Quality of communication support for people with autism and intellectual disabilities

Why is it so hard to implement and maintain good communication in services for people with intellectual and disabilities and autism? This presentation will explore the communication needs and the support provided for people with ID and autism. It will outline what is known about the ways in which communication is supported and will explore the consequences of that support for individuals, including the ways in which not getting the communication support right may contribute to behaviours that challenge.

The presentation will draw on recent a research project investigating skilled support (Beadle-Brown et al, early online). Information about communication was collected using a range of measures. This presentation will describe the differences in communication strategies between good and poor services and will include qualitative data collected from service managers. Most staff did not use appropriate and effective ways of communicating with people they supported. A third of people were being supported in a team where communication was rated as good and appropriate most/all of the time. Services providing good support in terms of providing choice, assistance and higher levels of activity were also better at communicating with people. Communication partnerships (between staff and people they supported) were significantly better in services which were providing skilled support in other areas. Good communication must be embedded within other person-centred approaches.