Learn practical skills that can be immediately implemented into existing curriculum and training programs, at home or in school!

Carrington House Hotel
Knyveton Road, Bournemouth, Dorset

Monday, November 22

Kari Dunn Buron
When My Autism Gets Too Big!

Lynne Moxon
Autism, Sexuality and Relationships 

Tuesday, November 23

Paula Aquilla
The Role of Sensory Processing in Learning, Behaviour and Activities of Daily Life

Who Should Attend?

• Educators
• Parents
• Speech/Language Pathologists
• Consultants
• Occupational Therapists
• Others who live or work with children who have Autism Spectrum Disorder or other Developmental Disabilities.
• Psychologists
• Therapists

Learn practical skills that can be immediately implemented into existing curriculum and training programs, at home or in school!

Conference Description

Monday, November 22
Kari Dunn Buron

When My Autism Gets Too Big!

Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) tend to have high levels of social anxiety as well as rigid and inflexible ways of processing social problems. These information processing characteristics can lead to explosive behavior.

Current cognitive learning theories, as they relate to ASD, can shed some light on the nature of explosive behavior in individuals with ASD. This presentation will illustrate the connections between cognitive issues associated with autism, an individual’s ability to understand social information, and how all of this can lead to social anxiety and explosive behavior.

The speaker will demonstrate how a simple 5-Point Scale and other predictable systems can be used to teach social and emotional concepts. The Anxiety Curve Model of proactive behavior planning will also be discussed and demonstrated.

1. Participants will learn about current cognitive learning theories related to ASD and associated with social learning.
2. Participants will be able to name three strategies they could use to help a person with ASD process difficult social interactions and reduce social anxiety.
3. Participants will learn about the theoretical basis for using the 5-point scale as well as how to develop an individualized scale for teaching. 

Monday, November 22
Lynne Moxon

Autism, Sexuality and Relationships 

The process of building social relationships by making friends and beginning intimate relationships is a key developmental stage for all young adults. All young people have a right to develop relationships and everyone is entitled to sex and relationships education (SRE) at school, but SRE is more than a one off biology lesson. Sexuality is about who we are, not just what we do with our bodies. It is life long and includes issues of self-identity and self-esteem, social values and attitudes as well as specific sexual behaviours. It also involves a sense of gender identity and attitudes such as respect and honesty.

Young people with autism may also need time to process what they are being taught and to have the relevant information repeated on a number of occasions to help learning happen. This training aims to support parents and professionals to develop ideas and approaches to providing personal relationship and sex education programmes to young people within the autism spectrum. Many services, parents and staff are poorly prepared for sexual interests developing in young adults with ASD’s. By not seeing that a young person is growing toward adulthood, they may not feel able to begin teaching boundaries. In fact, most of the incidents which lead to trouble for young people with communication difficulties, autism or learning difficulties are "boundary violations" brought on by the impulse of a moment. We need to recognise that sexual development and curiosity are normal developmental processes. A young adult showing interest in sex does not need medication or punishment; they need support and teaching. A young person with autism will have more than a sex drive. Many will have a drive for relationships and intimacy with others. Some young people will also be asexual, gay or lesbian and this also needs to be supported. All need to be taught that sex is not compulsory; just because you have turned sixteen does not mean you have to do it.

The purpose of the course is to:

1. Support participants to explore what is known about how ASD impacts on the sexuality of individuals and their ability to develop relationships.
2. Ensure that young adults with an autism spectrum disorder enter the adult community with the experiences and skills necessary to make informed decisions regarding their health, safety or lifestyles.
3. Provide a forum for the sharing of experiences and good practice.
4. To begin to develop innovative practice through an increased understanding of how autism impacts on sexuality.

As a result of the course the participant should be able to:

1. Identify how autism impacts on social awareness, friendships and sexual relationships.
2. Identify teaching topics and strategies that will help support individuals with ASD understand themselves better and their sexuality as part of who they are.
3. Identify strategies that will support a better understanding of different kinds of relationships.
4. Gain an awareness of autism, sex and some key legal issues which affect practice.
5. Demonstrate an understanding of the range and variation of the Autism Spectrum and to plan an appropriate individualised programme/person centred plan.

Key content:

1. Exploring the issues around social and emotional cognition, sex and sexuality and ASD.
2. What we can learn from people with ASD themselves and the problems and differences experienced by them and for those who live and work with them.
3. What we can learn from research in this area and why sex education is needed.
4. Understanding what sex and relationship education is; strategies to plan an appropriate individualised programme.
5. An opportunity to share ideas and best practice and ask questions around the implications of sexuality and relationships for people on the Autism Spectrum. 

Lynne Moxon, BA, MSc. PGCE, C.Psychol, AFBPsS, FIfL. is an Educational Psychologist who specialises in working with students and adults on the autism spectrum. She is the consultant psychologist to Education and Support for People with Autism (ESPA), and a Senior Lecturer at Northumbria University where she runs the Masters in Autism course. Lynne has been working in the area of Autism Spectrum Disorders for more than 25 years and provides specialist consultancy and training to a wide variety of organisations and parent groups. She travels in Great Britain and internationally giving workshops on sexuality and ASD. ESPA, a Sunderland based charity, runs a specialist college of Further Education, domiciliary support, long term residential care, an adult diagnosis service and a day centre for vocational skills and creative arts for adults with Asperger syndrome and autism. Lynne directs and teaches courses for service users in the college, residential and day service in psychology and affective education. She teaches socio-sexual skills to groups of young people with Autism Spectrum Conditions every week.

Tuesday, November 23
Paula Aquilla

The Role of Sensory Processing in Learning, Behaviour and Activities of Daily Life

This course will provide participants with basic neurology to understand and appreciate the process of making sense of sensory information. Each sense will be discussed from the receptors to the central nervous system. Understanding the neurology behind sensory processing can support understanding of this process that we do every moment of every day.

Participants will learn how to identify the behavioural and autonomic nervous system signs of a nervous system in a regulated and deregulated state.

Sensory diets provide the right type and right amount of intensity and duration of sensory input to help maintain the nervous system in a calm, alert state.In the calm alert state, a person can function at their best. This course will outline how to create an environment, approach, and specific activities to help maintain the nervous system in a calm, alert state. We will learn how to create sensory diets and how to integrate them into a typical day. Information gathering techniques and assessments will be discussed.

Creative strategies to support success at school and at home will be shared. Participants will learn tips that they can plug into their day right away! Case studies will be discussed to illustrate these strategies.

Questions are welcome! 

Paula Aquilla is the mother of two teenagers and lives with her family in Toronto, Ontario. She is a graduate of the University of Toronto and has been practising occupational therapy in community, clinic, school and home based settings for 22 years. Paula is a co-author of the book Building Bridges Through Sensory Integration and has contributed to several other publications. She teaches throughout North America. She is a thesis writer in the Canadian College of Osteopathy and hopes to complete her formal osteopathic studies in 2010. Paula brings warmth and enthusiasm in her work with children and their families.

Tentative Daily Schedule

Monday, November 22

Tuesday, November 23

General Information

Hotel Information
The Carrington House Hotel is the host hotel for this event.

The hotel is located at:
Knyveton Road,
Bournemouth, Dorset
BH1 3QQ.

Rooma Rates: (Taxes not included)
Rates are Per Person Per Night

£55.00 Single B & B or £75 Dinner, Bed and Breakfast
£75.00 Double/Twin B & B or £105 dinner, bed and breakfast

Rooms are subject to availability.
Delegates are responsible for booking and paying for their own accommodation. Individual reservations can be made by contacting the hotel reservations department directly at:
Telephone: Freephone: 0808 144 9495
Telephone: 01202 369940

Callers must mention the group name Autism Awareness Centre Workshop to ensure they receive the appropriate rate and are included in the guest room block.

Dress Code
Dress is business casual. Delegates are reminded that the room may be chilly at times and are encouraged to wear a sweater.

Meals, Refreshment Breaks
Lunch will be provided both days. Refreshment breaks will be served in the morning and afternoon.

Cancellation Policy
Cancellations must be in writing and received prior to October 29, 2010. A £25.00 administration fee will be charged. From October 29 — November 15 half of the fee will be charged. November 16 or later the full fee will be charged. This policy will be enforced but you are encouraged to find a substitute.

Car Parking
Free Parking for 85 cars.

Linwood School

Linwood School provides specialist education for pupils aged 3-19 with a range of special educational needs. The school is nationally recognised as a centre of excellence and is considered to be an ‘Outstanding school’ by OFSTED (2005, 2008). The school’s many achievements include Leading Edge (lead partner), Leading Aspect Curriculum Award and was awarded SEN Specialist College Status for Cognition and Learning in 2007.

Linwood School’s Autistic base is a specialist resource integral to the school with 4 classes for pupils aged 3 – 15. This provides a setting where those pupils across the spectrum can receive intensive input either long term or on a temporary basis. The unit provides a structured environment that promotes children’s independence and self-motivation in a secure, non challenging, non judgemental environment whilst following individual programmes based on good autism practice to meet each child’s need.

The ASD base staff, alongside their colleagues in the main part of the school has a commitment to developing the expertise of colleagues in mainstream schools through direct support and training. Teachers, teaching assistants and other professionals are given the opportunity to visit the classes in the base to observe practise; discuss strategies and practical activities.

Autism Awareness Centre Inc.

The Autism Awareness Centre believes that education is the key to success in assisting individuals who have autism, Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD), Asperger Syndrome and other disorders such as Tourette Syndrome, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). With numerous social, communication, and behavioral intervention methods and the more recent field of biomedical interventions, it is important to keep parents and professionals on the leading edge of new information. By hosting workshops across Canada and providing resource support both in Canada and abroad, the Autism Awareness Centre is committed to ensuring information reaches all communities. The Autism Awareness Centre is leading the way for change by providing conferences to all corners of Canada.

Maureen Bennie is a mother of two children ages 11 and 13 with autism. She has managed an at-home Intensive Behavioral Intervention Program for the past 9 years for her children. She is the author of over 100 articles and book reviews that have appeared in publications and on websites throughout North America.

Victoria Harris has over 25 years experience in business management and event planning. Her attention to detail ensures the atmosphere at every conference inspires learning.

For more information on the Autism Awareness Centre, to register for upcoming conferences or to receive our Quarterly Newsletter, please contact us at:

Ph: 780-474-8355 or Toll Free: 1-866-724-2224
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For Books and Resources, please contact:

Maureen Bennie:
Phone: 403-640-2710
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To Display a Product or Service at an AACI Event, please contact:

Maureen Bennie:
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Autism Awareness Centre Bookstore

The Autism Awareness Centre Bookstore will be open during the conference. Delegates will be able to purchase materials written by the speakers, in addition to many more titles on a wide range of topics about ASD and related disorders.

Please Note: All books purchased by credit card will be processed in US dollars. Your credit card company may add additional exchange fees. Please consult your card company for details. Books purchased by check or cash will be processed in pounds sterling.

Download Bournemouth, Dorset Brochure

November 22 & 23, 2010 Bournemouth, Dorset Brochure