Tutor and Counsellor Qualifications

Tutor and counsellor qualifications

Professional qualifications, at high level

Gaining an insight into the disorder and looking for, and finding, links has a major impact on the skills and qualities of a tutor or counsellor. In principle these skills and qualities are no different from those required by social workers for other client groups. The difference lies in the emphasis and wide range across which the qualities have to be developed. Perhaps the extensive list of issues and requirements detailed in the previous chapters makes it appear an almost impossible task. However, in practice things are better than they seem. First of all not every problem mentioned applies to the education and support of each individual client with autism, and secondly learning is an option. It is important to verify what qualities are required and, if the individual does not have these qualities, whether he is prepared to work at it in order to achieve the right education or support. Before looking at these personal characteristics in detail, we have included some conditional factors.

Conditional factors

In general the tutor/counsellor must ensure that he/she acquires knowledge and an insight into the disorder. Wide range of courses available to do so. In the event of aggression additional training to deal with this is a must, if necessary supplemented by self-defence training. Practical arrangements will have to be made with the environment to guarantee safety and the necessary support. Usually a specific type of employment support or intervision is required. It is often a time consuming and intricate process to find out where the problem lies exactly. Feedback from others is required as the tutor/counsellor is part of the autistic person’s environment and is less able to distance him/herself. The use of a video to analyse one’s own contact with the autistic person can provide very useful clues. In most cases where a personal analysis of the client is required, linked to a problem analysis and supervision or treatment plan, additional support from a behavioural therapist or psychiatrist will be necessary.

What you need, or must be prepared, to learn

To distance yourself

Because contact and communication do not proceed in the usual, intuitive manner, there is often confusion about its quality. As long as the counsellor or tutor applies ‘normally applicable’ standards and criteria to what appears to be contact, he/she will (erroneously) conclude that there is no contact. He/she will also appear to be too forceful when trying to make contact.

Example:We normally make eye contact during conversations and perceive looking away as a form of aversion. We sometimes also perceive continued eye contact as confrontational, excessive or even provocative. People with autism can display both without specific intentions. Maybe they just want to make contact, but cannot cope with, or are not interested in, eye contact. Or they may find eyes very beautiful, but are not aware of the social impact of ‘staring’.

In other words, as long as we apply our own standards, we will feel that there is no contact. In order to make contact it is necessary to distance oneself, release one’s own expectations and observe oneself and others from a distance. This will demonstrate where other contact can be made.

Looking at others in relation to …………

The relationship between the other person and the environment, and counsellor, is looked at from a distance. No one, including a person with autism, is a separate identity. Somehow we come into contact, and have to deal, with the world around us. Even if, initially, all we can see is signs of aloofness. When does the other person make contact with the world around him/her? To learn to see this we need to look, and look again.

Looking at yourself in relation to………

The individual with autism and the counsellor are at opposite ends when it comes to making contact. Both have an impact on the options for contact, whereby the strongest obligation to make an effort lies with the counsellor. The possibilities will be used to optimum effect if both the person with autism, and the counsellor, are included. What is his/her input? What are his/her possibilities and vulnerabilities? ‘To know yourself’ is of the utmost importance.

Involvement and distance

Making contact with people with autism is ‘different’. This may imply that there is little personal involvement, focused on satisfying a need and with little intention of ‘response contact’. It is often limited to specific issues, i.e. where the need arises and otherwise little or no contact. This can create a feeling of ‘being used’ that is not offset by any improvement in contact. Involvement is needed to enter into this kind of contact and get a feeling of satisfaction from it. The latter should be sought in the significance of the social worker as a guide, interpreter, tutor and/or helper, and the implementation of this kind of roles. Distance is required to manage the lack of reciprocity and adjust one’s own expectations where necessary.

Ability to introduce structure

Because people with autism have difficulty processing information, the demand for support is usually focused on assistance with the organisation of ‘a chaotic environment’. This implies that counsellors/tutors need to be able to provide structure, or more specifically, should understand the ‘chaos’ and offer structure to make the chaos disappear. Chaos may be present in various areas and the counsellor/tutor must define which areas need structuring:

- Create a clear, and feasible, day and living structure and help to implement it. This includes the creation of a day programme, as well as the implementation and development of activities. The counsellor/tutor should be keen to develop and put his/her ideas into practice.

- Provide extra means of communication and information. The counsellor need not develop these means. He/she can rely on the services of a teacher or speech therapist, but should ensure that the means are managed logically and purposely. In fact both the autistic person and the tutor/counsellor will use these means.

- Logical and consistent handling of own standards, agreements and attitude. The counsellor/tutor needs to be predictable and reliable. In other words rigidity, iron rules and harsh standards cannot be applied. The autistic person’s autonomy must be guaranteed at all times.

The application of logical rules is a part, but not the core, of reliability. The main thing is to adopt a constant, fair and honest approach, to prevent moodiness and manage one’s own weariness or impatience.

Ability to emancipate

We have purposely not opted for the term ‘developed ability’ as there is more involved. The way in which the autistic person manifests him/herself can soon create an impression of vulnerability and helplessness in others. Just look at this booklet – the aspects we need to understand in people with autism and how much is involved in making contact! Furthermore, irrespective of this helplessness and vulnerability, people with autism cannot usually perceive the next step, unless it is an extension of an existing preoccupation. The outside world may well become more inaccessible because of the designed structural and support frameworks, i.e. a dangerous jungle instead of normal society. Other than this vulnerability and dependence, the counsellor should be able to see someone’s qualities and abilities, listen to someone’s desires and look for an opportunity to achieve something with them. To put it in a nutshell, assistance with activities, investigations, trials etc. and the provision of stimulation are essential qualities.

Stability in stressful situations: keeping your feet on the ground

This quality is particularly important when supporting someone with aggressive, or other, challenging behaviour. Threatening behaviour, aggressive outbursts, self-mutilation or claims all have an effect on someone. It is important not only to look at it from a distance, but also to continue to think and act correctly. In other words, to remain in charge of your own thoughts and actions, notwithstanding the emotional burden that has been created. It is important to remain level headed and keep both feet on the ground in order to promote security, make choices about what should be done first, what action to take and how to say ‘no, stop’. It is not so much a case of being composed, but rather a case of being able to manage one’s own fears and take effective action.

Sense of ethics

Maybe this quality should have been mentioned first, but ‘last but not least’ it is also given a special mention. When looking for contact and reinforcement, and when confronting the excessive behaviour prevalent in some people with autism, a well-developed sense of ethics is essential. Structure implies that one party imposes limits on the other. Dealing with aggression often involves certain restrictions in freedom. In everyday treatment situations it often appears as if the idea is focused on a need ‘to control aggression’ and that in order to provide support, anything goes ‘providing it helps’. There may be a degree of obviousness, about structure and measures to restrict freedom, which is not appropriate. This could inhibit the search for new possibilities, because ‘he needs this restriction and that’s it’. The awareness of the inequality in the balance of power, and its very careful and respectful handling, sometimes tends to erode when working with people that appear ‘different from ordinary people’. This can sometimes generate the dangerous and incorrect assumption that other human standards apply. To deal with very different expressions of human emotion, and continue to see and acknowledge general human standards with respect to independence, freedom, affection and respect, is a huge challenge.

Summary

In principle the counsellor/tutor needs qualities and skills that are important in any educational/support situation. When supporting people with autism these qualities are even more important, as support sometimes stands for guidance, interpretation and mediation. Important qualities include the following: to be able to distance yourself, to release your own standards and expectations, to look at yourself, involvement and detachment, ability to structure, emancipate, sense of ethics. Significant conditional factors for the success of the support/education programme include: knowledge of autism, employment support or intervision, sometimes special training (to deal with aggression) and support from a behavioural scientist or psychiatrist.