Challenging the ideology of idealised normalcy

The history of autism has been beset by controversies over what exactly autism is, and how best to support autistic people in society. In this chapter, notions of normalcy are critically reflected upon in relation to current models of practice for autistic adults with additional learning disabilities in support services. This includes a critique of the dominant model-informing practice in this area currently; that of positive behaviour support (PBS), and the common theoretical assumptions underpinning the notion of ‘challenging behaviour’ and how to best ‘manage’ it. This chapter argues for a more eclectic approach to support, that encompasses theories of cognition, subjectivity, action, and social life, often left unaccounted for in a simplistic implementation of a PBS model based within a framework of idealising ‘normalcy’.