FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY®

Family Action Plan

by Dr. Jack Scott | Sunday, Jan 18, 2015

Developing a Comprehensive Family Action Plan for Children on the Autism Spectrum

family action plan for children with asdIf you have a child on the autism spectrum, you should have a family plan of action to deal with the types of risks that your child is most likely to encounter. Please consider developing a Family Action Plan to help keep your child safe.

Part 1: Make a plan

Assess the primary risks for your child with ASD

  • At home
  • In the community
  • At school
  • While being transported

Make environmental changes as needed.
Examples:

  • Install devices
  • Adjust car seat or booster seat
  • Obtain helmets
  • Install better cabinet locks

Part 2: Communicate the plan

Be sure that all family members, caregivers, teachers, trusted neighbors and local police and fire rescue know about the plan and the special needs status of your child

  • Post the plan at home
  • Ask others to understand it
  • Drill and Practice relevant portions
  • Schedule seasonal practice

Part 3: Teach your child with ASD to be safe and teach others

Model safe behaviors for your child consistently.

  • Talk through all of the safety steps you take
  • Get safety goals on the IEP
  • When talking to new families ask them about their safety planning efforts. Inform as may be needed.
  • Share your successes with your family

Part 4: Monitor Your Safety Profile

  • Use close calls to examine flaws
  • Update plan as your child grows in capacity
  • Update the plan to keep pace with your child’s community involvement
  • Celebrate Successes and make safety from unintentional

Resources

For a great emergency plan check Dennis Debbaudt’s web site, Autism Risk management at  http://www.autismriskmanagement.com  Look for the Autism Emergency Contact Form(pdf) on the right hand side of the home page.

For a wide range of specialized ASD safety devices see My Precious Child. Their web site is at  http://www.mypreciouskid.com/

For the Signal One Vocal Smoke Alarm, (which may be out of production), check their web site at  http://www.bresslergroup.com  or you may be able to still find them on Amazon for about $39.00

Electronic Tracking Devices. We have two primary sources for these:

  1. Project Lifesaver International at  http://www.projectlifesaver.org
  2. Safety Net by Lojack at  https://www.safetynetbylojack.com

For a directory of Board Certified Behavior Analysts check the Behavior Analyst Certification Board at  http://www.bacb.com

For more information on elopement and wandering check AWAARE at  http://awaare.nationalautismassociation.org

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