still waiting for his referral 00:24:21.599 --> 00:24:25.140 on the NHS. But obviously that's because we've 00:24:25.140 --> 00:24:27.819 got a lot of experience with Grid and we knew 00:24:27.819 --> 00:24:32.759 that he, that is the system for him. But Tristan 00:24:32.759 --> 00:24:37.339 has a device on the NHS and we've had where his 00:24:37.339 --> 00:24:39.980 VOCA got, I think trodden on or something and 00:24:39.980 --> 00:24:43.240 the screen broke. The turnaround to get a new 00:24:43.240 --> 00:24:45.940 one sent out, it was within the same week. So 00:24:45.940 --> 00:24:48.660 he like within a few days, like they came and 00:24:48.660 --> 00:24:50.640 got the old one, sent him out a new one. And, 00:24:50.660 --> 00:24:54.559 you know, iPads are pricey and replacing them 00:24:54.559 --> 00:24:56.619 all the time. I mean, you can get these covers. 00:24:56.799 --> 00:24:59.019 We've got one for Sully on Amazon and things. 00:25:00.329 --> 00:25:03.029 you know our children are strong so if they're 00:25:03.029 --> 00:25:04.410 going to break something they're going to do 00:25:04.410 --> 00:25:06.450 it properly yeah and sometimes it's accidental 00:25:06.450 --> 00:25:09.349 as i like i say we've had one that was too near 00:25:09.349 --> 00:25:11.509 the water tray table you know we want these ipads 00:25:11.509 --> 00:25:13.630 out as well we don't want them safe in a bag 00:25:13.630 --> 00:25:16.170 that are tucked away and too precious to break 00:25:16.170 --> 00:25:18.009 you know actually that's something i find with 00:25:18.009 --> 00:25:19.470 parents that have bought their own is they're 00:25:19.470 --> 00:25:22.150 so precious about not breaking them that actually 00:25:22.150 --> 00:25:24.349 it means that they're too scared to use them 00:25:24.349 --> 00:25:26.490 and have them out but we had this aac device 00:25:26.490 --> 00:25:28.430 right near the water table because we were using 00:25:28.430 --> 00:25:31.190 it because that's what we wanted to do and of 00:25:31.190 --> 00:25:33.529 course you can imagine what happened it got absolutely 00:25:33.529 --> 00:25:36.849 soaked and and you know the screw went all wibbly 00:25:36.849 --> 00:25:39.730 and it didn't work and then they had to pay to 00:25:39.730 --> 00:25:42.509 replace it and I felt awful but also we need 00:25:42.509 --> 00:25:45.289 it out it's gonna get used you know we want it 00:25:45.289 --> 00:25:48.130 to be as used as their speaking voice would be 00:25:48.130 --> 00:25:50.789 which is 100 % of the time when they're awake 00:25:50.789 --> 00:25:53.890 and they become you know tech gets vulnerable 00:25:53.890 --> 00:25:58.650 when it gets old and it gets damaged and it It 00:25:58.650 --> 00:26:00.630 gets, yeah, it needs updating and all of those 00:26:00.630 --> 00:26:04.470 things. And we're so lucky to have the NHS. So 00:26:04.470 --> 00:26:07.150 many countries don't have that option. So we 00:26:07.150 --> 00:26:10.609 have to take advantage of that. In fact, I was 00:26:10.609 --> 00:26:14.450 speaking to some AAC organizations, asking them, 00:26:14.490 --> 00:26:19.329 why are your apps so expensive? It's so inaccessible 00:26:19.329 --> 00:26:20.690 to parents. You know, some of these apps were 00:26:20.690 --> 00:26:23.289 like 800 pounds and then plus the iPad, plus 00:26:23.289 --> 00:26:26.559 the case, plus, you know, it's just. crazy and 00:26:26.559 --> 00:26:28.380 it is going down I've noticed in the last even 00:26:28.380 --> 00:26:30.400 the last year they've kind of halved their prices 00:26:30.400 --> 00:26:32.279 they're usually around three or four hundred 00:26:32.279 --> 00:26:34.579 pounds for the app now it just still seems insane 00:26:34.579 --> 00:26:37.880 and and they could justify it by their American 00:26:37.880 --> 00:26:40.240 -based systems for the most part and in America 00:26:40.240 --> 00:26:43.019 they go through all the children have health 00:26:43.019 --> 00:26:45.299 insurance and they go through health insurance 00:26:45.299 --> 00:26:47.779 to get their AAC device so it wasn't the parents 00:26:47.779 --> 00:26:50.920 paying but the problem is with that is the price 00:26:50.920 --> 00:26:53.779 is the same in the UK and we don't have that 00:26:53.779 --> 00:26:56.960 system we don't have the health insurance and 00:26:56.960 --> 00:26:59.579 we have the nhs so we need to be utilizing the 00:26:59.579 --> 00:27:02.220 systems that we have which is the nhs you know 00:27:02.220 --> 00:27:06.200 and children are yeah able to access that then 00:27:06.200 --> 00:27:07.619 i feel like we should be taking advantage but 00:27:07.619 --> 00:27:11.700 what you say about getting your ipad first whilst 00:27:11.700 --> 00:27:13.680 you're waiting i think is actually that's the 00:27:13.680 --> 00:27:17.940 idea if you can you putting the app on a device 00:27:17.940 --> 00:27:20.000 that you've got whilst you're waiting because 00:27:20.000 --> 00:27:26.500 it often is 18 months uh to wait for what i think 00:27:26.500 --> 00:27:30.119 is helpful is when schools have the ipads that 00:27:30.119 --> 00:27:33.559 the children can trial like it's the school's 00:27:33.559 --> 00:27:37.259 ipad but you know like with tristan he had the 00:27:37.259 --> 00:27:40.539 school ipad for months before they were like 00:27:40.539 --> 00:27:43.400 right let's refer but i know not all specialist 00:27:43.400 --> 00:27:47.500 schools do that they don't i i think that every 00:27:47.500 --> 00:27:51.559 classroom should have a device sat there and 00:27:51.559 --> 00:27:54.400 if You know, the teacher can do modelling or 00:27:54.400 --> 00:27:56.519 if a child's interested in it, then they can 00:27:56.519 --> 00:27:58.440 maybe discuss that with the parent and say, oh, 00:27:58.480 --> 00:28:00.759 you know, your child's really interested in AAC. 00:28:00.859 --> 00:28:03.539 I think this might be a go -to for them. And 00:28:03.539 --> 00:28:06.920 then, yeah, discuss it as a whole. But only some 00:28:06.920 --> 00:28:09.420 schools do that. Like, I'm grateful that our 00:28:09.420 --> 00:28:11.799 school has done that because I don't know if 00:28:11.799 --> 00:28:15.619 my boys would have been as far with AAC if they 00:28:15.619 --> 00:28:18.299 hadn't have trialled it. No, I completely agree. 00:28:18.640 --> 00:28:21.119 Our school didn't provide it. They provide lots 00:28:21.119 --> 00:28:23.119 of iPads. We've got eight iPads in our room, 00:28:23.160 --> 00:28:26.440 but wouldn't provide the app. So I fundraised 00:28:26.440 --> 00:28:29.400 for one app for it and then put the same license 00:28:29.400 --> 00:28:31.200 on all the devices. So we've got eight devices 00:28:31.200 --> 00:28:34.140 now with ASE. And yeah, my students have come 00:28:34.140 --> 00:28:36.619 on leaps and bounds. It's actually proved then 00:28:36.619 --> 00:28:38.880 to the NHS and speech language that they can 00:28:38.880 --> 00:28:41.359 do it. That's been the hurdle. We know we've 00:28:41.359 --> 00:28:43.279 skipped through so many hurdles because they've 00:28:43.279 --> 00:28:46.099 proven that they can do it. And then they're 00:28:46.099 --> 00:28:49.319 on the pathway now. And without that, we wouldn't 00:28:49.319 --> 00:28:51.099 have been able to do it. And that's a specialist 00:28:51.099 --> 00:28:54.259 provision with EHCPs. Teachers shouldn't have 00:28:54.259 --> 00:28:56.259 to be paying for this stuff on their own. It's 00:28:56.259 --> 00:28:59.539 crazy. And so many teachers are. It just shouldn't 00:28:59.539 --> 00:29:01.980 be the case. It just really shouldn't be the 00:29:01.980 --> 00:29:05.900 case. It's so backwards and it's so unfair. In 00:29:05.900 --> 00:29:08.180 mainstream, we would never tape up a child's 00:29:08.180 --> 00:29:13.140 voice. It would be completely seen as... Oh, 00:29:13.160 --> 00:29:14.579 my God. Can you imagine? It would be in the news, 00:29:14.619 --> 00:29:16.259 wouldn't it? The teacher would go to prison. 00:29:16.319 --> 00:29:18.900 It just wouldn't happen. But ultimately, that 00:29:18.900 --> 00:29:22.400 is what we're doing by not offering total communication. 00:29:22.680 --> 00:29:25.819 So whether it's high -tech device symbols, photos, 00:29:26.099 --> 00:29:27.980 objects of reference, sound buttons, you know, 00:29:27.980 --> 00:29:29.559 all those beautiful things that you mentioned 00:29:29.559 --> 00:29:32.119 in the beginning. If we're not giving them access 00:29:32.119 --> 00:29:34.799 to that, we are literally putting our hands over 00:29:34.799 --> 00:29:37.480 their mouth and then wondering why we're seeing 00:29:37.480 --> 00:29:40.299 behavior, frustration, anxiety, school refusal, 00:29:40.660 --> 00:29:44.640 you know. Yeah. It's mad to me. I think as well 00:29:44.640 --> 00:29:47.960 with the way things are going with EHCPs in the 00:29:47.960 --> 00:29:49.740 government, we're going to have a lot of higher 00:29:49.740 --> 00:29:52.019 needs children in mainstream settings for longer 00:29:52.019 --> 00:29:56.380 now because they're making it impossible to get 00:29:56.380 --> 00:29:59.559 EHCPs in place quick enough in order for these 00:29:59.559 --> 00:30:01.500 children to move to a specialist setting. So 00:30:01.500 --> 00:30:04.859 I think that teachers in mainstream schools need 00:30:04.859 --> 00:30:08.140 training on AAC as well and implementing that 00:30:08.140 --> 00:30:11.230 in the classroom. Because if you want... to make 00:30:11.230 --> 00:30:13.170 an environment inclusive like the government 00:30:13.170 --> 00:30:16.890 keep going on about then you've got to use different 00:30:16.890 --> 00:30:19.069 forms of communication and you've got to start 00:30:19.069 --> 00:30:21.809 training the teachers that are in these mainstream 00:30:21.809 --> 00:30:24.410 settings yeah and that starts from teacher training 00:30:24.410 --> 00:30:26.410 doesn't it i totally agree teacher training is 00:30:26.410 --> 00:30:28.930 so poor for a special education just in general 00:30:28.930 --> 00:30:30.950 and you're absolutely right all teachers special 00:30:30.950 --> 00:30:32.849 education teachers whether they're in a specialist 00:30:32.849 --> 00:30:36.160 setting or not And also visuals help all children. 00:30:36.359 --> 00:30:39.740 Like I remember being in year six and one looking 00:30:39.740 --> 00:30:42.339 at, you know, the teacher would write in words, 00:30:42.440 --> 00:30:44.500 but would write what we were doing that day. 00:30:44.660 --> 00:30:47.319 And I needed that visual to feel less anxious 00:30:47.319 --> 00:30:49.680 and to know what to expect. It's predictable. 00:30:49.880 --> 00:30:52.460 And I like that. I remember really liking it, 00:30:52.480 --> 00:30:54.079 looking through the window before we were even 00:30:54.079 --> 00:30:56.720 in school, because I wanted to know what I was 00:30:56.720 --> 00:30:59.980 doing that day. And yeah, visuals don't hurt. 00:31:00.680 --> 00:31:03.180 Autism practice is just good practice, whether 00:31:03.180 --> 00:31:07.700 that's AAC or movement breaks or using fidget 00:31:07.700 --> 00:31:11.700 resources or tools. You know, it's all just good 00:31:11.700 --> 00:31:14.279 practice. You will notice that it will help all 00:31:14.279 --> 00:31:17.180 children. There is absolutely no reason why we 00:31:17.180 --> 00:31:19.319 shouldn't have that in all classes. And it starts 00:31:19.319 --> 00:31:21.119 with teacher training and that can either be 00:31:21.119 --> 00:31:23.329 a... the degree level you know when you're actually 00:31:23.329 --> 00:31:25.670 training to be a teacher or schools like come 00:31:25.670 --> 00:31:28.410 on SENCOs like what are you using your training 00:31:28.410 --> 00:31:30.990 for you know safeguarding safeguarding safeguarding 00:31:30.990 --> 00:31:34.049 yes that's so important but so is this and that 00:31:34.049 --> 00:31:36.410 has to be alongside it I think because like I 00:31:36.410 --> 00:31:39.589 say oh god in my mainstream class I would say 00:31:39.589 --> 00:31:42.369 five out of every 30 minimum have special educational 00:31:42.369 --> 00:31:45.950 needs and could be Maybe one in every class could 00:31:45.950 --> 00:31:47.750 be in a classroom like mine, which is incredibly 00:31:47.750 --> 00:31:49.609 high needs. And these guys are in mainstream. 00:31:49.910 --> 00:31:53.089 They're in mainstream until year six. Some of 00:31:53.089 --> 00:31:54.789 them even end up going into secondary school. 00:31:54.970 --> 00:31:57.049 It's crazy. I mean, Cornwall is particularly 00:31:57.049 --> 00:31:59.970 bad. We've got one special needs school in the 00:31:59.970 --> 00:32:04.470 whole of the county. It's particularly poor, 00:32:04.670 --> 00:32:07.109 I have to say, but it is happening nationwide. 00:32:08.680 --> 00:32:13.640 It's just, it's crazy to say inclusion when you've 00:32:13.640 --> 00:32:15.980 got high -needs children going into classes of 00:32:15.980 --> 00:32:21.099 29. That cannot be inclusive. I'm luckily and 00:32:21.099 --> 00:32:23.180 fortunate enough that my children have never 00:32:23.180 --> 00:32:25.279 been in a mainstream setting, but I've got friends 00:32:25.279 --> 00:32:28.900 who have had to fight for years to get their 00:32:28.900 --> 00:32:32.519 children into a specialist setting. And the mainstream 00:32:32.519 --> 00:32:35.880 teachers, just, they're not equipped. They have 00:32:35.880 --> 00:32:39.769 no idea about... these children some of them 00:32:39.769 --> 00:32:43.529 some some do some you know have some training 00:32:43.529 --> 00:32:47.470 but for the most part um they're out of their 00:32:47.470 --> 00:32:50.869 depth it's trying and i i get it it's trying 00:32:50.869 --> 00:32:56.089 to juggle 29 children and maybe one or two with 00:32:56.089 --> 00:32:59.410 high needs i mean hats off to them i honestly 00:32:59.410 --> 00:33:02.160 wouldn't know i wouldn't know how to do that 00:33:02.160 --> 00:33:04.740 and I've got lots of experience because yeah 00:33:04.740 --> 00:33:06.980 you're dealing so many different needs oh my 00:33:06.980 --> 00:33:10.039 god the differentiation between the two is massive 00:33:10.039 --> 00:33:11.920 especially when you get to the upper school it's 00:33:11.920 --> 00:33:17.579 a massive I suppose I what I do want to see is 00:33:17.579 --> 00:33:21.779 more training but also belonging you know you 00:33:21.779 --> 00:33:25.619 can it can look completely inclusion yes but 00:33:25.619 --> 00:33:27.819 belonging is I think is even more important than 00:33:27.819 --> 00:33:32.099 being included almost is is you know even if 00:33:32.099 --> 00:33:34.640 the one child in your class and they are 29 are 00:33:34.640 --> 00:33:36.299 doing completely separate things but this one 00:33:36.299 --> 00:33:38.180 child in your class is doing a completely separate 00:33:38.180 --> 00:33:39.839 thing because that's what they need but they 00:33:39.839 --> 00:33:43.200 feel belong like they feel loved and seen and 00:33:43.200 --> 00:33:46.160 safe and heard and the other children are encouraged 00:33:46.160 --> 00:33:49.119 to include them wherever they can even if it's 00:33:49.119 --> 00:33:52.519 just with love and understanding that's the first 00:33:52.519 --> 00:33:56.099 step i think and then it's sensory curriculums 00:33:56.099 --> 00:33:58.559 you know and all of those things which i i'm 00:33:58.559 --> 00:34:00.640 so passionate about i know you know i am but 00:34:00.640 --> 00:34:02.900 actually it starts with just belonging seeing 00:34:02.900 --> 00:34:06.299 them wanting them in your class that that is 00:34:06.299 --> 00:34:08.900 the first step and lots of teachers do that really 00:34:08.900 --> 00:34:11.840 well even though they they are very aware that 00:34:11.840 --> 00:34:13.480 their class is not meeting this child's needs 00:34:13.480 --> 00:34:16.639 but my god do they love them and want to do the 00:34:16.639 --> 00:34:19.530 best for them buying all this stuff and researching 00:34:19.530 --> 00:34:22.150 all these things and are in my DMs. I see it. 00:34:22.230 --> 00:34:24.670 They're in my DM saying, I've got this child. 00:34:25.110 --> 00:34:27.769 He's clearly not coping. What can I do? What 00:34:27.769 --> 00:34:29.409 can I do? And they're the teachers that we just 00:34:29.409 --> 00:34:33.829 want to hold on to because even if you're not 00:34:33.829 --> 00:34:36.849 feeling supported or trained or anything, just 00:34:36.849 --> 00:34:39.070 the fact that you are wanting the best for this 00:34:39.070 --> 00:34:40.969 child and even though you know that you're not 00:34:40.969 --> 00:34:42.510 meeting their needs and you're trying your best 00:34:42.510 --> 00:34:48.239 is the start, I would say. Definitely. What advice 00:34:48.239 --> 00:34:51.659 would you give to, I suppose let's start, maybe 00:34:51.659 --> 00:34:57.340 teachers and parents maybe, for a new AAC youth 00:34:57.340 --> 00:34:59.639 family, you know, they've just got access to 00:34:59.639 --> 00:35:03.000 this system. What advice would you give them? 00:35:03.300 --> 00:35:05.559 It's not going to happen overnight. It's a long... 00:35:05.769 --> 00:35:08.809 Long -term thing, you might not see results straight 00:35:08.809 --> 00:35:11.010 away, but that doesn't mean that it's not going 00:35:11.010 --> 00:35:13.590 to work. Keep modeling where you can. Follow 00:35:13.590 --> 00:35:16.530 your child's lead, I would say. So when they're 00:35:16.530 --> 00:35:19.750 open to being a little bit more, you know, with 00:35:19.750 --> 00:35:22.369 the iPad, then lean into that. If they're like, 00:35:22.510 --> 00:35:28.829 then lean away. I would just say that speaking 00:35:28.829 --> 00:35:31.809 isn't everything. And I think when you let that 00:35:31.809 --> 00:35:35.260 go, you're going to be much happier. Because 00:35:35.260 --> 00:35:39.099 I used to be like that. I used to be like, when's 00:35:39.099 --> 00:35:40.280 he going to talk? When's he going to talk? I 00:35:40.280 --> 00:35:41.500 used to be sitting in front of him going, mum, 00:35:41.679 --> 00:35:44.380 mum, mum, dad, dad, dad. And he used to get so 00:35:44.380 --> 00:35:47.219 frustrated because he wants to be able to say 00:35:47.219 --> 00:35:50.699 those things, but he can't. So finding an alternative 00:35:50.699 --> 00:35:55.480 has just, for us, has been life changing. They 00:35:55.480 --> 00:35:58.400 can say what they want. Okay, it's not in the 00:35:58.400 --> 00:36:02.019 usual way. But when you take that pressure off 00:36:02.019 --> 00:36:04.579 of not only your shoulders, but their shoulders 00:36:04.579 --> 00:36:07.460 and give them alternatives, they're just going 00:36:07.460 --> 00:36:10.780 to flourish. It's incredible advice. It's a question 00:36:10.780 --> 00:36:13.159 I get often in real life, actually, with the 00:36:13.159 --> 00:36:15.659 parents in my class. Will they ever be able to 00:36:15.659 --> 00:36:19.719 talk? And it's a question I can't answer. Yeah. 00:36:19.960 --> 00:36:22.760 I say, I've worked with lots of children. Some 00:36:22.760 --> 00:36:25.139 do, some don't. I think ultimately what they're 00:36:25.139 --> 00:36:28.480 asking isn't if they're going to talk, but it's. 00:36:28.940 --> 00:36:31.139 Am I going to be able to connect with my child 00:36:31.139 --> 00:36:34.360 or am I going to understand my child and have 00:36:34.360 --> 00:36:36.400 a relationship with my child? That's really what 00:36:36.400 --> 00:36:40.840 they're asking. And AAC could give that. Definitely. 00:36:40.940 --> 00:36:43.179 And I think it's important to remember as well 00:36:43.179 --> 00:36:46.960 that some children do have words and their parents 00:36:46.960 --> 00:36:52.360 do hear their voices. But sometimes that is echolalia 00:36:52.360 --> 00:36:55.940 or something. That's not like they're not. communicating 00:36:55.940 --> 00:37:00.699 to get um requests or anything like that so even 00:37:00.699 --> 00:37:04.340 some talking children need extra supports as 00:37:04.340 --> 00:37:09.300 well so um you know if we can get that understanding 00:37:09.300 --> 00:37:12.119 going no matter what form that comes in whether 00:37:12.119 --> 00:37:16.099 that is speech or symbols or aac device that's 00:37:16.099 --> 00:37:18.960 that's the important thing Absolutely. That total 00:37:18.960 --> 00:37:22.360 communication approach, accepting all as equal. 00:37:22.480 --> 00:37:24.099 It's interesting you mentioned that, actually. 00:37:24.139 --> 00:37:27.119 It reflects the podcast episode that came out 00:37:27.119 --> 00:37:29.780 last week, actually. So it'll be the week before 00:37:29.780 --> 00:37:31.920 this one. And yeah, it's all about the total 00:37:31.920 --> 00:37:34.500 communication approach. So if you're hearing 00:37:34.500 --> 00:37:36.940 this and reflecting on this, then maybe go back 00:37:36.940 --> 00:37:40.000 and listen to that last week's one as well. Thank 00:37:40.000 --> 00:37:43.300 you so much, Faye. This has been so helpful and 00:37:43.300 --> 00:37:46.280 I think so encouraging. for those parents to 00:37:46.280 --> 00:37:48.139 take those first steps and even know where to 00:37:48.139 --> 00:37:50.099 go you know they might have heard these buzzwords 00:37:50.099 --> 00:37:52.940 flying around and not really know where to turn 00:37:52.940 --> 00:37:55.320 and you've given some real great wisdom and advice 00:37:55.320 --> 00:37:58.199 so thank you so much thank you for having me 00:37:58.199 --> 00:38:02.039 where can people follow you for to see your story 00:38:02.039 --> 00:38:04.280 and hear a little bit more about your family 00:38:04.280 --> 00:38:09.449 so i'm on instagram aac brothers Thank you so 00:38:09.449 --> 00:38:12.070 much. And I highly recommend you follow Faye 00:38:12.070 --> 00:38:16.090 over there because it's just gorgeous. Thank 00:38:16.090 --> 00:38:18.929 you. Thank you so much. Thank you. Bye.