Services for Parents & Families
- custom made visual supports for self help, school/home rules, task analysis
- child safety information
- early intervention specialist -pre-school curriculum available - ”Creative Curriculum for Preschool”
- play, social and communication skills
- behaviour assessment, enhancement
- enhanced family engagement
- creativity, art and music-play groups
Guidelines for parents in search of intervention options (derived from the Autism Society of America)
- Will the treatment result in harm to my child?
- How will failure of the treatment affect my child and family?
- Has the treatment been validated scientifically?
- Are there assessment procedures specified?
- How will the treatment be integrated into my child's current program? Do not become so infatuated with a given treatment that functional curriculum, vocational life, and social skills are ignored.
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) also suggests questions for parents to ask:
- How successful has the program been for other children?
- How many children have gone on to placement in a regular school and how have they performed?
- Do staff members have training and experience in working with children and adolescents with autism?
- How are activities planned and organised?
- Are there predictable daily schedules and routines?
- How much individual attention will my child receive?
- How is progress measured? Will my child's behavior be closely observed and recorded?
- Will my child be given tasks and rewards that are personally motivating?
- Is the environment designed to minimize distractions?
- Will the program prepare me to continue the therapy at home?
- What is the cost, time commitment, and location of the program?
