Positive Behaviour Support for Learning

The charity is working to improve the lives of children and young people with autism and their carers by:

• Establishing a specialist secondary school – Pathways School
• Conducting outreach training and consulting programmes for carers and other professionals
• Raising awareness and understanding about autism and challenging behaviours

We intend to build not just a school, but a dynamic platform for community-wide capacity building and empowerment. Committed to the belief that learning does not take place only within a school, our students will learn functional living skills in real-life situations. The community on the whole will be engaged to help our pupils learn and integrate. The participation of the community will help gain a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by people with disabilities, and help move towards a more inclusive and supportive society.

Pathways School will be based on the principles of Positive Behaviour Support (PBS). PBS is a person-centred framework for supporting children and adults with learning disabilities and/or autism, who have or may be at the risk of developing challenging behaviours.

Our aim is to strengthen the support networks of children and young people with autism and learning disabilities and enable greater family and community participation. Our aim will be to provide:

• A safe, motivating and enjoyable environment based on the principles of Positive Behaviour Support
• A broad-based programme that includes national curriculum targets, adapted according to each individual’s needs, with an emphasis on functional communication skills and independent living skills
• A specialist approach to teaching that draws from evidence-based research
• Community participation and outreach programmes for parents as well as other organisations/ schools
• Frequent parent training opportunities to ensure consistency and maintenance of progress
• Close linkages with the community, including local authorities, relevant charities and service providers, and other schools
• Specialist staff training and development programme towards recognised qualifications
• Opportunities for research and innovation at the staff and leadership level
• Linkages with research centres to bridge the gap between research and practice