I have just posted on the forum letting you know I'm new here and a bit about our school background and why we have joined. I hope you can read it. If you have I would like, (and I have permission by the appropriate people), to share a bit about a student who we have been struggling with for a while now. I will call them Riley (not their real name for privacy and safe guarding reasons).
Riley is a teenager who joined us last year. Riley is diagnosed with autism and displays very challenging behaviour at times which we struggle to manage at times. Rileys challenging behaviour includes, but not limited to:
- S.I.B (Self Injurious Behaviour)
- Aggression towards staff (verbal and physical)
- Absconding and running off
- Disruptive behaviour (creating a difficult working environment for others)
- Refusal to do work and listen to instructions
We do our best to help Riley when things get difficult. We use PECS and visuals, schedules, sensory toys, weighted blankets, side hugs, change of face if Riley doesn't want a particular teacher, and space if they want to be left alone.
Today was a bit tricky for everyone, expecially Riley. Riley was very tired, overwhelmed and confused, emotions you don't want to deal with, especially at the same time. Riley didn't want any teachers today and locked them out the room and was doing laps round the school. Riley started swearing at staff, telling them to 'f!ck off', then started throwing things about in a way to communicate. We said 'Riley, you look upset. Do you want to have a chat with anyone?', incase they wanted to chat about what's bothering them but Riley refused this.
Honestly, that was a little part of the day, and that's just a usual day. We don't like seeing students struggling and we try our best to figure out the issue behind the behaviour and what we can do and put in place to help but over the past few months of working close to Riley, nothing has changed or is getting worse and we just aren't sure what to do or suggest next. We contact the parents everyday so we know how she is before school and we update them after school about the day. If anyone has any ideas, we are very grateful. We are open to everything. Thanks for reading this. Sorry its very long, didn't know how to shorten it.