In support of Autism Awareness Month – April 2021
As a specialist housing provider for people who have learning disabilities, autism and/or a number of different support needs, we at Care Housing Association are highly aware of the need to provide housing which is appropriate and tailored for the person who is going to live there. For some people you can’t just get ‘off the shelf’ accommodation and expect it to work. Where our tenant has autism it can be vital that we get it as right as we possibly can from the outset. If we don’t, the transition can be compromised or even damaged beyond repair. Ultimately this can be very damaging to that person and their relationships with people around them and can lead to them being further labelled as ‘different’ or ‘challenging’ through no fault of their own. No-one wants that, we want to support someone to make a home for life where they can feel happy, safe and secure, living a good life with a positive profile in the community.
There are lots of things we need to think about when we’re planning a home for someone who has autism to enable them to function successfully. These could include: the layout of the property – e.g. proximity of bathroom/kitchen/staff bedroom to other rooms; physical space needed/available; proximity of neighbours; outside environment in terms of noise and passing traffic (i.e. low external stimulus); inside environment in terms of noise, temperature control, colour schemes, textures, floor coverings. These are just some of the considerations that would be picked up in a full housing needs assessment alongside multi-disciplinary professionals and family members, where possible. The more information that is gathered and acted upon in the planning stage, the better the chance the person moving in has of success and happiness in their home.
Care provides a wide range of housing, from apartments to large detached houses in their own grounds. The people we provide housing for primarily have learning disabilities and sometimes autism, physical disabilities, mental health needs and/or forensic support needs. We are experts in our field and we love doing what we do.
Look out for our next short article in support of Autism Awareness Month – It’s not (just) what we do, it’s the way that we do it – out Monday 12th April