Respite aims to alleviate the stress and burden of caring for someone with an intellectual disability and/or autism. Respite can take place in a number of different ways, but most commonly occurs in a residential setting. Based on survey and interview data with carers (CAs), service users and stakeholders (STs) in a northern city in England, this…

Background: Intensive Interaction is an approach to developing the pre-verbal communication and sociability of people with severe or profound and multiple learning disabilities and autism. Previous research has indicated many potential benefits; however, the approach is not consistently used in social care. Aim: To report on the significant and…

Three case studies investigated the effect of the characteristics of autism upon researchers' abilities to elicit children's (ages 7-14) opinions about short-term residential care. Autism affected all three children's abilities to participate in the consultation process, they were calmer with known adults, and visually mediated methods…