Autism and self advocacy

Self-advocacy is about speaking up for yourself—knowing what you need and telling others about it.

This skill is especially important for children and teenagers with autism or other additional needs, as it helps them take charge of their lives, feel more confident, and become more independent. Learning to advocate for themselves is key not just at home but also at school and later in the workplace. It allows young people to express their needs, make choices about their lives, and stand up for their rights, ultimately improving their confidence and sense of control. When children and teens can advocate for themselves, they do better in school and get along well with others.

Building self-advocacy skills

Developing self-advocacy skills in children and teenagers, particularly those with autism or additional needs, is a detailed process involving various strategies and supportive actions. Here’s how you can expand and build on these basic skills:

• Knowing yourself: Self-awareness is the key to self-advocacy. It’s about children understanding their personal identity, including their likes, dislikes, strengths, and areas where they might need more support. You can encourage personal exploration by regularly discussing your child’s feelings, reactions to different situations, and personal preferences. Engage them in various activities to discover what they truly enjoy and excel at. Provide constructive feedback when they perform tasks or make decisions, and encourage them to reflect on their experiences and identify what they learned about themselves through each activity.
• Making decisions: Decision-making is a vital skill that allows individuals to navigate both daily life and more significant life choices. Incorporate choice-making into daily routines by allowing them to make small decisions, like choosing a snack or a game, and discussing the outcomes to help them understand the consequences. Provide structured decision-making opportunities by setting up scenarios or role-plays where they must make a decision, guiding them through the thought process of weighing the pros and cons before making a choice.
• Setting goals: Goal-setting helps translate self-awareness into action by identifying objectives that are desirable and achievable. Teach them to set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) goals, providing clear steps and benchmarks that make even ambitious goals more attainable. Use tools like vision boards or goal maps to visualise goals and break down larger goals into smaller, manageable tasks to avoid feeling overwhelmed.
• Solving problems: Problem-solving skills enable children to manage and resolve conflicts or issues effectively. Start by helping them clearly articulate the problem, as understanding the problem is often half the battle. Encourage them to brainstorm as many solutions as possible and discuss the potential outcomes of each solution to find the best one. Once a solution is chosen, guide them through the implementation process, and afterwards, reflect on how well the solution worked and what could be done differently next time.
• Handling emotions: Managing emotions is crucial for effective self-advocacy because intense emotions can sometimes delay communication. Teach them to identify and name their emotions, as understanding emotions is the first step in managing them. Develop coping mechanisms such as deep breathing, counting to ten, or discussing feelings with someone they trust. These strategies can help maintain composure in stressful situations.
• Rights and responsibilities: Understanding their rights and responsibilities enables children to advocate for themselves within the framework of what is legally and morally right. Use child-friendly materials to teach them about their rights under the law, such as the right to an education and the right to be heard. Get them involved in community activities where they can see and practice being responsible citizens, helping them understand how to balance their rights with their community responsibilities.
• Communicating well: Effective communication is a key element of self-advocacy, as it involves expressing needs, desires, and rights in a clear and respectful manner. Teach them different communication styles, including verbal communication, nonverbal cues, and creative forms like drawing or writing. Encourage them to practice active listening, which involves paying close attention to what others say, asking clarifying questions, and responding thoughtfully.

Creating a supportive environment

‍To help children and teens learn self-advocacy skills, it's important that they have a supportive environment. This means there should be plenty of chances at home, in school, and around the community to express themselves, make their own choices, and practice their skills. They need regular feedback that's kind and understanding, without any judgment. Getting plenty of chances to try out what they've learned is key to improving these skills.

By building these skills, children and teenagers with autism or other additional needs can become skilled at speaking up for themselves. They'll be more prepared to handle whatever comes their way and confidently share their needs and wants.

Practicing skills

For children and teenagers, particularly those with autism or additional needs, practising self-advocacy in everyday situations is vital. Understanding the theory behind these skills is one thing, but real-life application solidifies their understanding and boosts their confidence. ‍

Here are some practical scenarios for children to practice their self-advocacy skills:

Learning from others

Seeing self-advocacy in action helps, too. Whether it’s from family members or characters in movies, seeing others successfully advocate for themselves shows children how it’s done. Schools can help by having older students mentor younger ones, showing them how to speak up effectively.

Helping children and teens with autism or additional needs develop self-advocacy skills is all about support, practice, and providing lots of opportunities to learn. With the right help, they can become more confident and independent.