Autism and Understanding Anxiety: Autistic Children and Young People with High Care and Education Needs

Autism and Understanding Anxiety: Autistic Children and Young People with High Care and Education Needs Anxiety is a common and understandable experience for many autistic children and young people, particularly in environments that are unpredictable, sensory intense, or socially demanding. Anxiety should be understood as a signal of nervous system stress, not as misbehaviour or defiance. Parents and education professionals are often the first to notice subtle changes that indicate rising stress. When families and schools work collaboratively, responses to anxiety can be more timely, compassionate, and effective. Participants will: Learn to identify individual signs of increasing anxiety and stress responses. Develop proactive strategies that reduce demands, increase predictability, and support regulation. Gain an introduction to cognitively based supports that can be adapted to be accessible, flexible, and developmentally appropriate for autistic children and young people with high care needs.