Foreword Professor Sheila the Baroness Hollins Introduction Chapter 1: Attention to sensory issues: hyper- and hypo-sensitivities, Phoebe Caldwell Chapter 2: Unrecognised autism, Hope Lightowler Chapter 3: Us in a Bus and Intensive Interaction, Janet Gurney Chapter 4: Addressing sensory issues and body language with autistic people: Responsive Communication from an occupational therapy perspective, Jennifer Heath Chapter 5: Autism support in Cumbria: understanding behaviour and supporting change, Jemma Swales Chapter 6: A one year Responsive Communication pilot project in Carmarthenshire, Kate Richardson Chapter: 7: A psychiatrist's perspective, Dr Elspeth Bradley
Responsive Communication is an approach that combines using body language (intensive interaction) with attention to sensory issues to interact with autistic people and people with profound and multiple learning disabilities. Responsive Communication is an effective means of emotionally engaging with and reducing behavioural distress of these individuals. The authors offer a range of informative perspectives on the approach and application of responsive communication, from backgrounds including expert by experience, communication, service management, occupational therapy, neuroscience and psychiatry.
Phoebe Caldwell has pioneered the development of communication support for individuals on the autistic spectrum for over 40 years. Elspeth Bradley is a researcher, psychiatrist and psychotherapist Janet Gurney, Director of Training for charity 'Us in a Bus' Jennifer Heath, Occupational Therapist at Underley Garden Hope Lightowler was diagnosed with high functioning autism at the age of 17 Kate Richardson Specialist learning disability Speech and Language Therapist and founding director of Autism Wellbeing CIC Jemma Swales is a self-employed autism practitioner and is one of the directors of Autus Cumbria Ltd-profit organisation offering long term support for autistic people and their families.