3️⃣ The final step in our 3C pathway is Communicating.

There are two main elements in supporting your child at the Communication step. The first is how you communicate with them, and the second is how you enable them to communicate with you. Both are important because without these two elements, how do either of you share your basic needs, wants and intentions?

Traditionally we think about communicating with words, but we can also communicate through gestures, technology, secret signals and images.

It is vital to remember that step 3, Communication, comes after steps 1 and 2 of the 3C pathway, when you have connected and are calm. However, you may well see communication automatically improving and becoming more reciprocal as a natural consequence of the step 1 Connection and step 2 Calm. ...

2️⃣ The next thing to think about in the 3C Pathway is Calming.

We often talk about calming the child, but what we believe is that you will not be anywhere near close to settling and calming your child if you are not calm yourself.

We often meet the child when they are in a heightened state of anxiety which can also make us anxious. If we don’t manage our anxiety sufficiently when relating to the child with autism, it will negatively affect all our interactions with them. This will increase their existing state of anxiety, and unintentionally we add to their feelings of confusion, distress, despair, and being overwhelmed.

The Calm step in the 3C Pathway relates to our part in helping the child understand and reduce their anxiety and, therefore, induce a calm state. This is vital for the child’s well-being and their ability to progress. ...

The 3C Pathway

1️⃣ First of all, we talk about connecting. This involves emphatically connecting and understanding your child. It also means physically connecting, being alongside them, sharing a moment, sharing something of yourself, or noticing something they have done well.

This connection is best described as the bond that a parent may have with a child, good friends may have with each other, or even the connection you have with a pet. It’s something that not only feels good, but is vital for your cognitive, social and emotional well-being. Once a trusted connection is made with the child, we can then support them to become more self-aware, to understand their autism, to understand human behaviour and understand their own and others’ emotions. ...