Introduction
There are around 700,000 people on the autism spectrum in the UK – that’s more than 1 in 100. According to the National Autistic Society, if you include their families, autism is a part of daily life for 2.8 million people. In fact, in the last thirty years the number of people diagnosed with autism has increased 25 fold. This is because of a general increased awareness of autism, improved diagnosis and the inclusion of a wider range of forms of autism, such as Asperger syndrome.
This increased awareness has led to many improvements. There are now many fantastic examples of well-informed, inclusive and empowering environments that enable individuals with autism to thrive. However, individuals with autism and their families continue to face many problems and challenges, and these need to be tackled.
This course aims to develop the learners understanding of autism and how they can support individuals with autism in a range of different contexts, whether they work in health, social care or children’s or young people’s settings. The course will also help learners to understand the characteristics of the different forms of autism, and appreciate the importance of seeing each person with autism as a unique individual with a unique set of needs, strengths and abilities.
Course code
OIUA
Location
Varies
Duration
It will involve 152 hours of personal learning to complete. Most students complete the course in 26 weeks, averaging almost 6 hours of personal learning per week.
Entry Requirements
There are no specific entry requirements for this qualification. However, learners must be aged 16 or over in order to enrol on the course.
Course Content
The Level 2 Certificate in Understanding Autism comprises six mandatory units that are presented in three concise module workbooks:
MODULE A
Unit 01: Introduction to autism
Unit 02: Using a person-centred approach to support individuals with autism
MODULE B
Unit 03: Communication and social interaction in individuals with autism
Unit 04: Sensory processing, perception and cognition in individuals with autism
MODULE C
Unit 05: Supporting positive behaviour in individuals with autism
Unit 06: Supporting individuals with autism to live healthy and fulfilled lives
Assessments
Learners will be provided with all necessary workbooks to complete the programme and will be required to work through a series of tasks and activities designed to reinforce the learning process and test their knowledge. The learning materials include an assessment, which allows learners to demonstrate achievement of all learning outcomes associated with each unit. Learning is done remotely, and assessments are submitted online via the college’s LearnNet learning portal.
Progression
Learners will be able to further their own continuous professional development, which may improve their career prospects, or allow them to progress on to further qualifications such as courses in health and social care or related subjects.
Course Contact Details
E: openlearning@dumgal.ac.uk
T: 01387 734233