Jack

Jack, an autistic man of 25, was labelled as “challenging and aggressive” at his residential college when he was younger. He lived at the college for three years after moving from his family home. With two staff shared between five students, Jack was agitated by the constant presence of people in his shared accommodation.

Staff treated his interest in his childhood soft toys – one of his few comforts – as an obsession best grown out of. He was restrained around four times a week. The environment created the kind of sensory overload that some autistic people should avoid. The placement broke down when Jack was 19 and he returned to the family home.

The local authority commissioned a new service for Jack through a tender process. This was part of a larger block contract, which included support for four people who met the Transforming Care criteria, one of whom was Jack. A new-build property was commissioned for these four people, which cost £650,000.

The current support provider took on Jack’s support while the new home was being built. It recruited a support team from scratch, to support Jack and the other three people who would share the new property. The person specification for new staff emphasised a relevant knowledge and skill base, particularly in autism. Once recruited, staff were trained to further develop their skills/knowledge, covering areas including:

• non-aversive physical interventions
• Positive Behaviour Support
• sensory processing and communication.

In the early stages of Jack’s support, there were challenges and opportunities. As the new accommodation was incomplete staff were able to concentrate on getting to know Jack and building relationships with his parents. They discovered what mattered to him, and particularly the importance of family connections. Through this process staff identified ways to give Jack more control over his life. This took time. The team was conscious of the need to avoid repeating past mistakes, that would lead to another placement breakdown.

The accommodation itself posed challenges. To foster a connection and sense of ownership, Jack was supported to get involved in the actual build, helping with bricklaying. While some planned adaptations met his needs, others did not and had to be changed. This became an opportunity to adapt the home to Jack’s needs, and by the time he moved in, his flat was an uncluttered, spacious property designed to avoid triggering any sensory overload. It is part of a detached, two-storey block.

Throughout the planning phase, and once the service started, the provider worked with external professionals:

• Weekly counselling sessions with a psychologist trained in autism helped Jack understand his diagnosis and the triggers for his anxiety. Because he often found family relationships difficult, Jack’s father joined the therapeutic sessions, which helped build bridges. Through the sessions, which are ongoing, Jack has also been able to explore sex and dating issues.
• A consultant helped the team develop an understanding of Jack’s history, and his support plan. Using external support meant that reflecting and revising ways of working could be done more objectively.

Jack moved into his new home in late 2020. His neighbours have lower support needs than at his previous placement. Jack still has 24-hour oneto-one support, and is thriving. He has not been restrained since he left the college.

Staff channelled his interest in soft toys into an opportunity to volunteer as a mascot at local charity events and football matches. Jack also found paid work through his support provider, speaking about autism to raise awareness among social care staff.

At the heart of Jack’s support is the fact his staff, all of whom have counselling skills, get to the root of his anxiety and encourage his aspirations. His future plans include driving lessons, travelling and settling down with a partner.

Exploring his goals has enabled Jack to work on his life story: "I’m in the process of writing my autobiography to help readers get an insight into the world of autism."