It is a known fact that the autistic children have a strong tendency towards elopement, which is loosely defined as “leaving an area without any prior notification, thereby putting oneself in a vulnerable situation”. The reason held responsible for such behavior is usually attributed to a lack of social skills required in order for them to inform the people around them about their unwillingness to be at a particular place. This inability of theirs causes irritability and impulsiveness which can force them to elope. Schools that cater to such children must chart out plans to deal with these type of tendencies that may prove to be dangerous at times. The following points may help them to prepare a plan that can help them combat these type of instances and help keep their students safe:
Augmenting the search network: Autistic children schools must work toward creating a robust search network. If there is fencing done around the school, the concerned personnel must walk around the perimeter to find out places that may be problematic for these type of students who have tendencies of elopement. Following the cue, the search network must expand outward, covering nearby water bodies, subways, parks, playgrounds and so on. Staff members must be assigned specific areas to execute the search operation in the event of elopement to avoid a “blame game” situation in case something goes wrong.
Designing a top-notch identification process: Schools must compile a reference-sheet for children who have a history of autism related elopements. Parents must be consulted to acquire the relevant information about the children. The reference sheet should document the following information:
- A recent photograph of the child
- The level of the child’s communication skills
- The child’s inclinations, preferences, evasions, etc.
- Any history related to the child’s heath issues
- List of nearby locations the child may possibly visit
Hiring a Law enforcement liaison: It’s important to establish communication and develop a close working relationship between the school and a local law enforcement agency. A designated individual from the school staff should be designated to call parents and the local law enforcement agency immediately in case of an elopement. The phone calling list including family and friends who are willing to provide a helping hand should be activated promptly.
Establishing an alert code: To avoid a situation of chaos among the school’s personnel during an elopement, an efficient alert code must be established. Each member of the staff must be instructed about the response as well as the response time. The response may include looking into hallway and out of windows, as well as alerting the administration on any sighting of the child who has eloped. The assistance of students may also be taken into consideration in some cases.
Initiating a specific training regime: To handle such a delicate scenario, appointment of well-trained personnel who understands autism to it’s core is essential. Training can often sensitize people towards the issues (emotional and psychological) associated with autistic children. The training should include information in sensory-integration disorders, socializing issues related to autism, the symptoms for meltdowns and elopement, law-enforcement considerations, food habits (preferences and aversions), self-stimulation and more.
Understanding the trigger points: For a proactive approach, the trigger points for autistic children that may delve in elopements must be understood by all staff members of autistic children schools, including substitutes and volunteers. It must be realized that special events organized in gyms, auditoriums, and school’s cafeterias don’t tend to leave pleasant impressions on the minds of autistic children. In fact, they may end up becoming the reason for their cluttered senses that can result in a traumatic experience. As some autistic children are inhibitive and unexpressive, it becomes the school’s faculty job to get to know the personal preferences of each child and plan events accordingly.
Special Needs School NYC 