Views of parents and carers on: Essential competencies for staff working with pupils on the autism spectrum

Parents and carers of young people and adults on the autism spectrum completed a brief online survey to name up to three competencies (knowledge, skills or personal qualities) they consider as being essential for staff to have or to acquire. They were also asked to comment on eight sample competencies. Their responses were used in the development of the Competency Framework. A total of 48 parents and carers completed the survey and their replies are categorised below into the four categories which have been used to structure the Competency Framework: the individual pupil, building relationships, curriculum and learning, and enabling environments. An additional category of ‘personal qualities’ has been added here to reflect the large number of respondents who mentioned personal qualities as an essential competency.