Explore the support.
Understand the fit.

Changing noise, space, timing, information or task conditions to address a specific barrier, with the young person’s participation, comfort and choice guiding review.

Coordinating assessment, environmental changes and individual support around a person’s daily life, with adult responsibilities and meaningful outcomes made explicit and reviewed.

Help a young person understand and influence possible therapeutic contact. Adults make the offer clearer and more reliable, while preserving choices about whether and how to take part.

Structured choice gives a young person real, understandable options and support to compare them. Review whether their decision is honoured and whether the arrangement improves access and influence.

Communication partner strategies change how adults listen, wait, respond and repair misunderstandings. Explore specific partner actions that help a young person express meaningful messages through their preferred communication methods.

Augmentative and alternative communication combines methods that supplement or replace speech. Explore reliable access to personally meaningful messages, with suitable assessment, partner support, backup and independent authorship.

Preparing willing peers to support reciprocal communication and shared activities, with adult responsibility, meaningful roles and everyone’s experience guiding the plan and review.

Organising decisions around a young person’s priorities, accessible contribution and real choices, with named adult responsibilities and a clear review of what actually happens.

De-escalation changes immediate adult responses and conditions to reduce distress and danger. Preserve communication and support, use the appropriate safety pathway, and review the young person’s experience afterwards.