Social stories are a social learning tool meant to support the exchange of information between caregivers, professionals, and Autistic people.
The role of those who develop social stories is to work on behalf of the Autistic person, personalizing the content to their needs and goals.
Their intended purpose was to help Autistic kids understand social nuances and feel more comfortable in uncertain situations, which actually sounds like something I would have found useful as a kid (…or as an adult).
Unfortunately, they frequently morph into something less considerate and more controlling.
Many are generic and aimed at controlling the behaviour of Autistic children to suit the whims of the adults in their lives.
People deserve better than to be manipulated under the guise of social “support”.
© Jillian Enright, Neurodiversity MB
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Social story users seem to fill the same role for autistic people that agents and managers do for writers and performers in the arts. In both cases, they can be useful, but, in the more extreme situations, the trusted people can end up ripping off the supposed beneficiary...