© 2015-2019 christina jennifer keeble, all rights reserved

Introduction•Who am I? • Autistic/ADHD medicated mum of 2 & wife, teacher,

speaker & consultant, diagnosed at 37, founder of Neurodivergent Mum

•Pieces of Paper• BS Psychology, BA Hons Psychology, PGDipEd Primary,

Masters in Special Education

• Been in Spec Ed since 2002: ECE → High School

• Research areas: stillbirth, empathy, public perception & memory making


My story•From psychology to special education teacher

•Autism became my passion

•Restrictive practice was for safety → it was part of the job (lunch time)

•I knew about least restrictive practice, but was rarely resourced to implement it

•Trained 3 times in 10 years how to safely restrain

•“Calm down rooms/spaces” were part of the job

•Never taught to listen to the child’s voice → only to follow their lead with interests

•Motherhood changed my life

•3 Autism diagnoses in 2 years → 3 ADHD diagnoses in 2 years = I TRULY GET IT NOW


PDA – Pathalogical Demand Avoidance•A profile of the Autism Spectrum

•UK is leader in research & PDA was first mentioned in the latest Australian Autism diagnostic criteria 2018

•Extreme anxiety → leading to demand avoidance

•Children/people are in fight – flight – fright – freeze → aggressive/challenging behaviours

•What is a demand?

•Reduce demands is step 1

•Non-punative approach


Restrictive practices → increase anxiety → increase behaviours →trauma

NOT JUST PDA KIDS


My Family & PDA•Not just 1 – each is unique → School didn’t see (believe)

•Has required a complete shift in our approach/mindset

•NOTHING in my formal training supported this

•Extremely challenging to find the right support → not well known as yet

•Typical Autism intervention strategies don’t work →escalates • Timers, visual schedules (novelty only), countdown (1, 2, 3)

•My default programming - “Stop it!” → “I can’t”

•Low self esteem/ self harm

•They tell me what will work



PDA Resources•http://www.pdaanz.com/

•https://www.facebook.com/PDAAustraliaNewZealand/

•Family/Parents/Self - https://www.facebook.com/groups/pdaaustralia/

•Teachers/Educators - https://www.facebook.com/groups/1519469631472565/

Understanding Pathological Demand Avoidance Syndrome in Children : A Guide for Parents, Teachers and Other Professionals

By Phil Christie, Margaret Duncan, Ruth Fidler and Zara Healy

•The Explosive Child by Dr Ross Greene https://www.livesinthebalance.org/

•Self-Reg by Stuart Shanker https://self-reg.ca

© 2018 CHRISTINA JENNIFER KEEBLE, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. SPECIAL EDUCATION MUM IS THE REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF CHRISTINA JENNIFER KEEBLE.

http://www.pdaanz.com/

https://www.facebook.com/PDAAustraliaNewZealand/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/pdaaustralia/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1519469631472565/

https://www.livesinthebalance.org/

https://self-reg.ca/

What is restrictive practice?

‘Restrictive practice’ means a practice that is used to restrict the rights or freedom of movement of a person for the primary purpose of protecting the person or others from harm.

Restrictive practice does not include reasonable action taken to monitor and protect a child from harmExamples:

1. holding a child’s hand while crossing a road

2. fencing around a primary school

https://www.communityservices.act.gov.au/quality-complaints-and-regulation/office-of-the-senior-practitioner/act-senior-practitioner-fact-sheet


https://www.communityservices.act.gov.au/quality-complaints-and-regulation/office-of-the-senior-practitioner/act-senior-practitioner-fact-sheet

Restrictive practice is…


Proactive vs Reactive ☺ vs PROACTIVE

• Acting in anticipation of future problems, needs or changes • (Mirriam-Webster Dictionary)

• Example use in a sentence:• In order to reduce the use of restrictive

practices, a service should be proactive, not reactive.

REACTIVE

•Reacting to events or situations rather than acting first to change or prevent something• (Cambridge Dictionary)

•Example use in a sentence:• The school did not have an anti-bullying

policy and dealt with bullying incidents in a reactive way.


Proactive practice is more than a…

Organisationalexpectation

Policy

Positive behavior support plan

Legislative act


It’s a mindset

•It’s a shift in our lenses• Behaviour, child/individual, roles,

what drives behaviour

•My 2nd child’s diagnosis journey

•You are on the same team!!! • (the child’s team… tell everyone)


It’s a shift from…THIS

•They are giving me a hard time

•They are attention seeking

•They are choosing not to do it

•Their behaviour is a problem

•How can I change their behaviour?

TO THIS

•They are having a hard time

•They are connection seeking

•There is a reason they are struggling

•Their behaviour is communication

•How can I support them?

© 2015-2019 CHRISTINA JENNIFER KEEBLE, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. NEURODIVERGENT MUM IS A PENDING TRADEMARK OF CHRISTINA JENNIFER KEEBLE.

It’s a societal shift about…


Kids do well if they can.- DR ROSS GREENE


Organisational culture guides practice•Too many “outs” in legislation

•A good school/organisation is formed from the top down• Bullies in every school

• How does the school handle it?

• Those engaging in bullying behaviour are hurting the most

•Best teachers can only affect change in their classroom (resources??)

•Need supportive administrators (principals, directors etc.)

•Resources must be made available

•Collaboration from educators, support staff, client & primary caregivers MUST BE VALUED in order to reduce restrictive practices

•You must BELIEVE in least restrictive practice

•You must VALUE every persons’ human rights and see others as equals


Self reflection & analysis•What role are you playing?

•Is it adding to the situation?

•What is your perception of the situation?

•Could you have handled it differently?

•Do you speak up?

•What can you do better to make sure restrictive practice is eliminated?


Anticipation, Collaboration, Implementation & Modification

A PROACTIVE APPROACH


A proactive approach

✓ Anticipate client/student needs

✓ Collaborate with client/student & primary caregivers

✓ Implement agreed upon strategies

✓ Modify strategies as needed (in collaboration)


Anticipate• Their needs• Read the reports• Read the intake forms• Communicate during

handover

Collaborate• With the child & primary caregivers• Include them in the process• Make them feel valued & heard• Build a positive relationship• The relationship & trust will drive it all• Use respectful language (if you’re

unsure ask!)• Start and end every meeting/convo

(especially the tricky ones) with a positive

Implement & Modify• Strategies must be agreed upon• Check in to keep collaboration

and relationship positive• Modify as needed in

collaboration


Unexpected challenges

•Impossible to anticipate every situation

•When an unexpected challenge arrives & use of restraint is utilised it should only happen once

•Collaborate & implement a strategy to prevent it happening again, modify & refine as needed in collaboration


Thank You ☺

THE END


• Website: christinakeeble.com

• Email: [email protected]

• Facebook & Insta: @neurodivergentmum

• Twitter: @NeurodivergeMum

• Best way to contact me is via my FB business page: Christina Keeble –

Neurodivergent Mum & send me a message

Contact Me ☺


© 2015-2019 christina jennifer keeble, all rights reserved

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