Managing Wandering and Eloping for Students with Autism & Low-Incidence Disabilities

Eloping can be a common classroom behavior that causes a great deal of alarm due to safety concerns and how challenging it is to manage. In today's Around Town Round Up we are sharing intervention ideas, safety supports, and resources to help manage wandering and eloping behaviors for students with autism and low-incidence disabilities.

Interventions

As with any interfering behavior, it is important to determine the function so that function-based interventions can be implemented. Use a Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) or Motivation Assessment Scale (MAS) to determine the specific reason why the student is eloping since it can meet a variety of wants or needs. There are four main functions of behavior: Sensory, Escape, Attention, and Tangible. Additionally, behavior is often used as a way to communicate so Communication can be considered another function of behavior especially when eloping is used to meet a variety of needs. Below we will describe what eloping may look like for each behavior function as well as strategies to try. 

Function: Sensory

Looks Like:

• Student enjoys running
• Student is in constant motion
• Student seeks vestibular input  

Sensory Interventions for Eloping:

• consult with OT
• proactively schedule vestibular input (i.e. swinging, delivery job)
• use alternative seating to provide vestibular input (i.e. Zuma rocker, rocking chair, therapy ball)

Function: Escape

Looks Like:

• Student runs as soon as work is presented
• Student runs when the environment is overstimulating

Escape Interventions for Eloping: 

• incorporate special interests
• reduce task demands
• use forced choices
• develop reinforcement system
• use visual supports to communicate work expectations (i.e. visual contract, structured work system, To Do list, visual countdown)

Function: Attention

Looks Like: 

• Student appears to find enjoyment in being chased
• Student turns and looks for adults before running

Attention Interventions for Eloping: 

• refrain from emotional response
• do not chase student because this can create a game

Function: Tangible

Looks Like: 

• Student runs to another area of the classroom or school to attempt to gain access to a preferred item

Tangible Interventions for Eloping: 

• develop reinforcement system to allow student to earn time to run
• use visual supports or social stories to remind student when they can run (i.e. P.E., outdoor recess)

Function: Communication

Looks Like:   

• Student runs to communicate a variety of functions

Communication Interventions for Eloping:   

• consult with SLP
• provide direct instruction of replacement communication modes
• provide visual cue and/or AAC to facilitate replacement communication

Safety Supports

When eloping is at its most extreme, it may be necessary to implement one or more safety measures to make it more challenging for the student to elope outside of the classroom. You may need to get prior approval from administrators before implementing some of these supports.

Furniture Arrangement	Make a path using furniture to make accessing the door more challenging.
Portable Furniture	Use furniture that can temporarily block the door but be moved during transitions.
Dividers	Dividers can be used to make a pathway or as a temporary barrier.
Covered Doors	Cover doors if students are easily distracted or tempted (i.e. playground, peers passing, etc).
Door Alarm https://a.co/d/76gwFll	Door alarms alert staff when a student has opened the door. Some can be adjusted for volume and tones.
Child-Safety Locks Lever Lock: https://a.co/d/eknghZ6 Knob Lock: https://a.co/d/20uLYlH	Child-safety locks prevent students from opening the door but usually allow the door to easily be opened from the outside.
Door Latch https://a.co/d/dLmxQVB	Door latches can be placed out of reach from students.
Baby Gate Retractable Gate: https://a.co/d/1tFIFhk  Standard Gate: https://a.co/d/7H2JACk	Baby gates prevent students from easily leaving the classroom.

Wandering/Elopement Resources

• Autism Speaks Safety Kit
• Big RED Safety Toolkit for Teachers
• Big RED Safety Toolkit for Caregivers
• Be REDy Booklets for Teachers, Caregivers, and First Responders
• Wandering Prevention Tips
• Wandering and Autism Brochure
• Free JagTag bracelets from EmPath for Autism

• The Cincinnati Children's DDBP Social Workers for families has compiled a list of resources and products to reduce safety risk which includes Elopement and Wandering