Callum’s story – Rugby.
Callum has been supported by Circles Network in the community for over six years. He is now 20 years old and has an autism spectrum condition, alongside epilepsy, which presents with infrequent tonic-clonic seizures.
Callum enjoys the sensory experiences of long walks in the countryside.
When he first began working with Circles Network he had a strong fear of animals.
This was especially difficult on the walks he enjoyed. He had a fear of dogs, in particular.
Over time the team have desensitised him to dogs, by changing the locations of his weekly walks from dog-free parks to parks where regular dog walkers can also be seen in the parks.
He used to feel the need to cross the road, or path, to avoid a dog that he will now walk straight past without any fear.
Circles Network continues to support Callum during his education breaks.
This provides an opportunity for facilitators to engage Callum in a wider range of activities. He’s spent some time over at our salon Flaunt & Flourish.
During the session he has interacted with team members, students, clients and engaged in various tasks.
His interpersonal skills have greatly improved over the years and he has become better at communicating verbally, relying less and less on PICS cards.
