FAQs for parents and carers
Parents and / or carers of students with autism spectrum conditions play a vital role in preparing them for university life and supporting them throughout their studies.
- It’s never too early to start nurturing independent living skills: cooking, budgeting, supermarket shopping, personal hygiene, getting up in the morning, working washing machines and programming central heating, taking out rubbish etc. Give the student every opportunity to take responsibility for these tasks.
- Be prepared for a change in the way your son / daughter is supported. At school, you may have had regular contact with a Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) and have played an active role in deciding what support was required. At University, decisions about the support required are made by the student, together with a disability officer. However, we welcome any thoughts you might want to share or any suggestions of what has proved helpful in the past.
- Talk through some of the big decisions your son / daughter needs to make, such course choice and accommodation options. Encourage them to consider all the options and make a decision that is right for them. Many of our students find that living at home, at least for the first year, gives them the best chance to get used to university study without having to get used to independent living at the same time.
- If possible, support your son / daughter to make several visits to the university campus and town to familiarise themselves with the campus environment and local facilities.
- We try to find a balance between supporting students and enabling independence, and encourage you to do the same.
