New publication by Professor Andrew McDonnell, 'Freedom from Restraint and Seclusion: The Studio 3 Approach,' is now available to purchase, focusing on eradicating restrictive practices from care settings. Professor Andrew McDonnell, Clinical Psychologist and the originator of the Low Arousal Approach, discusses the use of restraint and seclusion in care settings in the UK and beyond, and provides practical tips based on the Studio 3 approach to eradicating restrictive practices. Following on from 'The Reflective Journey: A Practitioner's Guide to the Low Arousal Approach' published in 2019, Professor McDonnell has gone on to lift the veil on the much debated topic of restraint and seclusion in care settings, including in education. The restraint and seclusion of vulnerable people is a pressing issue in the care industry. Whether you are a parent, professional or practitioner, it is important to dare to dream, and focus on making these practices a thing of the past. Many people do not want to apply coercive methods, but can often struggle to see an alternative. For 30 years, the Studio 3 organisation, led by Professor Andrew McDonnell, has championed approaches that not only reduce the practice of restraint and seclusion, but also aim to eradicate it. He has spoken passionately about his belief in restraint eradication for vulnerable people: This book is for any practitioner or family member supporting individuals in crisis. The Low Arousal Approach, designed and implemented by Studio 3, has been applied in a variety of different care settings, and is also becoming more popular in schools and classrooms. Applying the Low Arousal Approach to behaviour management and crisis situations is a complicated process. This book is full of honest examples about how to achieve restraint and seclusion elimination goals. This is a difficult and emotional subject, and readers may feel challenged by some elements of this book. The Studio 3 approach to crisis management described in this book focuses on changing supporters’ own behaviour rather than the behaviour of often vulnerable and distressed people in crisis. The Studio 3 approach has been successfully applied in the area of restraint and seclusion de-compression and eradication in a variety of settings across the UK and Europe. Hopefully, this book will help readers to think about their own approaches to crisis management, and encourage them to support the restraint elimination movement in our care industries. 'Freedom from Restraint and Seclusion: The Studio 3 Approach' is now available to purchase from our shop! https://www.studio3.org/product-page/freedom-from-restraint-and-seclusion-the-studio-3-approach Follow us on twitter for more updates @studioiii @andylowarousal

Developing inclusive pedagogy and culture through training, support and reflective practice. The Low Arousal Supports Educational Resilience (LASER) Programme, launched January 2020, focuses on implementing Low Arousal approaches in education settings and developing inclusive practice. Applicable to a wide variety of environments such as SEND schools, mainstream schools, and home learning, the LASER programme has developed over the last year to incorporate online learning during the pandemic. Available for individual practitioners, teachers, and family members as well as school staff teams, the LASER programme covers a range of topics, including emotional regulation, stress, Low Arousal, inclusive pedagogy, and applying whole-school approaches. The LASER Programme has been a major element of the Studio 3 online educational offer during the last 18 months. Our Educational Advisor, Gareth D Morewood has delivered a variety of bespoke tailored and open access courses, available to book on our website. The design of the LASER programme is very much about allowing individual settings/schools to develop personalised approaches to the key themes. There is a strong focus on the importance of stress reduction and well-being for all members of the school/setting community – including staff, parents and pupils. The individual elements of the programme are designed to be customisable based on the specific needs of the school or organisation. For example, a focus on restraint reduction (with an aim for elimination) may be a key area of concern for one school, but less necessary for another. As such, the contents and focus of the course can be adapted based on the requirements of the organisation or school in question. The LASER programme consists of eight sections that are delivered over four sessions: Section 1: Stress and Well-being (of staff and for young people including the PERMA model) Section 2: Whole-School Approaches (including The Saturation Model and co-production) Section 3: Inclusion (including inclusive pedagogy, classroom structures and routines) Section 4: Low Arousal Approaches (focus on key elements of Low Arousal) Section 5: Reducing Restrictive Practices (including practical alternatives) Section 6: De-Escalation (developing and embedding structures, practice and policy) Section 7: Being a Reflective Practitioner (how to develop this as part of a systems approach) Section 8: Developing metacognition and self-regulation (including Stress Support Plans/Passports) It is possible to create bespoke packages of training from these elements, depending on the specific areas of focus for a setting or school. Two sections equate to one 2-hour session; four equate to two 2-hour sessions (or one INSET day, for example). To date, there has been a huge variety of settings and individuals who have undertaken the initial training from over 16 different countries, where ongoing support, coaching and supervision continues to help embed change. The next open access LASER Programme is available to book on Tuesday 13 and Wednesday 14 July - contact admin@studio3.org to book your place! Sign up to our special education newsletter for details of other options in the new academic year and beyond. Quotes from previous delegates: ‘Fantastic and very thought-provoking programme. We have several action points to work on within our short term and longer-term planning, thanks so much.’ - SENCo, Secondary School ‘It was just so amazing to have a course that welcomed parents as well as professionals. The emphasis on working together was so important and I hope this makes more schools understand the power of proper collaboration.’ - Parent ‘Really useful sessions in helping us develop the strategic vision across our schools.’ - CEO of a group of settings ‘The ability for some of our parents/carers to also undertake the Introduction to Low Arousal as part of our package of support has been amazing, thanks so much.’ - Headteacher, Primary School For further information or to discuss tailoring your bespoke package, contact garethm@studio3.org.

This short article describes how the Studio 3 LASER Programme approaches the difficult topic of reducing physical interventions and other restrictive practices within schools and other educational settings. There has been an increased focus on the reduction of restrictive practices within schools as of late, particularly physical interventions and other restrictive practices such as seclusion or timeout rooms. Even so-called sensory rooms, which have been used in educational establishments to provide ‘safe’ containment of individuals, have recently come under scrutiny from concerned parents and professionals alike. Policies and procedures surrounding restrictive physical interventions are now being modified to reduce the instances of these interventions, not just in the UK and the Republic of Ireland but across the world. Whilst these policies and procedures are an important first step towards the eradication of restrictive practices entirely, it is often hard to provide advice on restraint reduction in our current climate of low staffing levels and insufficient budgets to provide staff with training in alternative methods. However, this does not mean to say that we can do nothing. This short article will describe how the Studio 3 LASER Programme approaches the difficult topic of reducing physical interventions and other restrictive practices within schools and other educational settings. Physical Interventions The term ‘physical interventions’ has been increasingly used to describe varying methods of restraint in the UK over the last 20 years. The British Institute of Learning Disabilities (BILD) were asked in the 1990s to produce a set of guidelines and regulations for the training of physical interventions in the UK. Studio 3 Director and Clinical Psychologist Professor Andrew McDonnell was personally involved in the early days of this program, and many training organisations joined BILD with the aim of reducing their use of physical interventions. This is been a very long-term and lengthy process, which has in turn led to the evolution of the Restraint Reduction Network (RRN). In the last 20 years, these organisations have contributed to a great deal of progress in the field of restraint, but it is our opinion here at Studio 3 that we still have a long way to go. The term ‘physical intervention’ covers a broad range of techniques and methods, from seclusion and restraint, to methods of self-protection. For example, an individual might employ a physical intervention to escape from having their hair pulled. Many training courses try to provide a menu of responses to situations such as these, hypothesising about what one should do if they are grabbed, punched, or otherwise threatened by a distressed individual. One of the fundamental flaws in this approach is the assumption that showing a few physical techniques to an individual in a classroom or training setting will translate into a crisis situation. The reality is that people tend to be more efficient in learning situations, but are less able to think logically and reasonably when they are in a heighted state of arousal. It is in this range of emotions, between fear and stress, that most crisis situations occur. In those situations, it is very difficult to safely employ restraints and other defensive interventions. The second fundamental flaw of such training is the inevitable catastrophising that accompanies such ‘What If?’ scenarios. The simple fact is that we cannot be prepared for what may happen in a crisis. What we do know from decades of working in challenging situations with distressed individuals is that ‘less is more’ when it comes to crisis management, and that this kind of training is slowly dying out amongst professionals who, like our colleagues at Studio 3, are choosing instead to take the path of least resistance. The reality is that, the more people we teach to restrain and reactively respond to potentially threatening scenarios, the more likely those people are to use these skills in practice. It is our view, as an organisation that delivers training in managing behaviours of concern, that restrictive practices are not only unnecessary in most cases, but also dangerous. Injuries to staff can occur whilst they being taught physical interventions on a training course. Injuries to staff and pupils can occur when physical interventions are used in school or educational settings. It is obvious that one simple reason to avoid teaching physical interventions is to avoid causing injury. Of course, the arguments for and against restraint are far more complex than this, and it is important to recognise that there are, albeit rarely, occasions in which physical interventions may be necessary to prevent harm to the distressed individual or others. The LASER programme will prescribe physical interventions on a case-by-case basis only, after appropriate risk assessments have been carried out. We at Studio 3 do not subscribe to the idea that everyone should get taught some physical interventions ‘just in case’, and as such these will not be taught as part of the LASER curriculum. The Studio 3 LASER Programme is predominantly focused on changing school cultures, and the ethos surrounding restraint and restrictive practices is an integral part of this. The programme achieves this by providing a stronger emphasis on stress-based crisis management training, which offers alternatives to physical interventions and restrictive practices. If a school or educational setting believes it is necessary to receive physical interventions training, they must submit to a rigorous risk assessment process. This process includes a focus on detailed incident analysis to determine whether physical interventions should be employed or not. It is inevitable in our experience that some schools will desire, at first, to be taught a limited number of physical interventions on a case-by-case basis. However, many schools, if they agree to take the plunge, will not require any physical interventions training at all. For schools or educational settings where physical interventions are used quite frequently, our team will work closely with the frontline staff to develop a physical interventions reduction plan, with the aim of systematically reducing physical interventions across the board. A Case Scenario B was a person who routinely attended a mainstream school. They were ‘included,’ and received extra classroom supports for many of their lessons. Sometimes, their difficulties in class led to an escalation of their behaviour. This had led to them being held in a classroom ‘to protect other students and staff,’ but this was not a regular occurrence. When ‘meltdowns’ occurred, it was clear that all people were traumatised by the restraint process. The solution to this scenario did not take effect immediately... [Read the full article here] Download the full article by Gareth D. Morewood and Professor Andrew McDonnell to find out the solution of the case example!

An excerpt from the upcoming book on Restraint and Seclusion Elimination: The Studio 3 Approach by Professor Andrew McDonnell, coming soon! This book is the product of many years of practice and research. As a young, enthusiastic assistant psychologist in 1985, I was asked by some nursing staff to assist them in restraining an individual who was incredibly distressed. The image above is a rough facsimile of the procedure we undertook. In this scenario, I was the person lying over the legs of the individual. To this very day, I still remember how it felt to overpower that vulnerable and highly distressed individual. At the time, I justified what we did to myself and others by saying that we had no choice. As a trainee Clinical Psychologist studying at the University of Birmingham in 1987, I attended a training course called ‘Managing Violence and Aggression,’ which had a profound impact on my work and future practice. I was shown a wide range of methods to help me break free from individuals. At the time, I was also a relatively junior martial arts instructor studying and teaching the martial art of Jiu Jitsu. I was struck by the resemblance of the course to martial arts-style training. I began to reflect not only on what I was being taught, but also what the rationale was for teaching people such skills in the first place. Where was the training focusing on de-escalation of violence? Over the next few years, I attended a range of different workshops, taking on the role of a mystery shopper. I was so interested in how these training courses were delivered, and what their purpose was. It became increasingly difficult for me to attend these events without becoming vocal. I have no doubt that the majority of the trainers I met sincerely believed that they were keeping people safe. Nevertheless, the methods they were teaching often involved the deliberate infliction of pain on potentially vulnerable individuals. In 1987, I was invited to design crisis management training from scratch at Monyhull Hospital, a residential hospital in Birmingham for people with intellectual disabilities. I had been complaining fairly vociferously that there was no evidence base for the training I had received, and that if we started from scratch we could do better. The management at the time allowed me to create, deliver and evaluate a training course for my Master’s thesis in Clinical Psychology. This training was two days in duration, and was a very crude first attempt. Two thirds of the training focused on physical methods, culminating in the roleplay of a chair restraint hold developed specifically for the programme. The foundations of the Low Arousal Approach were there even at that time, though unformulated. What I can say on reflection is that, even in the early days, we had a strong human rights-based approach. From the very foundation of Studio 3, I anticipated that we would be viewed as ‘left-wing extremists’ in the crisis management field. In some ways, my colleagues and I embraced this position, as the alternative meant being part of the negative side of the industry. Some individuals are drawn to violence, and my colleagues and I have met some quite intimidating people in the field over the years. Leading training organisations in the UK in the 1990s were led, for the most part, by men with some kind of martial arts background. I want to stress that there is nothing wrong with practicing a martial art in this field, and indeed some of the best practitioners I have worked with have a background in martial arts. There are huge physical and psychological benefits to practicing a martial art. However, the ‘self-defence mindset’ has very little place in any caring environment, and we must be careful to draw a distinction between the martial arts world and caring for vulnerable individuals. In my own practice, I have managed to keep these worlds very separate over the years. It is only relatively recently that I am becoming more comfortable with talking about the small but significant contribution my own and others’ martial arts skills made to the Studio 3 Approach. The organisation Studio 3 was officially formed in the early 1990s. It consisted of like-minded individuals from a variety of backgrounds – education, psychology, and the martial arts. I am very grateful to so many people who have contributed to making Studio 3 what it is today. In particular, I would like to mention Stephen Allison, David Walker and the late Peter Farrar, who encouraged me to develop these ideas further. The name Studio 3 was suggested by Peter, who was himself a martial arts instructor with no care experience, but who loved what we were trying to do. Over the years, I have been told that the name Studio 3 sounds like a hairdressing salon or (my personal favourite) a plumbing company. Getting away from names that focus on violence, aggression and abuse was, with hindsight, a very good decision. Peter suggested Studio 3 because a studio is associated with artistic work and creativity, and creativity has been central to our ethos since the organisation’s inception. The number 3 represented the union of a scientific evidence base in human psychology with the philosophical elements of martial arts, which combined to make a humanistic approach to supporting distressed individuals. Therefore, conceptually, Studio 1 represented the martial arts world of Jiu Jitsu, Studio 2 represented the academic world and psychological science. Studio 3 as an entity represented both. My colleagues and I have challenged people in the training industry, and I would not hesitate to say that we will always do this. In the UK, we now have some guidance and regulation from the Restraint Reduction Network (RRN), which my own organisation whole-heartedly supports. However, the last 30 years have been a challenging period for our organisation as we continue to battle against rigid thinking surrounding the teaching of physical methods, restraint and seclusion. My colleagues have often had to defend their approach to other training organisations and staff teams who are reluctant to accept that our methods are as effective as restrictive practices. This book is my honest attempt to answer the multitude of questions my organisation receives around how to not only reduce the use of restraint and seclusion, but eliminate it entirely from the care sector. My personal journey with the issue of restrictive practices began over thirty-five years ago as a young assistant psychologist. It has been a long and trying journey, and I am not innocent of having used restrictive practices. However, my journey has proven that we can operate care and educational environments without resorting to practices such as physical restraint and seclusion. Whilst this book sets a very high standard, I passionately believe that, by a process of practice-based evidence and evidence-based practice, we can eradicate restraint and seclusion in caring environments. In 2019, I published a book called The Reflective Journey: A Practitioner’s Guide to the Low Arousal Approach. In this book, I outlined the evolution of the Low Arousal Approach for managing crisis situations. I deliberately avoided talking about and describing all forms of physical interventions. The whole area of restraint and seclusion, and what people teach in reality, is a difficult and even taboo topic. Discussing what people do in a crisis can be a highly emotional and uncomfortable subject for individuals, family members and staff teams alike. However, openness and honest dialogue is urgently required if we are to reform the crisis management training industry, and eradicate the use of restrictive practices for good. It is the aim of this book to describe the Studio 3 Approach in context, and help to lift the veil on restrictive practices in reality, and what we can do to eradicate them. It is my hope that by describing the full spectrum of what my colleagues teach, from de-escalation right through to the difficult topic of physical interventions, that it will encourage other organisations to do the same. I consider myself to be a human rights campaigner, and I fully believe that for change to truly occur people must be willing to reflect on their own experiences. The dominant narrative in the industry is that restraint and seclusion are a necessary evil which must be taught in order to keep people safe. This is a false narrative that exacerbates fears around violence and aggression in care environments. I do understand these fears, but I do not support the use of excessive force on vulnerable individuals. My journey is not over yet, but I do hope that, by sharing my experiences and those of my colleagues, people will see there is an alternative to restraint and seclusion, and that we can get by without these tools in our toolkit. One of the wonderful things about human beings is that we evolve, we learn and we question – but it is not easy to do this. Professor Andrew McDonnell, Clinical Psychologist Coming soon to the Studio 3 website! Meanwhile, get your hands on The Reflective Journey: A Practitioner's Guide to the Low Arousal Approach, on sale now as paperback and in eBook formats! Read a recent review of The Reflective Journey by Dr Rebecca Fish here: www.studio3.org/post/book-review-the-reflective-journey Buy now: www.studio3.org/shop

Helen Brew of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO) shares her experience of learning Makaton, a unique language programme that enables communication. Communication...where are we without it? We are isolated, alone, insular, trapped, frustrated. My name is Helen and I am a professional musician. My whole career has been about communication. One day I was working with a young person with whom I was unable to do this, and it changed everything. I have held the position of Associate Principal Flute with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO) for over 30 years. I have had the privilege to work with some astonishing conductors and soloists, travelling the world and playing in some of the leading concert halls. I have performed on hundreds of classical recordings and many film scores. I am Professor of Flute at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and have taught at the Royal Northern College of Music, Chetham’s School of Music and am a tutor for National Children’s Orchestra. Through music, I have had the privilege of connecting with thousands of people, but often from afar. Working in the community alongside my orchestral career has allowed me to have a more immediate and personal connection with individuals. I have worked in school settings from Nursery up to and including Higher Education. I have had the privilege of working with brain injury survivors, visually impaired groups, people on the neurodiverse spectrum, and people living with dementia. We have created some incredible music together, and I consider it a great privilege to share the connection that is music. What happens when you cannot make that connection? Before the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic struck, I was working with a delightful four-year-old at the children’s hospice, Robin House, in Balloch. Myself and two of my colleagues were in the music room when a lovely boy and his mum appeared in the doorway. He was reluctant to come into the room. His mum tried to encourage him in, but it was all just a bit too strange for him. Whilst we could talk to him, he couldn’t communicate with us as he had recently had a tracheotomy. His mum communicated with him using signs, but it was clear that he did not want to enter the strange room with strange people who had strange musical instruments. He was clearly anxious, and the unfamiliarity of the situation caused him to return to the safety of what he knew and understood. This meant not being with us. That was when I thought, ‘How empowering would it have been for him if I could have signed to him and invited him into the room? If I could have communicated with him in a way that enabled him to communicate back?’ Instead, he was frustrated. He was unable to communicate what he felt and what he wanted. Instead, he retreated into himself, and refused to enter the room. The signing method his mum used to communicate with him is called Makaton. Makaton is a communication system that uses signing and symbols to run alongside spoken words. It is designed to provide functional communication, as well as to develop language and literacy skills through the combined use of signs and symbols with speech. Its use can enable children and adults with learning and/or communication difficulties to interact with others, gain independence and confidence, thus fulfilling their potential. What I learned from my encounter with this young man was that I needed to learn Makaton. The pandemic has given me the time to research, immerse myself in and complete all four levels of training in Makaton. I have since used Makaton in my work with the RSNO, delivering family-friendly concerts assisted by Makaton signing. On social media I have been following Makaton with Lucinda, an account run by a mother and her daughter with Down's Syndrome which follows their journey of learning Makaton and sharing it with the world. I have been blown away by the beautiful relationship between the two of them, and how the connection between them has strengthened as their communication grows. What struck me most is that this young girl is not only able to express herself better, but has gained the confidence to explore her creativity. She is learning much more than how to communicate – she is learning how to advocate for herself with confidence. In addition to completing the four levels of Makaton training, I have also attended numerous topic-based sessions, and attend a refresher session every week. At these sessions I meet new people, each of whom is learning a skill that is going to help them make someone’s life just a little bit easier. It is so inspiring to see such a diverse group of people working together for the same purpose. Makaton has brought educators, carers, primary teachers, nursery teachers, parents and grandparents together in service of enabling better communication between the people they support. Neurological research shows that visual aids help in the understanding of the spoken word and its retention. I have seen Makaton used successfully in classrooms and educational environments to the benefit of all pupils, not just those with special education needs. In my free time, I have also joined a Makaton choir. As a classically trained musician, I have never made time to listen to popular music. I am always the strange person at the party who never knows the songs, let alone the words! Imagine my delight that I can now not only learn popular songs, but learn them quickly as I have a visual aid to help me. Singing is a fantastic medium for Makaton, and a really fun way to start learning! So, what now for my Makaton journey? The pandemic has allowed me to discover this incredible communication skill, but it also has prevented me, momentarily, from marrying my art form of live music with Makaton users. In the meantime, I have been inspired to find creative ways of sharing Makaton with the world, and to encourage more people to discover its benefits and brilliance. It would be a gift if my story could lead to one person learning Makaton, and helping someone in their life. For more information on Makaton or to start learning today, visit makaton.org. Please feel free to contact me through Rachel McDermott at Studio 3 (rachelm@studio3.org). Helen Brew Associate Principal Flute RSNO

Dr Rebecca Fish, a researcher at Lancaster University, reviews The Reflective Journey: A Practitioner's Guide to the Low Arousal Approach by Professor Andrew McDonnell I have been working as a researcher for people with learning disabilities and/or autism in forensic services since 1997. I have heard many tropes about ‘challenging behaviour’, as well as seeing dehumanizing and individualizing ways of referring to people. I know that ‘challenging behaviour’ can be reduced - and even eliminated - by recognizing the needs of the person and making accommodations for them. In light of the shocking exposures of abuse in residential services by BBC Panorama, it is clear that in some spaces there is a need for a more positive, human, and gentle culture of engaging with people. All behaviours occur within a relational and circumstantial context. This book is described as ‘an honest framework for supporting people’ (9) to be used as a guide by anyone working with or caring for people who can become distressed and overwhelmed. McDonnell tells us that he named the book The Reflective Journey because it is so important to consider our own behaviour when supporting people in crisis. The book talks about people’s responses without Othering them, or using medicalized or pathologizing terminology. Whilst not downplaying the genuine struggles involved in the work of care, McDonnell offers real ways of relating to people that are successful and beneficial to all. Each chapter requires the reader to consider and reflect on their own actions and responses as well as the person they are supporting. Notably, each chapter offers practical advice about good and effective behaviour management, along with examples and case studies that are all real-life experiences of McDonnell and his colleagues. There are manageable exercises and activities to appeal to different learning styles, and at the end of each chapter there are key learning questions for reflection. There is an excellent section on trauma-informed practice (Chapter 3), that shows in practical terms how restrictive interventions work to re-traumatise people and should be avoided in any way possible. Empathy is covered in Chapter 4 in a way that requires the reader to re-examine their preconceptions, allowing us to consider the ‘double empathy’ theory. Chapters such as ‘Understanding fear’ (Chapter 5), and ‘Acceptance, forgiveness and understanding’ (Chapter 8) show us why distressed behaviours emerge, and how to understand them. Other chapters in Part 2 offer practical explanations of how to use the Low Arousal Approach. Each of the chapters brings home the awareness that responses are situation-specific, and that situations can be altered. The book contains just enough academic background to be evidence-based, but this doesn’t distract from the powerful and pragmatic guidance within the book. This is true social model of disability stuff! I would recommend this book to all practitioners working closely with people with learning disabilities and/or autism, as well as social care / social work students, and family carers. Dr Rebecca Fish, Researcher at Lancaster University February 2021 The Reflective Journey is available to buy exclusively from the Studio 3 Website, and is on sale now in paperback and eBook format!

An excerpt from The Emotional Rollercoaster: Applying the Low Arousal Approach To Persons Who Engage in Behaviours of Concern, a recently published pracitioner article from Studio 3 Introduction The Low Arousal Approach is a crisis management system that was originally developed in the early 1990’s in the UK (McDonnell, 2019). The approach stresses that people are expected to alter their own behaviours to develop effective crisis management responses with individuals. This requires a highly reflective approach (Schon, 1987) where individuals are often expected not to directly challenge people who are highly distressed. One element of the Low Arousal Approach is that we often expect people to tolerate behaviours of concern by not interacting and stepping back. This can sometimes be viewed by supporters as ‘giving in.’ When an individual is being verbally hostile this may lead to a supporter feeling out of control and helpless. Practitioners of the Low Arousal Approach are often expected to ‘ride the emotional rollercoaster’ (McDonnell, 2019). Low Arousal Approach utilises proactive strategies: once it is clear that an individual is experiencing high levels of arousal, a distraction or redirection technique can be employed to avoid a crisis situation. In times of crisis, we should adopt a relaxed and confident presence, reduce verbal communication - especially demands - and show empathy towards the person experiencing the crisis. It is a carer-orientated intervention that emphasises reflectiveness, acceptance and empathy, as well as the impact of trauma and how that should shape our view of the person displaying behaviours of concern. Understanding the Low Arousal Approach from an academic perspective can be very different from applying it in practice. The remainder of this article will focus on a distressed individual with a diagnosis of autism and the reflections of his support worker. George: An Example The following anonymised example clearly shows how difficult it can be to engage with someone who is struggling to understand a world that is both unpredictable and chaotic (Vermeulen, 2012). George is an adult who is in his mid-thirties. He lives independently in his own flat. George has recently been receiving regular support for 5 hours each day after a year of going without any support. His anxiety related to autism and prolonged isolation sometimes prevents George from taking part in new recreational and daily living activities. George will often refuse to visit unfamiliar places and to do activities or chores. He will then report being bored and having nothing to do. George has a limited understanding of his own emotions and how stress may affect him. He will use language such as ‘I’m stressed’ and ‘I’m anxious,’ but often struggles to understand these phrases. He is not able to recognise that his own internal emotional states are responsible for the way he sometimes might feel about certain activities. Consequently, George attributes his struggles externally to the incompetence of others, mostly his family and support. At times of very high stress, George will get verbally and emotionally abusive and blame others for the situation he has found himself in. George tends to have a ‘narcissistic’ view of the world, but, in reality, this means he struggles to take other people’s perspective into account. Applying the Low Arousal Approach: A Support Worker’s Reflections George’s support worker was trained and supervised in the Low Arousal Approach. At the time of writing, this person has supported George for approximately nine months. Initially, in the first two months, there was a ‘honeymoon’ period where there was relatively little challenge presented by the individual. As their relationship developed, George began to view his support worker in a much more adversarial manner. There was then a period of approximately three months where the individual would be openly argumentative and look for his support worker to provide him with solutions to his day-to-day issues. This also coincided with his support worker and other members of his family discussing his autism diagnosis. At the time of writing, it seems clear that George does not always view his diagnosis as positive. George has commented, ‘If I could cure my autism, I would.’ At the time of writing, the relationship between George and his support worker is viewed by the authors and his family as positive. His support worker has most certainly become more accepting of George and is considered to be an experienced Low Arousal practitioner. The following involves a number of key questions that were raised by supporters and friends. Continue reading... Written by: Karolina Morgalla, BSc, MSc, Assistant Psychologist, Studio 3 Andrew McDonnell, PhD, Consultant Clinical Psychologist and CEO, Studio 3 Carl Benton, RMN, Clinical Manager, Studio 3 Tarendeep Kaur Johal, Assistant Psychologist, Studio 3 For more practitioner articles, visit: https://www.studio3.org/practitioner-articles

In August, Studio 3 held a free web conference for families titled 'Learning from Lockdown,' which focused on how the Covid-19 restrictions had impacted the lives of young people with additional support needs and their families. Speakers Andrew Smith, Gareth Morewood and Georgia Pavlopoulou shared their thoughts on lockdown, and we also heard from a variety of young people through their art submissions. This was then followed by a panellist discussion between three parents of autistic children; Jo Billington, Mary Maher and Deanne Shaw. This article summarises some of the key points from that discussion in answer to some of the questions posed, which is available to playback for free here. 1) How has life changed for you and your family in lockdown? For many people, life has changed dramatically following the onset of the coronavirus lockdown, and many of our daily routines are very different now to what they were. Mary shared that her daughter went from having a very busy life in a day service, to being in lockdown at home within just 24 hours. ‘Very, very suddenly, the world she has was taken from her,’ Mary explained. It was necessary for Mary and her husband to implement a daily routine to mirror the predictability of her daughter’s day service, which worked extremely well in reducing her daughter’s stress levels. Similarly, Deanne shared that her daughter was removed from mainstream school due to growing health concerns about Covid-19 and her daughter’s medical state. Deanne stated that one of the main challenges about being removed from school was not the lack of structured learning, as she and her daughter were able to adapt a learning schedule to suit them. ‘It’s not about being in school,’ says Deanne. ’It’s about learning and about having your friendship groups.’ The isolation imposed by the lockdown was the most difficult barrier caused by being out of school. Deanne feels that lockdown has shown her that traditional school settings may not be the best environment for children, and meaningful learning can still happen in other settings that better support an individual’s needs. Deanne found that, by ‘letting her [daughter] have a break and letting her do some colouring,’ her daughter was much more focused when it was time to do some schoolwork. Jo’s experience was slightly different, as she found that her family’s day-to-day life didn’t change dramatically. ‘Our life is quite isolated as it is, we don’t see many people, we don’t do many things, simply because of the lack of accommodation, understanding and acceptance with my children’s differences,’ says Jo. Whilst lockdown didn’t change much for her family’s day-to-day life, it did make them feel less ‘othered,’ as everyone was 'in the same boat as them for once.' 2) How has lockdown has magnified inequalities for many people with additional support needs, particularly children and young people? Deanne spoke a little bit about the difficulty of trying to implement support for her daughter around the transition from high school to college, due to having to do everything virtually. Deanne stressed that her daughter is very academically able, but her physical disabilities mean she requires a lot of support, and is not very independent which can be frustrating for her. ‘She absolutely has that right to be able to achieve what she wants like all young people,’ says Deanne. Sorting out college virtually has been very difficult, especially trying to work out time for this around the family’s routines, and, in terms of support, they are still seeking a better arrangement. For Jo and her family, the legal implications of the coronavirus lockdown have been drastic. Jo references the Coronavirus Bill, which essentially removed her children’s rights to education, health and social care instantly, as well as the frailty scale which would deny her children ventilators if they required them. She explains that this gave her the message that her children were ‘expendable.’ The bill has since been amended and the frailty scale was quickly squashed, but Jo still feels that ‘the shock of those inequalities being so laid bare was really quite overwhelming for a while.’ Jo says that access to support was based on the assumption that her children were vulnerable, as opposed to them seeking support based on their best interests: ‘My children are not vulnerable in any way; in fact, they are made vulnerable by a lack of adjustments.’ Mary also felt the impact of the inequalities in Covid regulations for people who require additional supports. If Mary’s daughter had contracted Covid, she would have been taken to hospital alone, as the restrictions demanded. ‘The thought of her entering a hospital on her own, frightened, terribly anxious, without any compassion or understanding from any staff who would see her behaviour in a very different light than we would, that was our main concern,’ says Mary. 2) What unexpected benefits, changes or positives have come from lockdown? Deanne spoke about the benefit of having a support base at home that is specifically tailored to her daughter's needs and adjusted to suit her as an individual, rather than an entire class in school: ‘I think before we were kind of on that negative spiral. There were a lot of people telling her what she couldn’t do. We have a very can-do attitude in this house, it hasn’t stopped - where there’s a will we will find a way. I think because she is getting our positive reinforcements, rather than some of the negative reinforcements, she is trying loads of new activities. She’s taken up horse riding, she is up at our therapeutic horse-riding centre twice a month.’ Focusing on what her daughter can do rather than what she can’t has led to a positive and optimistic outlook. Mary, who is a Low Arousal practitioner and a member of the Studio 3 team, has found that her daughter is calmer and much less stressed on a day-to-day basis in lockdown: ‘With less demands and less conditions she's just calmer, a sense of peace has descended on her. I think it was that sense of calm that would have frightened her historically, because a lot of [people we support], they understand anxiety. They might not be able to do much about it, but they understand it, it is familiar. But when that sense of calm comes, it’s almost as if that is scary, and it’s just being able to settle into that because it has come very gently and very softly.’ Jo has also seen reduced levels of stress in her two sons, which has had a massive impact on family life. Her eldest son in particular has benefitted greatly from being ‘able to take life at his own pace.’ ‘Throughout lockdown we have noticed he has become very good at identifying his own needs and then ask for help. His help seeking behaviour has really increased,’ adds Jo. There seems to be a common theme amongst the panellists that the predictability of lockdown life has created a sense of calmness that seems at odds with the fear and confusion the pandemic has caused. Mary says that her daughter is thriving in the new climate: ‘She is just emerging, we are seeing more of her personality emerging as a sense of calm persists in her life.’ Whilst this may seem paradoxical, many of the young people who submitted artwork for the event reported feeling a sense of calm due to less sensory and social demands at home. Andrew Smith, who spoke at the beginning of the event on his personal reflections on lockdown, spoke about the exhausting pressure of trying to cope in unfamiliar or stressful environments on a daily basis: ‘The problem is you’re trying to “cope” in these environments that don’t work for you, and it’s completely unsustainable. It’s never going to work to do that. That the only way to live as an autistic person is to realise you have to live a different life, and living a different life to the “norm” doesn’t mean it has to be an unhappy one.’ Jo agrees that measuring success and happiness by how social or active a person is can be disabling to many neurodiverse individuals. ‘Is it a paradox [that our young people are less stressed at home], or is it because we think as neurotypicals that engaging and socialising and thriving in a full environment is what the goal is, when actually a goal for an autistic person might just be to be in a quiet space with just one or two others?’ Jo goes on to talk about how difficult it can be for some autistic individuals to survive in these hyper-social and sensory environments like school and college: ‘So many of our children have to do energy accounting, so being able to manage their time, being able to manage their energy, which the lockdown has enabled them to do, because they have the whole space within the day and the evening to be able to do that.’ She also questioned whether ‘autistic people thrive in those situations, or do they just survive?’ With that in mind, what can we as supporters do to reduce anxiety and stress in school, at college, and in other environments, to make sure that autistic children and adults have access to the support they need? 3) What can we learn from lockdown and what experiences should be maintained? Mary has noticed that the staff in her daughter’s day service (which has recently resumed) are feeling less pressure to fill her day up with outside activities and going out into the community, which has resulted in them listening to her more. ‘It’s building in those down times, those relaxation times, those sitting there doing nothing for half an hour times, that I think are beneficial for her as well. That she doesn’t need to be out, involved, all the time, every day. They can see she is continuing to be very calm and interact really well because they have reduced the amount of requirements on her on any given day.’ Jo also feels there is less pressure to implement conventional supports such as formal education. Jo comments on traditional institutions such as schools, and the pressure on parents of autistic and disabled children to pursue a traditional education. Being in lockdown has shown her that her children are fine without formal education, and that she shouldn’t feel pressure as a parent to force them into fitting these norms. ‘Investments in those structures are so wholesale that possibly we have never had the opportunity to reflect on their value and their true meaning for the young people that are in our care,’ says Jo. She feels that support should be individualised and fit the person’s needs, not society’s interpretation of a meaningful life. ‘They have huge strengths,’ Jo says of her sons. ‘Huge abilities, that have never really been measured by our school system.’ Deanne agrees, telling us that her daughter’s physical health has improved a lot during lockdown, especially her overall wellbeing. Deanne has found that her daughter is ‘able to have a really good day that's focused on her wellbeing as well as learning,’ rather than feeling that those are separate things. Final Thoughts: Optimism for the Future and Learning from Lockdown Gareth Morewood, who led the day’s discussions, comments that this period of calm is a great opportunity to review and plan for the future: ‘For me, when things are calm, when things are less frenetic or there’s more stability, that's the time really to be thinking and planning and talking and engaging slowly about what things are moving forward.’ “When someone is drowning it is not the time to teach them how to swim” - David Pitonyak Jo expressed her hope that something meaningful will come of all the recent changes, particularly the way in which lockdown has magnified the inequalities that people with additional needs face. ‘I’ve got a real hope that something will come of this,' she says. 'Perhaps people will think a little more deeply about the disadvantage that some people are up against, the lack of a level playing field, and I am hopeful of that that there’s been a real education that has come about from this.’ Mary agrees, stating, ‘Covid has been a scary experience, a positive experience, a curveball experience: it’s been all of those things, but I think we’ve come away from it with a greater sense of our own strength, both as a family unit and as human beings.’ Panellist Recommendations Q: What would you recommend for adults who have recently received a diagnosis? Mary recommends: 'Uniquely Human' by Barry M. Prizant. “I think it is just a lovely book, and it's such a beautiful way of explaining autism as just part of the human condition and not making it something that is other than or less than or damaged/broken.” Jo recommends: ‘Finding your tribe’ and connecting with groups of like-minded autistic adults. “We are so fortunate in these times that we have vibrant online communities of autistic people that you can find through social media." For example, Andrew Smith has founded an online gaming community for autistic young people called Spectrum Gaming. Gareth recommends: ‘Welcome to the Autistic Community,’ a booklet from Autistic Self-Advocacy Network (ASAN). For more upcoming Studio 3 Web events, check out the programme here. Written by Rachel McDermott Social Media and Information Co-ordinator, Studio 3 October 2020

A review of an interactive kid's book for understanding autism, written by Debby Elley and Tori Houghton and illustrated by J.C. Perry. The Ice-Cream Sundae Guide to Autism is a colourful and creative book that cleverly uses the metaphor of an ice-cream sundae to demonstrate diversity within autistic people and the difficulties they face. Different flavours, colours, toppings and glasses go into making each autistic person unique, demonstrating with artistic flare the fact that no two people are the same. This book is a child-friendly, interactive guide to some of the stickier concepts around autism, including speech and language difficulties, sensory differences and straight-line thinking. These sometimes difficult to unpack elements are broken down and given their respective ingredient in the sundae, making them easy to understand as individual components, but also importantly how they interact. ‘This picture-led book uses ice-cream sundae ingredients to represent various aspects of autism such as sensory differences, special interests or rigidity of thinking, explaining the different facets of autism in a neutral way.’ With activities throughout (and a space to create your own unique ice-cream sundae!) this book encourages young people to creatively engage with the information provided, and asks them to look at their own strengths and differences. This book facilitates positive discussions around difference, and is a helpful tool for children just beginning to understand what autism is. ‘For all children – not just those on the autism spectrum.’ There are helpful tips throughout for parents, teachers and supporters with things they can do to make the young person’s life less chaotic and stressful. In particular, there is an emphasis on how external and internal stressors can aggravate some of the ‘flavours’ of autism, and cause them to appear larger and less manageable. This is a good simple guide for starting to think about things that cause stress and how to counter-manage them, with talking points to encourage discussion around what helps that young person in particular to de-stress and stay calm. The discussion around avoiding ‘meltdowns’ (very in-keeping with the ice cream theme) concretely demonstrates the difficulties that can arise from trouble self-regulating, and explains the role of external factors such as sensory overload in contributing to high levels of arousal. Overall, this is a helpful guide to work through with young people in a home or classroom setting that simply sets out some of the difficulties autistic people can struggle with on a day-to-day basis. This is a fun, interactive book that contains lots of important information, creative activities, and additional tools for teachers and families to use to facilitate meaningful discussions. Reviewed by Rachel McDermott Social Media and Information Co-ordinator, Studio 3 October 2020

The following is an excerpt from an ar ticle written by two practitioners of the Low Arousal Approach on the relationship between staff stress and coping when applying Low Arousal. Foreword by Professor Andrew McDonnell This article was written by two passionate practitioners who apply the Low Arousal Approach in many different settings. The key aim of this article was to provide a personal perspective that demonstrates the power of stress management approaches in real-life settings. Readers are encouraged to engage with the on-going debate about Low Arousal Approaches on all Studio 3 forums. The full article is available to download as a PDF for free here. Introduction The purpose of this article is to help practitioners recognise and cope with the stress of those in their care, as well as their own, in order to create a Low Arousal environment and manage distressed behaviour. Difficulties with stress can be prevalent in care environments for all involved. In challenging situations, it is important to adopt effective coping strategies in order to care for ourselves. This allows us to care for others and make decisions that lower the stress of those in our care. This article will reflect on what stress is, how it can present and how to use effective coping strategies. What is Stress? There have been multiple models of stress developed, one of the most established being Lazarus and Folkman’s transactional theory (1984). Here, stress is defined as a relationship between a person and their environment that is perceived by the person as taxing, exceeding their resources, or endangering their wellbeing. Consequently, when an individual encounters a stressor that they believe they cannot deal with, their bodies and mind react with a stress response. The first stage is seeing the stressor and evaluating whether we can deal with it or not. If it is decided that we cannot cope with it, the stress response is triggered. Activity in the autonomic (unconscious) nervous system increases, which results in higher levels of stress hormones such as Adrenaline and Cortisol. The response also heightens our heart rate and blood pressure, our breathing speeds up, our muscles tense up and we begin to sweat. This activity leads to fight, flight or freeze responses. The body immediately becomes alert. These responses can be useful in high-risk situations, as they can prepare our bodies to engage in behaviours that can keep us safe. Unfortunately, these responses can be triggered when we do not need them. Frequently engaging in stress responses over a long period of time can be damaging for our physical and psychological wellbeing. For example, Cortisol is released when a threat is perceived, creating a bodily response often referred to as an ‘Adrenaline rush.’ Whilst Adrenaline reduces quickly, Cortisol remains in the system for much longer. This helps the body remain alert to other threats it may or may not yet perceive after the initial threat has dissipated. Consider the following example which demonstrates how these physiological processes can affect us and our decision-making: ‘Late one night I was awoken from my sleep by a loudbanging and crashing sound in the kitchen downstairs. I experienced a heightened state of arousal and a surge of adrenaline, followed by the thought, ‘Is someone in my house?’ Instead of calling the police, I listened intently to check if I heard more sounds, my alertness most likely aided by the spike in my Cortisol levels. Upon hearing no more unusual sounds, I decided to sneak downstairs to investigate myself. My mind was racing: ‘What if there are burglars in my house? What should I do? How many of them are there?’ Had I been thinking instead of catastrophising, I might have made a lot of noise and turned on all the lights in an effort to scare the intruder away. In hindsight, I was probably using System 1 thinking, and therefore not really thinking sensibly at all. My Cortisol levels were very high indeed. I was hyper alert for any more sounds, but still the only thing I could hear was the washing machine on a spin cycle. Upon further investigation, it became clear that the crashing noise was made by a number of objects which had been on top of the washing machine. Sometime after switching the machine on before bed, the objects place on top of it had fallen to the ground with the movement of the drum. It took me nearly half an hour to get back to sleep as Cortisol was surging through my system’. – from ‘The Reflective Journey: A Pracititoner’s Guide to the Low Arousal Approach’ by Professor Andrew McDonnell (2019) This example shows how Adrenaline and Cortisol can impact our decisions and increase our vigilance. The ‘System 1’ thinking referred to here is a term used by Daniel Kahneman to describe fast processing that goes on constantly and unconsciously as we navigate the world (2011). For people who experience high stress, stress responses may occur in reaction to minor stimuli as their fight or flight responses kick in automatically. Individuals who have a tendency to be hyper-reactive may experience some of the long-term difficulties associated with stress if it persists for a number of months or years. Stressors can come in may shapes and sizes, and the impact they can have on both ourselves and those we care for is massive. They vary from person to person; for example, someone may become stressed at the thought of presenting at a meeting, but for others this may not be a stressor at all. For the majority of people, common stressors are the loss of a loved one, family difficulties and problems with work. For those working in supportive settings, stressors may include supporting someone with frequent behaviours of concern, safeguarding issues or interpersonal problems between colleagues. Some of the people we support may have difficulties recognising and communicating the sources of their stress. Having a team who understands the individual’s unique needs is therefore essential in helping them to manage their stress. People we support may have to deal with substantial stress on a daily basis, resulting from difficulties such as social understanding, rigidity, and attentional difficulties. Understanding the children and adults we support allows us to effectively implement personal coping strategies to help them reduce their stress. Achieving this is helpful for all parties involved, and will help to reduce overall stress in the care environment. Written by Ethan McGuirk and Matthew MacGillivray October 2020 Continue reading here.

Professor Andrew McDonnell reviews 'Beyond Behaviours' and 'Social and Emotional Development in Early Intervention' by Dr. Mona Delahooke. It is only relatively recently that my colleagues recommended to me two books by Dr Mona Delahooke, the first being Social and Emotional Development in Early Intervention (2017). This book predominantly focuses on working with children and young people, primarily from a neurodevelopmental perspective. The chapters contain numerous reflective exercises and examples that would be useful for parents and professionals alike. In Chapter 6, titled ‘New Ways to Understand Challenging Behaviours,’ Dr. Delahooke provides a user-friendly approach that focuses on the stress response. Key to this approach, and indeed the entire book, is the idea that children are trying to cope with the world around them. This book combines practical ideas and assessments that can be used relatively quickly by people who are supporting individuals who present with behaviours of concern. When reading this book, it is unavoidable for the reader to notice the humanistic and compassionate approaches of the author. As a practitioner of the Low Arousal Approach, Dr Delahooke’s view on the power of human relationships particularly resonated with me: ‘When we prioritise our own calm and alert state through engagement and relating, we will build everything else we do on a solid foundation.’ - Pg. 154 For those individuals seeking to make sense of supporting children and young people and their families, this book should most definitely be on your Christmas list. The second book recommended to me was Beyond Behaviors: Using Brain Science and Compassion to Understand and Solve Children's Behavioral Challenges (2019). This book describes Dr Delahooke in the context of what can only be described as compassion-focused approaches: ’Dr. Delahooke has dedicated her career to promoting compassionate, relationship-based, neurodevelopmental interventions for children with developmental, behavioural, emotional and learning differences’ – Pg. vii This book of nine chapters in total is divided into three parts. The first three chapters focus on understanding behaviours. There are fascinating sections in this book ranging from focusing on the autonomic nervous system to the understanding of ‘neuroception.’ The second part of the book is entitled ‘Solutions,’ and focuses on practical approaches to understanding the behaviour of children. One section provides some simple de-escalation strategies which have a huge overlap with the Low Arousal Approach to managing behaviours: ‘If the child wants physical space, move away slowly and respectfully.’ Pg. 156 ‘Limit what you say to the child, and remember that she may not hear you well.’ Pg.156 These statements make it clear to me that Dr. Delahooke is not only an academic, but a practitioner who has clearly walked the walk with young people and their families. The last part of the book has three chapters which attempt to apply her work, and discusses future developments of the approach. This section is entitled ‘Neurodiversity, Trauma, and Looking to the Future.’ Dr Delahooke addresses a wide range of subjects such as toxic stress and trauma, the problem with rewards and punishments, and ‘hardwiring happiness.’ It is quite rare for me to read a book that I cannot criticise. This is an intense read that certainly ‘packs a punch’ on a personal and professional level. If you are a practitioner, a parent, a psychologist, or anyone who has an interest in understanding a neurodevelopmental approach, this book should be essential and required reading. Written by Professor Andrew McDonnell, Clinical Psychologist, Director of Studio III October 2020

All of our recent staff news from the past few months, including news from our colleagues and associates, and welcoming new trainers to the Studio 3 team! A Recap of the Year So Far and New Developments The past few months have been chaotic and unpredictable for people all across the world. As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, Studio 3 have moved all our services online as of April 2020. This includes all of our clinical services and training systems, plus additional online events which will continue to run with the aim of sharing information and providing much needed support. We kicked off in April with a web conference on the volatile, uncertain, complex and often ambiguous nature of the world, particularly for people who require additional supports. Since then, we have run a series of free webinars and all-day live events on a range of topics, with talks from a range of international experts such as Peter Vermuelen, Adam Harris, Kelly Mahler, Bo Heijlskov Elven and Dr Pooky Knightsmith, as well as contributions from experienced members of the Studio 3 team. We will continue to run a series of online events in addition to our online training. Our next event focuses on ‘Creating a Restraint-Free Culture,’ and will be live from 1pm (EST) on Tuesday 3rd November. Sign up now to access exclusive talks from Professor Andrew McDonnell, Gareth D. Morewood and Dr. Rebecca Fish! All of our free webinars are available to playback here. In addition, The Reflective Journey: A Practitioner’s Guide to the Low Arousal Approach is now available to purchase in multiple ebook formats from our online shop for just £4.99! A physical copy of the book is also now available for just £9.99, so be sure to get your copy now! Online Training Options Studio 3 are now very pleased to be able to offer Low Arousal Introductory Training, Advanced Low Arousal Training and LASER Training online, open to families, parents, carers, professionals, teachers and other support staff. For training dates and other options, visit www.studio3.org/studio-3-online. We have a number of free places on all of our online events for families and individuals with lived experience when you contact admin@studio3.org. In addition, all Studio 3 trainers will be contacted shortly regarding guidance for delivering training during the Covid-19 pandemic, which continues indefinitely. This training is compulsory for all Studio 3 trainers, and will take place in the following months. New Team Members We are delighted to welcome five new staff members to the Studio 3 team this month! Firstly, we would like to welcome Naomi Rodgers, who has joined Gemma in the office to help out with administrative duties, and is helping to keep us up and running on a day-to-day basis! We have also welcomed Liz White as a member of the Clinical Services team. Liz is a Counselling Psychologist and we look forward to learning from her expertise! Finally, we would like to extend a warm welcome to our three new Project Workers, Amanda Larsen, Shannen Poulton and Sasha Spence, whose work will be incredibly valuable in the coming months. News from Our Associates An upcoming free conference that may be of interest to our staff and associates is the ‘Journey of Autism’ event on the 11th November. Speakers include our own Professor Andrew McDonnell, AsIAm founder Adam Harris, and Dr Brian McClean, amongst others. This event will be held on Cisco Webex from 8.30 AM to 15.30 PM (GMT). Sign up for free here. To keep up with more Studio 3 news, subscribe to our newsletter or follow us on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn!