Options Autism Centre – West London
Options Autism Centre is a well-established, independent living and life skills provision for autistic adults.
Places are available to both SEN and Adult Social Care funded individuals. The service is well placed to manage the transition from SEN to Adult Social Care whilst maintaining continuity of placement. We offer individualised programmes which are designed to meet the complex needs of each of our students, as well as to increase their sense of personal independence.
We adopt a person-centred approach by identifying very specific areas of learning and support required for each one of our students and then engineering a timetable specifically tailored to meet their individual needs and targets. Sessions currently include, but are not limited to; cookery, social skills, vocational skills, functional literacy, numeracy and ICT, Image in Action, independent living skills, social skills, Lego therapy, art as therapy, fitness and work experience. We endeavour to equip our students with a skill set to lead as independent a life as possible; these can be things that you may take for granted like making a cup of tea, or something more complicated such as finding employment.
It is our vision to improve the quality of life for our students and promote awareness and understanding of autism spectrum conditions.”
We provide opportunities for adults to complete bespoke accredited courses. College staff work closely with other professional colleagues to form a multi-disciplinary team, providing a holistic approach to each student’s welfare and well-being.
With a 43 week service available to all those who attend the centre, adults are typically funded through adult social care or SEN, but we also welcome those with direct or private payments.
We are committed to empowering students to access opportunities that maximise their potential. An individualised, thriving programme is devised using the student’s specific care plan or EHCP, making life easier when living with autism. All targets set will be realistic to ensure each of our students has the best opportunity to work towards, leading a truly independent life.
Address: Options Autism Centre, The Courtyard Campus, Hayes, Middlesex
Telephone: 02085 737419
Email: info@wlcc-uk.com
Our Services
We currently have four distinct sites. Individual needs and targets are assessed and then a placement is offered at the site that can best meet that individual’s needs.
Each site runs practical, holistic and educational sessions with flexible group sizes and support ratios. Each site is designed to provide a safe, caring and autism-focussed environment where each of our adults can be empowered, through support and opportunities, to maximise their own potential and to go on to lead fulfilling and independent lives.
Respite
We offer a 43 week a year respite service on Saturdays from 09:00 – 16:30. The service is offered at our Stables Courtyard campus and incorporates activities available across all four of our sites. Adults have the opportunity to access a respite service that is held exclusively during the day.
A typical respite placement involves an overnight stay, something that the adults who currently access the service would struggle with; due to anxieties surrounding the transition from home to overnight respite. We offer a meaningful, fulfilling and person-centred respite service.
VINE HOUSE
Ideally located between Uxbridge, Hayes and West Drayton, Vine House is our new adult’s day service offering individualised programmes which are designed to meet complex needs and help to develop independence for adults aged 16+ with autism, learning difficulties and associated complex needs.
Accommodating 8 students, Vine House provides a safe, stimulating and nurturing environment, alongside person centred programmes designed to specifically promote independence and encourage the growth and development of each individual.
At Vine House our aim is to empower adults to develop the skills, knowledge and understanding required to enable individuals to achieve as fulfilled, meaningful and independent life as possible through the provision of high quality, personalised educational programmes.
The sessions we offer focus on developing communication skills, social integration, increasing confidence and maximising independence, all carefully regulated towards each student’s level of ability.
Practical tasks such as Cooking, Communication Skills, Art Therapy and Music Therapy are offered whilst trips to restaurants, supermarkets and local leisure facilities are also incorporated in order to enable individuals to take an active part in the community.
Other sessions offered include; functional skills, social drama, ICT and vocational skills
Every individual benefits from 1:1 support from an experienced Life Skills Practitioner, as well as having access to their own personal key-worker, an Occupational Therapist, a Speech and Language Therapist and an autism-specific counsellor.
We are committed to providing stable, secure and supportive environments, in which individuals are empowered to flourish and lead happy and fulfilling lives.
Facilities
- State of the art sensory room
- Teaching kitchen
- Quiet library space
- Purpose built classroom
- Common room
- An attractive and peaceful outside space
ASTON HOUSE
Ideally located in the heart of Uxbridge town centre, Aston House is our newest adult’s day service, which has been designed to provide two distinct and unique services for our students:
Vocational Provision: For years we have struggled to find local companies willing and able to offer our students meaningful work experience opportunities. The local authorities seem to have reacted to this and are now working to provide opportunities for individuals on the autism spectrum. The service will be looking to work closely with the local authorities to support our students into voluntary and paid work experience posts in a number of different fields. The posts themselves will be underpinned by the vocational skills sessions completed by all of our students at the college. These sessions will cover; communication skills, CV writing, interview skills, health and safety in the workplace and food hygiene, as well as a variety of specific job development courses.
Day Service: We will also be running a high quality day service from Aston House. Each student accessing this service will be given a person-centred timetable designed to meet the specific, and often complex, needs of adults aged 16+ with autism and learning difficulties. The aim will be to empower those accessing the service to develop their levels of independence and progress towards self-actualisation, in a safe and stimulating environment, through sessions that include, but are not limited to, community access, communication skills, social skills, life skills and cooking skills. Those accessing the service will also have a number of therapeutic sessions at their disposal, including Art as Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Music as Therapy, as well as input from our own Speech and Language Therapist, Occupational Therapists and Autism-specific counsellors.
The Life Skills Practitioners at Aston House are committed to providing an extremely high level of care in a safe and supportive environment.
Facilities
- State of the art computer suite
- Teaching kitchen
- Purpose built classrooms
- Common room
- Fantastic location in the heart of Uxbridge town centre
COLNE LODGE
Colne Lodge is situated in Uxbridge, on the bank of the River Colne. This college site provides a perfect environment for students with high communication and support needs and can accommodate ten students. The service has also been designed to be suitable for individuals reliant on hoists and wheelchairs.
The service employs a person-centred approach and offers sessions which include; swimming, sensory play, occupational therapy, speech and language, cookery, shopping, functional numeracy and literacy and community access.
Each student has a bespoke timetable created to meet their needs and targets, identified during our robust assessment process. All Life Skills Practitioners at Colne Lodge are trained to deliver personal care safely and effectively, whilst maintaining our student’s dignity.
Facilities
- Autism-friendly classrooms
- State of the art Sensory Room
- Fully Enclosed Idyllic Garden
- Therapeutic Rooms
- Trampoline and Sensory Swings
- Summer House
THE STABLES COURTYARD
Located in Hayes, our Stables Courtyard campus (a beautiful Grade II-listed building) is surrounded by many of the local amenities; all of which we like to access and integrate into our session plans, in order to expose our students to the community environment; whilst maintaining a specialised and safe level of support.
Accommodating 25 students, the area is also well connected to local public transport, with central London a simple train ride away. Having one of the world’s leading capital cities on our doorstep means that the students are often in the privileged position of being able to suggest, plan and participate in life enhancing excursions, with community access proving to be an invaluable session on the college timetable.
Progress made by students at WLCC is closely monitored by session facilitators and key workers alike, to ensure that each individual maximises their potential whilst in our care.
Although the majority of our timetabled sessions are facilitated by an experienced group of Life Skills Practitioners, we also offer the students’ various therapies delivered by a hand-picked team of trained professionals.
These sessions include speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and autism-specific counselling, and are designed to help the students develop coping strategies and improve communication techniques, as well as providing a safe forum in which to express themselves.
Facilities
- Wellbeing Room
- Speech and Language and Occupational Therapists
- Behaviour Support Group
- Work Experience Programme
- Respite Service
- 2 Computer Suites
- Large Common Room
- Counselling Room
- All-Weather Sensory Garden
- IPads for Students
- Interactive Smart-Boards
Kind words from Parents
Meet Our Team
SALIMA BEGUM – Deputy Service Manager
Salima is a resilient individual with great experience in the care industry. Consistent, positive and proactive, Salima understands the importance of her work as demonstrated by her willingness in putting the support and wellbeing of students at the forefront of every decision. Delivering work to the agreed professional standards. Salima started her career at West London Community College; as a Vocational Training Officer then became a Senior Life Skills practitioner, having recently been promoted to the role of Deputy Service Manager, she now will be managing the four locations of West London Community College.
Salima is looking forward to the continual development of our services and tackling the new challenges that this will bring.
Kevin Coakley – Head of Curriculum
Kevin has been a teacher for over 30 years. He has worked in a range of special school provisions, both primary and secondary covering a range of needs including MLD, SLD, S&L and SPLD mostly recently 9 years at Hillingdon Manor School where he was joint Head of Sixth form supporting students with more significant needs and leading and implementing a new curriculum with a focus on Employability and Independence. Kevin has a strong focus on students being ready for life and moving them towards goals such as paid or supported employment, independent or supported living or developing life and social skills. Kevin is now the Head of Curriculum for West London Community College & Syon Manor Colleges.
Sweta Kanodia – SEN Coordinator
Sweta has recently joined the company. Sweta has experience working with SEN and is a qualified teacher. Sweta’s experience consists of teaching, mentoring and providing pastoral care across a wide range of ages and abilities of students who have Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities, Complex Learning Needs and Autism. Her knowledge ranges from levels of Pre-Entry level Milestones 1 to 8 and Entry 1-3.