Residential
ESPA has a wide range of residential services across Sunderland, Durham and North Tyneside for people on the autism spectrum.
Each service is unique and individually tailored to meet the needs, wishes and expectations of the individuals living there. These services range from single person apartments to shared living arrangements.
Most of the people we supports have challenging and complex needs. Many individuals also have additional or associated difficulties or disabilities. Therefore all our services offer intensive and specialist support in highly structured autism-specific environments.
Person-centered planning and on-going consultation ensures that everyone enjoys a full and active lifestyle of their choice within their home and community. Each person receives structured and consistent support from highly skilled, experienced and knowledgeable staff.
Autism-specific approaches and practices are embedded within everything we do. We develop and deliver individualised behavioural support programmes based on non-aversive principles. Our multi-disciplinary team are all specialists in autism and support the work of our staff teams. Everyone is committed to providing a highly flexible and responsive service that enables people to live a life they enjoy.
Each home recognises the sensory needs that some people on the autism spectrum experience and this is reflected in all activities, the environments and daily practices. The use of visual schedules, structured T.E.A.C.C.H activities also help to create structure and routine for the people we support. Staff teams recognise the very diverse ways in which the people choose to communicate and interact. We use an approach called Intensive Interaction which many people find very beneficial.
For many people these services have provided a positive learning opportunity and stepping stone that has enabled them to successfully move on to more independent living.