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For a start, #autistic students should have the option for whether they want to go on the school trip or not. There should be no pressure or force. If an #autistic student wants to go on the school trip, here are some ways to support them. #autism #ActuallyAutistic /2
Firstly, the #autistic student should be made aware of what the itinerary for the school trip is well in advance. #autism #ActuallyAutistic /3
If there are going to be any changes, the #autistic student should be made aware of this as soon as possible. #autism /4
I always found it helpful to be made aware of how long it will take to get to the venue of the school trip. I would recommend this suggestion. #autism #ActuallyAutistic /5
To make getting on transport less stressful and less overwhelming, allow the #autistic student to get onto the vehicle or train first. #autism /6
Allow the #autistic student to choose where they want to sit. I always have a specific part of a vehicle or train which I prefer to sit at. #autism #ActuallyAutistic /7
Unfortunately, with public transport, there are some sensory things that are out of control (e.g. noises or smells). To help to be able to cope with it, allow the #autistic student to take something like noise defenders to help cope with noise. #autism /8
Have windows open during the journey to lessen strong smells. #autism /9
I always found fidget toys helpful as a distraction during long school journeys. #autism /10
I'm now going to talk about supporting #autistic students at the venue of the school trip. Firstly, as soon as the autistic student arrives at the venue, remind them of timings and what will happen next. #autism /11
Going to repeat this again; if there are going to be any changes during the school trip, explain these changes as soon as possible to the #autistic student. #autism /12
I always found it helpful to be at the front when getting around parts of the venue of the school trip. #autism #ActuallyAutistic /13
I know that I'm going into too much detail now but I always disliked it when curators/tour guides tried to force me to maintain eye contact during school trips. Remember that not maintaining eye contact doesn't mean "not listening" . #autism #ActuallyAutistic /14
I hope you found this thread helpful. These tips are mainly for one-day school trips. I haven't been on any residential trips before so I don't think I would be able to provide tips for that. #autism #ActuallyAutistic /15
