Norfolk Autism Acceptance Week
What is Norfolk Autism Acceptance Week?
Thank you to everyone who took part in Norfolk Autism Acceptance Week from 2 April - 8 April this year! We hope you and your students found the week valuable and were able to make use of some of the resources available on these pages.
We would be incredibly grateful if you could complete a short 5 minute survey about what was on offer this year. Your feedback will help us to plan for next year's event.
If you have any stories or photos of what you got up to during the week, please email these to send@norfolk.gov.uk as we'd love to share these on our social media channels.
A certificate is available to download and give to your students to thank them for their participation. You can also download our participation badge which you could upload to your website or print off and display in your reception to show that your setting took part in Norfolk Autism Acceptance Week 2024.
These pages will remain active so that you can access the resources at any time. They will be updated in early Spring ready for Norfolk Autism Acceptance Week 2025!
Training
It's important that staff can confidently open conversations about autism and feel equipped to support any autistic young people in their educational setting. There's lots of training available online to develop good autism practice. A good starting point is the free autism awareness e-learning course from the Norfolk Autism Partnership. Specialist resource base colleagues have also developed a guide that educational professionals may find useful:
Top tips for supporting autistic pupils (PDF) [218KB]
Educational Psychology and Specialist Support (EPSS)
EPSS regularly delivers online training sessions that develop staff's understanding of autism and how to support autistic learners. These training modules have been developed by the Autism Education Trust (AET). You can find information about these sessions and book your place via the Norfolk Services for Schools website.
Teaching Resources
Here are some resources you may wish to use or adapt to raise peer awareness of autism in your educational setting.
- Specialist resource base colleagues have put together a primary activity pack and assembly which could be adapted for secondary use.
- Autism Education Trust (AET) have published a suite of age specific 'Let's Learn About Autism' packs.
- AET have also shared information about promoting autism inclusive attitudes to support primary and secondary schools to raise peer awareness sensitively.
- If you have access to Twinkl, there are lots of wonderful resources that have been put together for Autism Acceptance Week, such as 'Amazing Things Can Happen Autism Resource Pack'.
- Norfolk Libraries have put together a booklist which is available on their catalogue.
Useful links
A list of links that includes resources, training, charities, and support services that you may find useful or wish to signpost to parents and carers.
- Provision Expected at SEN Support (PEaSS) - whole school approaches and suggested SEND support strategies in the classroom to support autistic young people.
- SEND support services - offering advice and guidance to support good autism-friendly practice.
- Core Consultation Plus - free service offered to Norfolk schools by Educational Psychology and Specialist Support (EPSS). Staff can discuss SEND issues with specialists and their School and Community Team to improve their knowledge.
- Autistic Spectrum Condition specialist support assistant team - provides a range of services in connection with autistic children. Hosts an up-to-date Padlet with an extensive list of autism resources.
- Autism specialist resource bases (SRBs) - information about SRB placements in mainstream schools that provide autistic pupils with the extra support they might need.
- Norfolk Autism Partnership - access free Autism Awareness e-learning.
- Ambitious About Autism - offers training sessions that benefit a range of groups working with autistic young people.
- Explore Autism Education Trust (AET) resources - from phase specific teaching tools to parent guidance and more.
- Attention Autism - an approach by Gina Davis that helps children to understand and respond to a structured, adult-directed routine.
- Widgit Wellbeing Pack - symbol-supported books and activities to support children's wellbeing.
- The National Autistic Society - access advice and guidance or get involved in fundraising!
- Autism Anglia Silly Sock Day - wear your silliest socks to get people talking about autism and help to raise vital funds for Autism Anglia!
- ASD Helping Hands - offers an information and advice service, support groups, training, assessments and resources.
- Just One Norfolk support for neurodevelopmental differences -information developed by NHS colleagues that signposts to services and support for neurodevelopmental differences such as autism and ADHD.