This website has been developed using the following principles and values:
Nothing about us without us – This website and the work that GMAC and GM Autism undertake will ensure there has been engagement and co-production with people with lived experience of autism.
Underpinned by Thrive – The THRIVE Framework provides a set of principles for creating coherent mental health and wellbeing support for children, young people and families. THRIVE Framework for system change PDF.
The framework aims to talk about mental health and mental health support in a common language that everyone understands. The Framework is needs-led and is currently being used to inform the GM Needs led Neurodevelopmental Pathway strategy work. Mental Health needs are defined by children, young people and families alongside professionals through shared decision making. Needs are not based on severity, diagnosis or health care pathways.
Evidence based – As much as possible this website will feature evidence-based practice or information that is well respected and professional. If you see anything that does not fit with this please let us know
Strengths based/ Neuroaffirmative – This website strives to be neuroaffirmative and to refer to neurodivergence in a strengths based way. If you feel any of the content falls short of this please get in touch
Peer Support – At GMAC and GM Autism we believe that the best kind of support is often one that another person with lived experience can offer and we aim to promote peer support models through this website
Partnership and collaborative working – We support the idea that the Greater Manchester area is a community and sharing resources and ideas and supporting one another makes for a stronger region
WARMTH framework – We support the use of these principles which has been developed by a group of Neurodivergent young people (Spectrum Gaming), and is widely used across Greater Manchester:
Wellbeing First: Focusing on wellbeing, above all else, is really important.
Affirming Practice: Everyone is different, and this difference is part of natural human variation. This means it is important to move towards using an approach that accepts and accommodates for all differences, whether young people have a diagnosis or not.
Relational Approach: Adopting a relational approach doesn’t mean having no rules or expectations. It is making the recognition that behaviourist practice (looking at behaviour and not the underlying reasons behind it) is not the best way to create an environment where young people feel safe, can thrive and that there are ways of supporting young people that work better for everyone.
Mutual Support and Partnership: There is often a lot of tension between professionals and families when things feel very ‘stuck’. This part of the framework is about how we can work together, with the knowledge that we are all working together to try and achieve the same thing: the best possible outcomes for young people.
Timely Response: It is important to:
Give young people and their family members information, knowledge, support and tools before any struggles are experienced.
Take family concerns seriously and act quickly. The quicker support is offered when concerns are identified, the less likely young people will reach crisis.
Holistic Support: How can we take a whole family/ service/ wider approach with what we do?
GMAC and GM Autism also support the use of the SPELL framework
SPELL is the National Autistic Society’s framework for understanding and responding to the needs of autistic children and adults. It focuses on five principles (Structure Positive (approaches and expectations),Empathy, Low arousal and Links), that have been identified as vital elements of good practice when working with autistic people, and emphasises ways to change the environment and our approaches to meet the specific needs of each person.
