Every young person is unique and needs an individual approach. This applies all the more to the young people at Acato. Our pupils all have a different background, different problems and a different image of the future. All our pupils therefore have an individual timetable, their own mentor and their own development route.

Tailor-made personal assistance

In order to be able to guide all these young people properly, our team consists of teachers, coaches, (youth) aid workers and experts by experience. The team is advised by an experienced GZ-psychologist.

After the settling-in period, a personal development path is mapped out with the pupil, the parents and any supervisors, and goals are set. Together they also decide which team member will be the mentor of the pupil. Mentor and pupils have weekly lessons together and/or a meeting. At least once every eight weeks, the goals are evaluated and adjusted.

Working from ACM

We work from the Autism Central Methodology, which we consciously choose because it focuses on the individuality of a person.

The following principles are important here:

• Autistic thinking: Good coaching starts with good understanding. Learning to understand each other.
• Basic rest: Provide adaptations in the environment so that the pupil can seek and find rest himself.
• Concrete communication: a way of communicating that is understandable for everyone.
• Double track :Creating a safe environment but also teaching the pupil to have an eye for other things. What moves other people, society, what is expected of you later on.
• Individuality: In all the above-mentioned matters, the human being, and who he is, plays the most important central role. How the environment is adapted and what you learn to take into account depends on your own place in life, your character and your ambitions and motivations.
• Functionality: Ultimately, everything a pupil learns must have meaning. Be useful for his future. To lead him to an independent life, which he will start with confidence, with curiosity and also with a bit of healthy tension and above all knowing who you can rely on and where you can get help and support.

Team quality

Our team includes teachers, coaches, (youth) care workers and experience experts and is advised by an experienced GZ-psychologist. In addition, many volunteers work with us and we supervise interns from various colleges, such as Social Work. Our employees have relevant education (e.g. teacher's qualification). Volunteers and interns are in training, experience experts or bring in other important expertise. All team members have a recent Certificate of Good Conduct and have signed a confidentiality agreement.

The following roles are reflected in our team:

• Mentors are the point of contact for pupils, their parents, tutors and specific teachers of that pupil
• Day guards are supervisors who are responsible for the smooth running of a specific day. On that day, they are the contact point for all people present.
• Teachers and supervisors teach in small groups or individually. They can also be volunteers or interns, but they are always accompanied by, for example, the day guard or mentor.

There is also a coordinator who (together with the director) takes care of coordination, communication and consultation.

In order to continue to improve the quality of guidance, the following meetings are held annually:

• At least three times a year, there is a supervisor meeting where cases are discussed and there is room for deepening the ACM.
• There is a mentor meeting at least four times a year. In this meeting, pupils are discussed, but there is also an evaluation of the daily course of affairs and what can be improved.
• Every week, pupil meetings are planned in which specific pupils are discussed. If necessary and useful, external experts are also invited to these meetings.
• Each day ends with a written or oral evaluation.

Collaborations

Where necessary and/or useful, we like to work together with other parties. For example, we have a counsellor from Boba who supervises a pupil within the school and we call in specialised assistance when necessary. For example, we worked together with the Ambulatorium in Leiden to draw up a new development path for a pupil.

Reporting and (legal) agreements

Reporting and communication on goals and progress is done through Zilliz, an accredited and therefore safe system for care administration. Also parent(s)/caregiver(s), supervisors and sometimes the student himself/herself have access to this system through the extranet. In this way, all information can be shared safely within the team, but also with other parties involved. Among other things, daily reports, lesson reports and pupil reports are made. Incidents are also recorded. Action plans and evaluations can also be found here.

On Zilliz you can also find all the information about our privacy policy, SISA reporting and other procedures:

• Acato is affiliated with SISA, the Closing Approaches Collaboration Instrument.
• Acato adheres to the obligation to report calamities and violence.
• All employees are aware of the privacy policy and adhere to it.