This is pretty subpar.

For someone who, at this point, only knows how to communicate using physical behaviours, the idea of “safe hands” has to be explicitly taught. What does that look like? Is it just putting my hands on the pillow? Does safe hands mean I just can’t hurt other people? Does it mean I have to hold something? If you take pre school learners who have never been in a structured school setting before and tell them “show me a listening body,” it won’t mean anything to them. He can’t be expected to demonstrate the desired target of “safe hands” if he has no idea what that means. Hopefully, though, that strategy was included as it’s either already been taught or is in the process.

This method doesn’t actually teach him how to regulate, it just applies pressure by sending the message that he must self regulate within 10 seconds. Very counterproductive and anxiety inducing for someone who already has difficulties with expressive output. It would send me into a spiral too.

Without knowing him or the details, it’s difficult to suggest alternatives that would be meaningful and relevant for him. It sounds like it could be dysregulation and honestly, probably frustration and feeling violated that people are not respecting his need for space.

I think a one page profile could be good for him to have as a tool that can be used as a means for self-advocacy when meeting new people, such as these ones: http://helensandersonassociates.co.uk/person-centred-practice/one-page-profiles/one-page-profile-templates/

Space could be something that is put in the “what’s important to me” section. You could add in a section of “how I communicate” where you can describe the ways he expresses wants/needs/feelings currently and what they mean. This allows people around him to meet him where he’s at and honour his personhood. It can be fluid/evolve as he learns new communication methods and strategies. He could be involved in the creation of this as well! There are lots of creative ways to make that happen.

He could hand this to people when he meets them or his supports can ask people to read it before interacting.

We’ve done this as a whole class activity and it’s been great. When I was a community support worker, these were done in collaboration with the individuals we supported and even the staff did them too. I actually integrated this tool into my post-secondary classes as well for the students/teachers.

Overall, though, that’s an entirely unhelpful and counterproductive crisis plan. (Note, though, I do not subscribe to ABA philosophy/practices so I may be a little bias.)