Schools
Resources for Schools
When families send their children with Autism to school, they are ensuring schools will have the resources needed to help keep their loved ones safe. However, most educators are not trained in Autism, nor do most educators know about wandering and the dangers of water for individuals with Autism. Having resources available to educate and prepare for cases of wandering can help schools better provide support(s) for their Autistic students. One resource to learn more about Autism is the “What is Autism?” resource.
Feedback from Schools
At ASGA, having feedback from schools allows us to know how impactful ASGA’s resources are in providing support for students with Autism. Please complete a feedback form if you have utilized information on wandering/elopement, water safety, or other information provided by ASGA.
Wandering from school is a common occurrence among individuals with Autism. Creating a plan to prevent wandering and what to do when wandering happens is key. The IEP Team Letter informs educators teaching a student with Autism who wanders about the factors that trigger their student’s behavior.
The Student Emergency Identification Sheet should be kept in the main office and nurse’s office so when 911 needs to be called, the pertinent information is ready immediately. Sharing information with 911 dispatch from the emergency form can help make interactions with law enforcement safer.
The Wandering History Log is a resource to keep track of the behavior and provides data for additional support that may be necessary.
Sharing pertinent information on wandering with families can build a partnership with the school. For Stark and Summit County schools, the “Take Me Home” program allows families to register their loved ones with Autism and other disabilities providing law enforcement with vital information on the student. The Wandering Resource page can be shared with families to guide them to ASGA’s website for more safety information.
- Take Me Home Stark
- Take Me Home Summit
- City of Wadsworth partners with Summit County Take Me Home Program
Drowning is the most common form of death in children with Autism. Knowing the bodies of water near the school is important for educators and staff. Let teachers and classroom support staff know to alert the office immediately when a student with Autism’s whereabouts is unknown. This can help save a person’s life if the student with Autism is drawn to water. When the school needs to call 911 when a student is wandering, being able to state those bodies of water to dispatch along with pertinent student information is critical. Not only is understanding the importance of water and wandering with how it connects to Autism for educators, but it is also important to know what resources can be provided when meeting with the families of their students.
When meeting with families of students with Autism, referring them to resources is common for schools to do. Water safety resources are another tool to add to your school’s resources including ASGA’s HelpLine information.
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The safety resources and toolkits for Safety on the Spectrum™ were funded in part or in whole through a grant from the FirstEnergy Foundation. FirstEnergy does not operate, control, is responsible for, or necessarily endorses, this website (including, without limitation, its content, technical infrastructure, and policies, and any services or tools provided).
