Autism Advisory & Intervention Service (AAIS)

The Autism Advisory and Intervention Service (AAIS) provides advice, guidance and support to educational settings in order to promote best practice for children and young people with autism. The AAIS also offers a range of trainings available to setting staff, parents and carers. The AAIS consists of professionals who have specific training, knowledge and experience in supporting children and young people with autism.  The teams consist of classroom assistants, autism intervention officers, advisory teachers and assistant advisory officers.

The role of the AAIS is to build the capacity of school staff to enable children and young people with autism to achieve their full potential.  AAIS provides a range of support to enhance capacity building within school settings. The support may include advice to school staff through consultation, training to parents and staff and individual pupil intervention. Support to pupils will incorporate a wide range of interventions and approaches based on best practice guidelines which will be delivered on an individual needs lead basis.

The AAIS is committed to delivering high levels of quality support for children and young people referred by the early years SEN panel or Educational Psychology Service at Stages 3 or 5 of the SEN Code of Practice.

• Capacity building within schools
• Advice to Teachers through consultation
• Training to school staff
• Training to Parents
•  Individual pupil intervention

The AAIS training programmes promote capacity building among Learning Support Co-ordinators, teachers, classroom assistants, parents and carers. The Education Authority second level service for supporting those with autism is the provision by the Middletown Centre for Autism, MCA. The AAIS and MCA work collaboratively together to ensure a consistent approach in supporting the personal, social and educational development of children and young people with autism.

Schools should also observe Department of Education recommendations such as the ‘Good Practice Guidelines’ documentation (DE 2009) and the ‘Resource file for children with special educational needs’ (DE 2011).

AAIS information Line telephone number:

AAIS Office Contact Details