2021 Annual Report

T b t life p sib

2021 Annual Report

Contents

Our Strategic Directions

4

Services Overview

6

It is estimated that 1 in 100 people in Australia have Autism

President’s Report

15

Chief Executive Officer's Report

18

Services Delivered 2020-2021

19

Therapy and Clinical Services

20

AIM Employment Program

22

Community Living

24

Individual Options

26

Short Breaks

28

Diagnostic Clinics

31

Regional Services

33

Community Development and Inclusion

34

Autism in the Arts

36

Autism in Cricket

37

Autism Champions

38

Collaboration with Health Care

40

Autism Alert Card

43

Support for Parents and Families

45

International Collaboration

46

Autism Awareness Month

48

Fundraising and Community Engagement

49

In Conclusion

50

Autism Association of Western Australia - Annual Report 2021 2

What is Autism?

Autism Spectrum Disorder* is a neurodevelopmental condition that impacts on child development in a number of key areas, including communication, social interaction and repetitive patterns of behaviour. Autism is frequently associated with sensory sensitivities and sensory processing difficulties. While Autism Spectrum Disorder is a complex lifelong developmental disability, with appropriate intervention children and adults with Autism can make significant progress and live fulfilling lives. Consequently, it is imperative that individuals with Autism have access to specialist services that understand their needs and are experienced in developing their skills and strengths. *For ease of use, the term“Autism”will be used throughout this report to refer to Autism Spectrum Disorder.

1 in 100

Autism Association of Western Australia - Annual Report 2021 3

Our Strategic Directions

Our Purpose To advance the personal development, equality of opportunity and community participation of people with Autism and related disabilities

Our Values Passion

to make the greatest difference for the uniqueness of each person

Respect

to treat individuals and families as we ourselves would like to be treated

Commitment Excellence Innovation

in all that we undertake

to fulfill dreams and aspirations

to strenuously advocate for people with Autism and their families

Courage

Our Culture Belief

in great possibilities for every child and adult with Autism

Driven to assist each individual to achieve Respect for individuals, families and advocates Learn from people with Autism and their families Dream we dream BIG for each individual

Our Vision What we work to achieve: • All children with Autism have a great start in life • All children with Autism receive the education they need

• All adults with Autism receive the support they need to lead an ordinary life • A community where people with Autism are understood, accepted and celebrated

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Goal 1

Enhance the lives of people with Autism

Goal 2

Support families and carers

Goal 3

Influence and promote best practice

Goal 4

Increase organisational capacity and efficiency

Autism Association of Western Australia - Annual Report 2021 5

The First Steps for Autism Early School Age Service The School Age Service provides a comprehensive range of intervention, therapy, and support to school age children between 6 and 18 years of age. Our multidisciplinary team of Speech Pathologists, Occupational Therapists, Psychologists and Teachers work together to respond to the needs of each individual child and their family. Our service is child and family centred, and works collaboratively with schools, other community services and the family to maximise the educational and social progress of each child. For Children AutismAdvisor Program This service provides information and advice to individuals and families. We also provide support prior to, during, and following diagnosis. This includes guidance on services, pathways for early intervention and assistance to access the NDIS. Intervention Program The Early Intervention Program provides multidisciplinary therapy for children up to 7 years of age and is based on a wide body of up to date international research. The Program operates with an experienced clinical team, including Speech Pathologists, Psychologists, Occupational Therapists and Early Childhood Educators. Each family is assigned a therapist who partners with a family to develop individual intervention plans that are tailored to the needs of each child. The aim of the Program is to maximise child development and inclusion in mainstream settings.

Services Overview The Autism Association of Western Australia is one of Australia’s largest Autism specific service providers, and the only specialist organisation providing a full range of services for children and adults in Australia. Established in 1967, our services are person-centred and based on leading international peer-reviewed research in the field of Autism. We are deeply committed to enhancing the quality of life of every individual with Autism and their families and are passionate about supporting them to live their best life possible.

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Short Breaks for Children (Respite) Short Breaks provides a home away from home where children 6 to 18 years old can stay on weekends or school holidays to do the things they enjoy, explore friendships, and build confidence and independence. Short breaks are provided in a range of ways either at one of our homes in the suburbs, at the child’s own home, or through our community support programs.

Positive Behaviour Service The Positive Behaviour Service supports individuals 6 years and over with complex needs who are living at home with their family. The team is multidisciplinary and works closely with individuals and families to support them to achieve positive outcomes.

Autism Association of Western Australia - Annual Report 2021 7

For Adults Autism Association of Western Australia - Annual Report 2021 8

Individual Options There are a range of support services that can be chosen by the individual and their family to assist them to participate in the community as well as at home. We work closely with each person to identify the support that best suits them. Our aim is to provide the support the person wants, at the time they want it and in ways that meet their needs. This can include developing a range of new skills and lifelong learning initiatives towards independence, further education, volunteering, or pre-employment assistance.

AIM Employment Our AIM Employment Program is a highly regarded specialist employment service focusing on securing and maintaining employment for people with Autism. As the only specialist Autism employment service in Australia; we provide comprehensive support to individuals to find jobs that are matched to their goals, skills, and abilities. Employment opportunities encompass a range of work settings from individual commercial environments to supported group business partnerships. Each person is provided on-the-job training and continuing support tailored to their needs.

Community Living This service provides support to adults moving from their family home and into a home of their own. Options include support to live independently close to family and friends. In addition, we support individuals to share a home with one other person, or to live with a small group that is comprehensively supported. There are also several other options that can be discussed with our Community Living Team. The underlying principle is that we work with each person to have their individual needs and preferences met.

Therapy and Clinical Support Program This service assists adults to develop their skills, maximise their independence, and participate in the community. Our multidisciplinary team draws on the strengths of a range of Therapists from different professional backgrounds to create a service that is tailored to each individual’s needs and aspirations. We work closely with each person and their family to achieve outcomes that are important to them in a range of natural environments including home, education, employment, and recreation settings.

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Parent Training and Workshops

Information and Advice Our advisory and consultancy services are available to all families and community members. This is an important service, giving families and individuals access to advice and support when they need it. We provide a range of information via brochures, fact sheets, and offer general and specialised consultancy online, via the phone or face-to-face. We also have a range of publications available addressing important topics for people with Autism and their families.

First Steps for Autism Day Care This service provides a long day care setting for children 2 to 5 years old who have received an Autism diagnosis or are currently going through the diagnostic process. The Autism-specific curriculum incorporates the Early Years Learning Framework, as part of the National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education and Care. Each child’s program is designed based on their learning profile and skills development.

Parents and family training workshops are provided across several of our services including Early Intervention, School Age Services, and Behaviour Support Programs. Parent training workshops are designed to provide information, practical strategies, and resources to support families in managing everyday situations. These sessions can be delivered as part of a group, one-on-one in the family home, or through webinars.

For Families Autism Association of Western Australia - Annual Report 2021 10

Support Groups Raising a child or supporting an older person with Autism places a range of different demands on families. Our support groups are tailored to the family’s journey and focus on the needs of families at different stages of their life. Groups are available for families of newly diagnosed children, school age children, adolescents, and adults with Autism.

Autism Association of Western Australia - Annual Report 2021 11

Additional Support Autism Association of Western Australia - Annual Report 2021 12

Support Coordination

Diagnosis We provide specialist diagnostic services for children from the age of 2 years old. We also provide a specialist Youth Diagnostic Clinic for individuals from 13 years to 30 years old. The specialist assessment teams include a consultant Paediatrician, a consultant Psychiatrist, Psychologists, and Speech Pathologists; each team specialising in different age cohorts.

Professional Training and Development Our multidisciplinary teams provide training services to a range of professionals and other groups including teachers, allied health professionals, service providers, employers, and the broader community. We regularly host leading international training and professional development for researchers and practitioners in the field of Autism through our Masterclass series.

Regional Outreach We offer a range of services to families living in regional and remote areas through our regional support and consultancy. This includes Therapists providing individual support to families and their support networks via teletherapy, telephone and email consultation. Families also have the option to travel to Perth during school holidays to participate in our Intensive Holiday Program. When our Regional Therapy Team aren't traveling to various regional towns to provide training and support, online webinars are provided to families and professionals alike.

The Autism Association's Support Coordinators specialise in supporting people with Autism and their families to understand their NDIS plan and navigate the choice of services and supports available in their area. Support Coordinators have extensive knowledge of Autism-specific services and mainstream supports.

Autism Association of Western Australia - Annual Report 2021 13

Autism Association of Western Australia - Annual Report 2021 14

President’s Report The demand for our services saw continued growth in the last 12 months, resulting in expansion in all service areas. We also continued our work with the disability sector in Western Australia, as well as nationally and internationally. The advent of the COVID-19 Pandemic had a significant impact on operations and required us to adapt our services to the uncertainty of the times. Despite the many challenges, however, high quality service delivery was maintained, and we delivered on our strategic priorities, including strengthening and expanding our service options to individuals and families. This included Therapy and Clinical Services for all ages, Early Intervention for newly diagnosed children, School Age Services, Positive Behaviour Support, community-based support for children and adults, home and living support, employment options and diagnostic services. We also expanded our Children’s Diagnostic Clinic and Youth Diagnostic Clinic in response to ongoing demand. We furthered our work in East Java as part of the Sister State initiative between the West Australian Government and East Java. This contributed to community development best practice support for people with Autism. It was again a strong year for the Board as we considered and reviewed the significant changes and challenges of the environment in which we now operate. In the coming 12 months we will continue on our strategic path of service development and infrastructure development to support planned growth. In concluding this report, I would like to acknowledge and give special thanks to the State Government through Disability Services Department of Communities for their wide-ranging support. I would also like to acknowledge other funding bodies including the Commonwealth Government Department of Social Services. Our thanks also go to Lotterywest for their continuing invaluable support. I would also like to acknowledge and thank all of our staff, led by the Chief Executive Officer, Joan McKenna Kerr, for the significant work undertaken this year and their dedication to the Autism Association’s mission on behalf of people with Autism and their families.

2020-21 marked another great year for the Autism Association.This has been another year of significant work supporting individuals with Autism and their families.

Dr Rob Storer President and Chair of the Board

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The Board

Dr Rob Storer

Mr Geoff Kidd

Mrs Vicki Rank

Emeritus Professor Louis I. Landau AO

CHAIRMAN Dr Storer is a Consultant Anaesthetist and long-term member of the Autism Association. He has been actively involved in leading the Board at a time of major strategic development, maintaining a keen interest in the field of disability as well as Autism. Dr Storer is also a Committee Member of the Western Australian Branch of the Australian Society of Anaesthetists and of the Anaesthetic Departments of both St John of God Subiaco and Murdoch.

VICE CHAIRMAN Mr Kidd is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia and New Zealand and has over 40 years’ experience in professional practice as an accountant and business adviser to a wide range of clients. Until his retirement in 2015, he was the managing partner and chief executive of the Perth office and a member of the national executive of large multinational firm Crowe Horwath. Mr Kidd has been a former state chairman of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and has been a member of a number of not for profit boards, including 10 years as a board member of Lifeline WA.

Mrs Rank is a senior international training specialist in industrial software. She has been a family member of the Autism Association for over 21 years and is married with 2 children. Mrs Rank has been an active member of the Autism Association for more than 2 decades and has supported the Association in public education, fundraising and other projects throughout the years.

Professor Landau was medical advisor to the Western Australian Department of Health. Professor Landau was Executive Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Western Australia for 9 years and was Professor of Paediatrics at Princess Margaret Hospital for Children in Perth. He is the founding Chairman of the Institute for Child Health Research (Telethon Kids Institute) and has served on committees of the National Health and Medical Research Council, the Australian Drug Evaluation Committee, the Australian Medical Council, and the National Asthma Campaign. Professor Landau was awarded Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in 1996 for his contribution to paediatrics and research in respiratory medicine.

Autism Association of Western Australia - Annual Report 2021 16

Mrs Bobby Brownhill

Mr Mark Altus

Dr Duncan Monro

Ms Catriona Macleod

Mr Kostas Konsolis

Dr Monro has over 30 years’ experience as a chartered accountant and business advisor in Australia and internationally. He recently retired as a Principal in the Corporate Finance division of RSM Australia Pty Ltd. He previously worked for the large accounting firms KPMG and Crowe Horwath. He has also worked as the CFO for a small listed company APA Financial Services in Australia. Dr Monro has worked in a diverse selection of industries with a particular focus in mining, manufacturing, government, not-for-profit, property, transport, retail and primary producer sectors. His experience covers a wide range of areas including business valuations, due diligence, business planning, financial mentoring and advisory services for Indigenous entities and general financial consulting.

Ms Macleod is a lawyer and Co-Director of Cullen Macleod Lawyers. Cullen Macleod’s lawyers provide services across 5 specialist teams. Ms Macleod is part of the dispute resolution team that assists businesses and individuals to resolve disputes in a practical and cost-efficient way. Ms Macleod is involved with a number of Boards and Committees across the legal, business, and not-for profit sectors. This includes the Piddington Society (law), the Western Suburbs Business Association, the Subiaco Justice Centre (a community legal centre) and the Perth International Cabaret Festival. As a business owner with a diverse working background in many industries, Ms Macleod brings a broad understanding of these issues to the Board.

Mr Konsolis is an experienced Chief Financial Officer with over 25 years’ experience in the disability sector. He has held positions within the public and private sector including State Government Departments roles with the Department of Treasury and the Department of the Auditor General. Mr Konsolis has served on a range of Advisory bodies and Working Groups, many of which have contributed to the development and shaping of the disability sector both in Western Australia and nationally. This includes roles on the National Disability Services Finance Advisory Group and the Council of DSC Funded Agencies.

Mrs Brownhill has been actively involved in the field of disability over many years both in Australia and overseas. Prior to returning to Western Australia from Melbourne, where she and her family had been living, Mrs Brownhill represented Mansfield Autistic Services on the Victorian State Council for Autism. As the mother of a son with Autism, she is involved with parent support groups and accommodation projects. She is also involved in advocacy for people living with a disability and their parents.

Mr Altus is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and previously chaired the Curtin Business School Advisory Board for the School of Economics and Finance. He has held a number of positions in the Western Australian Department of Treasury, including Director of Revenue and Intergovernmental Relations. He also completed a period of secondment to the University of Western Australia as Executive Director of Finance and Resources and was a member of the University’s Senate Strategic Resources Committee until December 2015. Mr Altus is also a Director of the Lutheran Church of Australia’s APRA-regulated Authorised Deposit Taking Institution and has held positions on the Board’s Risk Committee and Governance & Remuneration Committee.

Autism Association of Western Australia - Annual Report 2021 17

Chief Executive Officer's Report During the past 12 months we delivered on our Strategic Directions by ensuring high quality services, engagement with families, building organisational capacity, service growth and pursuing innovation. While it has also been a year of challenge, especially in relation to the pandemic; we worked through these events, adapted services during the COVID-19 lockdowns, supported individuals and families during local bushfires and ensured that all individuals and families were minimally impacted and supported during these times.

Key achievements include expansion of Early Intervention, School Age Services and Positive Behaviour Support. This year we supported 7,885 service users in all service areas; delivered therapy services to 3,472 children and adults through 9 service hubs across the metropolitan area; assisted over 400 individuals to access employment; expanded diagnostic services for children and youth; established a new early childhood centre in Midland; progressed a major new development in Joondalup; supported parent groups and supported regional services. We opened 4 new shared living homes, supporting a total of 87 community-based homes, including 61 Shared Living homes. In addition, we supported over 4,653 individuals and families through consultancies and assisted over 900 adults with community options. We maintained our international networks this year, including our West Australian Sister State Relationship with East Java, Indonesia. This is part of the State Government’s Sister State Agreement with East Java to support disability inclusion through professional development and community development Again this year, we engaged with research, extended national and state-wide networks while continuing to promote and facilitate ‘best practice’ in the field of Autism. In addition, we were extremely pleased to launch a number of initiatives to support inclusion in the community which have all been extremely well received. This includes, the Autism Alert Card in partnership with the Western Australian Police Force; the Health and Dental Training Program for Allied Health Professionals; as well as the Autism Early Childhood Champions for Day Care Centres across metropolitan and regional Western Australia. We also worked in partnership with the Aboriginal Health Council of Western Australia (AHCWA) to support health professionals who are working directly with Aboriginal communities across Western Australia.

2020-21 has been another pivotal year working to support individuals with Autism and their families with growth across all service areas.

Joan McKenna Kerr Chief Executive Officer

Autism Association of Western Australia - Annual Report 2021 18

Year Highlights 7,885 service users supported this year.

Services Delivered 2020-2021

• State-wide information and advice consultancy services to individuals, families and community members. • Comprehensive Autism diagnosis for children, adolescents and adults up to 30 years. • Transdisciplinary Early Intervention Services for newly diagnosed young children. • School support and therapy services for children and adolescents. • Positive Behaviour Support Programs. • Therapy services for adults. • Individual and Shared Living options to support individuals to live in a home of their own. • Community support programs. • Employment support including job search, on-the-job-training. • Parent MyTime Groups. • After school groups for children and adolescents. • Professional development services for teachers, allied health and others. • Flexible family support tailored to each family’s needs. • Support Coordination services. • Short Breaks Program. • Regional Intensive Holiday Therapy Program and advice and support services for families living in regional Western Australia.

3,472 children, adolescents and adults accessed therapy services this year.

4,653 consultancies undertaken with families and stakeholders.

952 Children received early intervention.

355 diagnostic assessments were completed in our Youth and Children’s Diagnostic Clinics.

432 people with Autism were assisted in employment.

15 regional and remote areas supported through consultancy, webinars, teletherapy and individual programs.

3 rd

Centre opened in Midland.

4 new Shared Living homes.

Autism Association of Western Australia - Annual Report 2021 19

Therapy and Clinical Services This year over 3,470 First Steps for Autism Early Intervention Program

Social Skills Groups Our range of social skills groups are designed to develop social skills for children, adolescents and adults with Autism, including self-awareness, communication and friendships. This year we developed a new curriculum for different age groups. We also introduced social skills groups delivered in the context of a range of social interests including theatre groups and gaming groups such as ‘Dungeons and Dragons’. Following the success of our Koder Club, a computer coding group for teenagers, we expanded to 10 groups across 5 locations and 4 online groups. The Social Adventurer afterschool groups also continued with 49 groups across 9 locations providing weekly support to 340 children across the year. PEERS for Young Adults also expanded to 4 groups this year. We also established PEERS Discovery; a group to assist young people in making and maintaining friendships. We completed the final stages of the KONTAKT Teens research project with Curtin Autism Research Group this year. As a result of the successful outcomes of this project, we now offer KONTAKT Teens social skills groups as a part of our regular Therapy Group Program. We successfully completed the pilot for the KONTAKT Kids Social Skills Curriculum for children 8 to 12 years. A second round of research has now commenced in collaboration with the Stan Perron Foundation, Karolinska Institute Sweden and the Curtin Autism Research Group. TASTEETeam The Autism Specific Team of Everything to do with Eating (TASTEE) has expanded and continues to provided highly specialised mealtime supports for complex mealtime needs for individuals with Autism. This year the specialist team provided services focusing on improving quality of life and safety for people with Autism through state and national partnerships.

individuals were supported by our specialist teams.We expanded services in all program areas across our 9 service hubs throughout the metropolitan area, including a range of new social skills groups to support individuals of all ages.

The First Steps for Autism Early Intervention Program provided multidisciplinary support to 952 children up to 7 years this year. The Program is based on a wide body of international research and operates with an experienced team, including Speech Pathologists, Occupational Therapists, Psychologists, and Early Childhood Educators. The aim of this Program is to maximise child development and inclusion in mainstream settings with a focus on communication, social interaction, early childhood skills, as well as other individual needs. With the continued growth of Therapy and Clinical Services, this year we opened a third site in Midland to accommodate demand for services. School Age Service The School Age Therapy Team continued to provide a comprehensive range of support to children and adolescents between 8 and 17 years, with a total of 1,585 children and adolescents who were provided with a range of individual supports. We expanded the School Age Therapy Team this year to include Inclusion Facilitators and Educators who are passionate about supporting students with Autism in school. Our School Age Therapy Team continued to work in close collaboration with the education sector to support a collaborative and successful transition into National Disability Services. Our partnership with the Education Department included developing successful models of collaboration and creating frameworks for Therapists to embed goals into individual education plans to create better outcomes for students. Our Team also worked this year on preparing teens for transition into adult life within a community setting. This includes a range of dedicated fun groups and individual programs focusing on developing friendships, expanding networks and exploring new interests.

Autism Association of Western Australia - Annual Report 2021 20

Sophie's Superpowers Sophie is creative, has a great sense of humour and loves to be around people. Her favourite things are art, singing, Lego, Minecraft, swimming, family time and her pet dogs. This year Sophie has flourished and discovered her strengths and talents. Sophie’s mum says: “It’s been wonderful to see her superpowers and confidence grow. Our whole family have learnt to understand what Autism is and how we can best support Sophie to be the best version of herself.”

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AIM Employment Program

Finding meaningful employment in a role that you are passionate about has a significant impact on a person’s life and this at the heart of everything we do.

As a specialist Autism employment service, we provide comprehensive support to individuals to find and maintain a job that is matched to their goals and interests. This year the program supported over 430 job seekers to find and maintain employment across a range of industries and sectors. This included government, mining, administration, hospitality, information technology, banking, real estate, warehousing, law firms, universities and many more. We trained and matched individuals with jobs, supported people with on-the-job training, and worked with employers to expand new opportunities for jobseekers with Autism. Opportunities for individuals with Autism to complete internships in businesses continued this year in collaboration with Curtin University. Internships included BHP, Woodside and Bankwest, with some individuals gaining permanent employment with these companies. We also worked with numerous businesses to provide them with training to expand employment opportunities for job seekers with Autism; this included Bankwest, Deloitte, BHP, Hollywood Hospital and Woodside. We also continued to work closely with schools and families to provide information on employment pathways and support options for school leavers. Making itWork atWork We are continuing this year to develop training and resources to increase the capacity of large and small businesses to employ job seekers with Autism. This project includes 6 videos showcasing some of our job seekers and employers including Funky Monkey Bars, The Galati Group - Mad Butcher, Mulberry Estate, Bankwest and Bunnings. This project is to establish increased engagement with more West Australian businesses and create more employment opportunities.

Autism Association of Western Australia - Annual Report 2021 22

Luke Loves his Job! For Luke, being part of his team over the past year has been a fantastic experience. When he first started his role at The Mad Butcher, Luke has upgraded his cleaning equipment and is now the owner-operator of an industrial crate washing machine. Luke’s team say he is an asset to the team. Luke says, “ Starting work here having moved out of home has been a very fantastic experience for me…I have been able to get used to the new

work environment and how the job works, and I have built a lot of confidence since working here and am now pretty much flying solo on the job.”

Autism Association of Western Australia - Annual Report 2021 23

Community Living

The Community Living Program offers a range of options to assist people to move into a home of their own.The diverse nature of the Program means that individuals

Moving into a home of your own can include living with a small group of people or sharing a home with 1 other person. It can also include living independently with visiting staff support. This year we again expanded services with 87 homes supported. This includes 61 Shared Living homes, with 4 new homes supported by fulltime staff providing 24-hour support. There were also 26 non-shared options. The overarching goal of the program is to work with each individual to develop a lifestyle that meets their needs. We work closely with the individual and/or family to provide each person the opportunity to shape the support they want on an ongoing basis. We pay attention to the detail that is shared with us and we listen to what is important to each individual.

and families can choose what best works for them.

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Christoff’s Right at Home! This year Christoff moved from an apartment into his own home. Christoff is very active and loves his space. His home was set up to meet his specific needs including a lovely backyard in which he starts each day. Christoff is settled in his home and has made it his own with photos and his favourite things. Christoff has picked a spot in his backyard for his next project, a vegetable garden and can’t wait to see what grows! Christoff’s mum says: “Things are going so well for Christoff. I visit often, and he welcome’s me into his home which I love…...As a mother, you don’t want anything else. He

has complete ownership of his home and is happy in his own space and that means the world to me.”

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Individual Options

The Individual Options Program continued this year with each person with Autism and their family in the driving seat directing what works for them.

We work with each individual to explore the things they would like to do and provide them with the support to make it happen. This year we assisted over 349 people to explore individual opportunities and supported them to achieve the things they wanted to do. Independence is different for every person. It can include support in the home with housekeeping, a wide range of community involvements, and skills development such exploring opportunities for further education or work readiness. Throughout the year, we also supported the development of a number of small friendship groups of like-minded people who wanted to share their particular interests.

Autism Association of Western Australia - Annual Report 2021 26

ThomasTakes toTraffic Management Thomas, 19, has a vast array of interests and enjoys going to the movies, music, horticulture and history – just to name a few. Thomas is an avid drummer and attends drumming lessons where he plays songs by his favourite bands including ACDC, One Republic, Duran Duran and The Longest Johns. Over the past year, Thomas has especially enjoyed meeting up friends and he has also recently joined a Dungeons and Dragons group. In his working life, Thomas recently completed his

Cert II in Business Studies and undertook work experience at the City of South Perth and the Round House Museum. Thomas now has a permanent job at Main Roads where he monitors and records traffic congestion during peak hours on the Kwinana Freeway.

Autism Association of Western Australia - Annual Report 2021 27

Short Breaks Short Breaks provides individual short stays where children can enjoy the things they like to do over a weekend or during the school holidays.

Short Breaks provides an important support to families. It provides an activity-based program including overnight stays with pick up and drop off at school where required. This year over 70 children and adolescents up to 18 years old took part in our Short Breaks Program. Our Short Breaks homes are the perfect place to try overnight stays or new activities away from home. Short visits or overnight stays as part of our community-based program, provide a way of becoming more independent. Activities can include community hobbies, cooking, gardening, a wide range of community activities, or making the first step to being supported living with friends. The 4 Short Break homes are familiar and homely. Each person has their own bedroom so they can enjoy their own space. Individuals are carefully matched based on age and interests. Getting away from home provides an additional opportunity for friendships and participation in the individuals favourite activities or a chance to explore ones they may not have tried before.

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Ben and Harrison’s Holiday House

Ben and Harrison love going to Short Breaks, in fact for them they call it their ‘holiday house.’ For almost 10 years, Ben and Harrison have been visiting Short Breaks and they look forward to their stay each time. Their faces light up when they know they are going! The boys have stayed with the same 2 support staff for most of their visits and they have built a strong relationship with them. The weekends are filled with the boy’s favourite activities including going out to their favourite places, enjoying their favourite hobbies and watching Barney videos for those quiet times. Ben and Harrison’s mum says: “Short Breaks allows us to take a small break…we can take some time

to put ourselves first. John and I feel at peace when the boys go [to Short Breaks] because they are well cared for. We appreciate so much more than words can say the care, the opportunities given for growth and the support provided to the boys.”

Autism Association of Western Australia - Annual Report 2021 29

Autism Association of Western Australia - Annual Report 2021 30

Diagnostic Clinics

Diagnosis provides individuals with Autism access to the support they need to overcome difficulties

Our multidisciplinary assessment teams include a consultant Paediatrician, Psychiatrist, Psychologist and Speech Pathologist, all of whom specialise in Autism. This year, 355 diagnostic assessments were undertaken in our Children’s and Youth Diagnostic Clinics. Children’s Diagnostic Clinic Our specialist Children’s Autism Diagnostic Clinic provides multidisciplinary assessments for children ages 2 to12 years of age who may have Autism. All assessments are completed in a single day with our specialist multidisciplinary assessment team including a consultant Paediatrician, Psychologist and Speech Pathologist. Youth Diagnostic Clinic Last year we opened our Youth Diagnostic Clinic to provide comprehensive Autism Diagnosis to individuals 13 to 30 years of age. The specialist assessment team includes a consultant Psychiatrist, Psychologist, and Speech Pathologist. The Youth Diagnostic Clinic is now well established and is receiving a large amount of attention nationally. This clinic has been extremely successful in addressing significant unmet needs of adolescents and adults.

in education, employment,

independent living, and in achieving a good quality of life.

Autism Association of Western Australia - Annual Report 2021 31

Autism Association of Western Australia - Annual Report 2021 32

Regional Services

The Regional Therapy Program continues to support families

Training and support were provided to families, teachers, allied health professionals and community organisations across Western Australia, including webinars and online training for families. This year, the Autism Advisors delivered a number of workshops to families and providers in Narrogin, Katanning, Albany, Denmark, Manjimup, Margaret River, Busselton and Bunbury. Workshops included ‘Getting to Know the NDIS’ and ’Understanding Autism’. The Intensive Holiday Program for regional families also continued in high demand this year including the First Steps Early Intervention Program for children up to 7 years of age and the School Age Therapy Program for students ages 8 to 18. The focus of the Program is equipping families with the support and resources they need. It includes the development of an individual program plan for each child with coaching to families to implement the plan at home. The Program also includes support to families to advocate for their child at school and in the community. Very importantly, all of these programs assist families to establish strong connections with other regional families so they can build natural support networks.

"This is the third time we have attended the regional program at Little Stars. My daughter loves it there. Throughout the year, out of no where, she often asks when she’s going to Little Stars again” Family from Kununurra

in regional and remoteWestern

"It brings us so much joy and happiness to finally start seeing our child slowly emerge from his shell, from being non- verbal, to ending the program with 4 new words added to his vocabulary. This program is the best thing we have done, not only for our child but for our family as a whole" Family from Port Hedland

Australia. Services include intensive holiday programs, online training and youth diagnosis via telehealth and teletherapy for those in remote areas.

Kununurra Broome Port Hedland South Hedland Babakin Geraldton Jurien Bay Dongara Kalgoorlie-Boulder Katanning

Newman Warmun Wagin Muntadgin York Aldersyde Bunbury Esperance Tom Price Denmark Derby Northam

"Such a fantastic week. Thank you all so much. Such a fantastic set up and service you offer. We were so very lucky to have you as our therapists." Family from the Kalgoorlie

“This is the first time that I have felt supported in a long time” Family from the Wheatbelt

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Community Development and Inclusion

Throughout the year we worked with the Department of Education, Goodstart Early Learning,WACA, Western Australian Police, Art Gallery of Western Australia, sports clubs, Scitech, AQWA, Kmart,WA Museum Boola Bardip, Ocean Heroes, and several shopping centres to support a better experience for people with Autism and their families.

In the sporting world, we continued into our second year of collaboration with Ocean Heroes surfing program for children with Autism. We also delivered 2 intensive Sports Academy Programs this year. The aim of these programs is to provide children and teens with Autism an opportunity to try a selection of sports including netball, soccer, AFL, tennis, karate, NRL touch football, pilates and cricket. These programs are run by experienced sports-coaches with the support of Autism Association staff. Following our involvement in the Accessibility Panel of the new Museum of WA project in 2017, we worked with the WA Museum Boola Bardip to establish a quiet hour. This involved the development of sensory maps for an inclusive and accessible experience for individuals with Autism. The first session took place during Autism Awareness Month in April, with another in July and it was a great experience for participants to see the new museum up close. Events were held at shopping centres across Perth during school holidays with hundreds of children participating. In addition, over 250 individuals and families took part in our second Scitech sensory event, which took place during Autism Awareness Month. We also launched our third Underwater Adventure with AQWA and hosted over 100 individuals at the Latitude sensory events. The Palace Arcade first quiz night for adults with Autism was a great success, with gaming lovers and quiz masters coming together for trivia fun night and retro arcade games. We continued our partnership with Kmart to continue their ‘Quiet Spaces’ initiative, providing a positive environment for people with Autism and their families to shop in the store. It was also a busy lead up to Christmas, co-hosting the fifth consecutive year of Sensitive Santa sessions at Lakeside Joondalup, Cockburn Gateway, Belmont Forum, Garden City Perth and Karrinyup Shopping Centre. A total of 260 families attended these sessions with many individuals of all ages having their very first Santa photo. It was a good year with great first-time experiences for many of our young people.

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Autism in the Arts We partnered with the Art Gallery ofWestern Australia to provide consultancy and support to create inclusive spaces and experiences for all.The initiative is aimed at creating more opportunities for people with Autism to be involved and contribute to the arts. We celebrated the launch of our partnership with the Art Gallery of Western Australia and the AGWA Voluntary Guides. The partnership was officially launched by Autism Association CEO, Joan McKenna Kerr, the Art Gallery CEO, Colin Walker, and the Minister for Disability Services, the Hon. Stephen Dawson. The evening also provided a platform for the official announcement of the winners in the Arts for Autism competition and showcased the 16 winning artworks which were on display throughout the Gallery. As part of this event, the Art Gallery launched the Quiet Tuesday’s initiative to create inclusive spaces for those who will enjoy and benefit from a quieter experience, with the Gallery closed to the general public on this day. The Autism Association provided training to 30 volunteer guides and staff to support people with Autism.

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We continued to work to create more inclusive cricket clubs throughoutWestern Australia and worked closely with theWestern Australian Cricket Association (WACA) and theWembley Districts Cricket Club, to engage individuals of all ages with Autism in sport. The Autism in Cricket Program is for everyone who is passionate about inclusion in sport and the 2020/2021 cricket season saw even more individuals with Autism become part of their local teams and clubs. We were also privileged to have Adam Gilchrist continue as the Autism Association’s Program Ambassador. The Autism in Cricket Program is designed to break down barriers to participation and support individuals with Autism to get involved in their local cricket club. Throughout the season, our Team supported children, adolescents, adults, and families to join their local clubs as a player or in volunteer and team support roles and worked with local WA cricket clubs to create inclusive environments. In its second year, the program expanded to have: • An award for Excellence in Innovation at the 2020 Western Australian Disability Support Awards. • 2 Endorsed Clubs win awards at the 2021 National Community Cricket Awards: ƒ Kingsley Woodvale Junior Cricket Club - Community Partnership of the Year. ƒ Bateman Junior Cricket Club - Inclusion and Diversity Initiative of the Year. Autism in Cricket

2020/2021 Highlights

A UTISM IN C RICKET

Winner Award for Excellence in Innovation at the 2020 Western Australian Disability Support Awards

41 Juniors registered with 9 different clubs.

101 Participants registered interest in the program. Over 330 Members in our closed Facebook community . 32 Resources developed for our resource library. 9 Endorsed Clubs.

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The Autism Early Childhood Champions Program is focussed on accelerating the knowledge ofWestern Australian day care centres and their capacity to sup­ port the inclusion of children with Autism in early childhood settings. This year the project connected with and trained over 200 educators across 80 mainstream day care centres, supporting Autism Champions throughout Western Australia, including regional communities. Throughout the year, the Autism Champions Team went on 2 regional visits, training 23 new centres as part of the program and bringing together communities that are dedicated to providing all children a great start in life. This in a community where people with Autism are understood, accepted and celebrated. Autism Champions

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“The Autism Champions program has impacted our centre in such a positive way, more so than we initially thought it might. After the two-day training session, all three educators who attended came back with such a fresh, new perspective and stated that this was one of the best professional developments they have had the opportunity to attend. On the first day back, they were implementing new strategies and the rooms and children were so much calmer. They have been implementing one strategy at a time, waiting for this to be imbedded in practice before moving on to another one. We are finding that the pressure and stress on the educators has been reduced as they are feeling more confident in their roles, as they understand our children a lot more. We cannot recommend how highly beneficial this program has been for us so far and we are so grateful to be part of it” Cherese, Kids HQ.

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