Autism Association of WA: Introduction to First Steps for Autism Early Intervention

Introduction to First Steps for Autism Early Intervention

2 | First Steps for Autism Early Intervention About the Autism Association of Western Australia The Autism Association of Western Australia is one of Australia’s largest not-for-profit Autism specific service providers, and the only specialist organisation providing a full range of services for children and adults in Australia. Our focus is on excellence in providing services to individuals with Autism and their families, and we are passionate about supporting them to live the life they choose. Our services are based on leading international peer-reviewed research in the field of Autism. We work with each child to maximise their potential and get a great start in life. The Autism Association is a registered provider for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) in Western Australia. Your safety and wellbeing are considered in everything we do. We respect your decisions and want you to let us know how we can best support your family.

“These guys are wonderful. Such a detailed and tailored Program for each child who attends. Staff are all lovely and caring and genuinely listen to what's happening and have really great advice on how to handle it. ”

Parent of Lachlan, 5 years old

This information can be translated to different languages or produced in different formats such as Easy English and child-friendly versions upon request.

www.autism.org.au | Registered NDIS Provider

About First Steps for Autism Early Intervention We are experts in Autism Early Intervention services and have been delivering early intervention support for over 30 years. Our First Steps for Autism Program is an innovative and comprehensive approach to therapy for children with Autism up to 7 years of age. The Early Intervention Program provides multidisciplinary therapy for children and is based on a wide body of research and incorporates

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a range of approaches to suit every individual and their family. The Program is led by a dedicated, passionate and experienced clinical team who put your child’s wellbeing and safety first, this includes Speech Pathologists, Psychologists, Occupational Therapists and Early Childhood Educators. The First Steps Program allows children to develop their skills and confidence in a safe environment that is structured and predictable, with an established routine. Children have the opportunity to engage in fun activities run by Therapists who integrate your child’s individual therapy goals, such as mat time, play, craft, snack, gym and self-care activities in small groups.

Our First Steps Program • Respects the diversity of Autism and recognises that each child’s strengths and needs are different • Considers your child within the cultural context of your family and collaborates with all the people that are important in your life • Understands that your child’s age, health, emotional state, and surroundings can influence their characteristics • Acknowledges the impact that Autism has on your child and family may vary day-to-day • Seeks to enhance the quality of life of your child and your family, enabling inclusive and meaningful participation

“Paige showed significant steps forward in confidence, playfulness and joy which we had never seen outside of our own home. ”

Parent of Paige, 3 years old

www.autism.org.au | Registered NDIS Provider

4 | First Steps for Autism Early Intervention The First Steps for Autism approach is a combined approach Our combined approach means we use a variety of models and teaching strategies that are known to be effective for children with Autism. Our key approach is Naturalistic Developmental Behavioural Intervention. This means our intervention is informed by developmental and behavioural principles to achieve the developmental impact on the core deficits of Autism. We use everyday situations and typical childhood activities to develop these skills and build relationships. Intervention takes place in safe, natural, and nurturing settings and there is shared control between children and their Therapists. Other models that we draw from include: • Early Start Denver Model (ESDM) • Developmental, Individual Difference, Relationship-Based Model (DIR) ® • Contemporary Applied Behaviour Analysis Frameworks • Hanen ® More Than Words • Social Communication, Emotional Regulation and Transactional Support (SCERTS) ® • Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related Communications Handicapped Children (TEACCH) ® • Relationship Development Intervention (RDI) ® We work with your family to determine your child’s strengths and challenges and tailor a plan that aligns with your family priorities, while also identifying the most appropriate evidence-based strategies and how best to combine them to support your child’s abilities and skill development needs. Our Early Intervention Team Your child has multiple skills, so naturally our Program operates with an experienced multidisciplinary Therapy Team, which includes Speech Pathologists, Psychologists, Occupational Therapists and Early Childhood Educators. Each family is given a Therapist, who is the key contact and partners with the family to develop individual therapy plans that meet the needs of each child. The aim of the Program is to boost each child’s development and inclusion into mainstream settings. Utilising the multidisciplinary model allows your Therapist to work holistically with your child. They get to know you and your family well and can support with functional skills across all domains, as they are not solely focusing on one aspect such as their sensory needs, behaviour or social skills; they are supporting your child as a whole. Another benefit of this model, is that it allows you to have one point of contact when scheduling sessions and managing communications. How can we support you to achieve your goals? We are dedicated to achieving the best outcomes for your child and your family. That is why we individualise our therapy approaches to offer a service with options that can meet your family’s needs. We also work in collaboration with your child’s school and other key environments to integrate your therapy goals across various settings. Under the new guidelines of the NDIS, we have worked to ensure that we maintain the aspects of our service that are important in ensuring we are best practice in Autism. Your Therapist, who is your key contact and the Autism Advisors, can work with you to plan the services you want and ensure you have choices and control in the services you receive for your child.

www.autism.org.au | Registered NDIS Provider

First Steps for Autism Supports

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Direct Therapy Supports Initial assessment Group therapy sessions 1:1 therapy sessions Home, day care, school, and community visits Holiday Therapy groups Transition support

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Specialised Therapy Teams TASTEE - The Autism Speci c Team for Everything to do with Eating Specialist Communication Team - Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)

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Consultative Supports Training and support for teachers Support for siblings

Building capacity in your community Understanding therapy strategies

Parent Training & Support Training workshops and webinars

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Hanen ® parent training Early Days workshops Parent support groups Parent newsletters

Community Inclusion Autism in Cricket Autism Apps Autism Heroes Community sensory events Health and Dental Training Program

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www.autism.org.au | Registered NDIS Provider

Direct Therapy Supports

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Initial assessment As part of your service, our Therapy Team works with you to complete a full initial assessment of your child’s strengths, needs and goals. An initial assessment consists of a direct session with your family, followed by 1:1 assessment tasks and observations with your child. These may take place at one of our centres, in your home or at school, depending on the type of service you access with us. We also collaborate with key support people during the assessment process to get a detailed baseline and clear evaluation of your child’s needs and goals. Following this, we will complete a detailed Autism Matrix and Individual Support Plan. The initial assessment process takes around 6 hours in total. Our First Steps for Autism goal-based groups Our First Steps for Autism, Speech Pathology and Occupational Therapy Group Curriculum is an innovative and unique Therapy Program that comprises of 6 goal-based groups. These groups teach children how to relate to and communicate with others, so each group includes a ‘big picture’ social focus relevant to the goals of the children. The groups include a combination of individual learning sessions and small group therapy across an intensive 3 hour period.

www.autism.org.au | Registered NDIS Provider

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Therapy sessions Our qualified Speech Pathologists, Psychologists and Occupational Therapists can help your child through direct therapy sessions to increase their skills and independence and achieve their goals. Therapy sessions can be conducted in a range of settings including therapy centres, in your home, at school, or in the community and can support across a wide range of goal areas and skills including: • Play skills • Sensory processing • Self-care and everyday living skills • Mealtime management • Fine and gross motor skills • Accessing the school curriculum • Reading and writing • Communication and social skills • Emotional regulation • Building positive behaviours Developing your child’s skills across a range of settings Utilising your therapy supports via a mixture of therapy sessions, at home and school visits, group sessions, parent training, resources and consultative support, allows your child to practice their skills across a number of environments with a number of people. Consultative support and training ensures that the people who are spending the most time with your child, such as teachers and family members, are trained to build therapy supports into your child’s life all throughout the day. Home visits/day care visits

Providing therapy support in your child’s home or a day care setting is not only a convenient way to access therapy supports, but it can be a great way to build everyday skills in a natural environment. Accessing this therapy can provide opportunities to work within a familiar setting, with the resources and people your child is familiar with. Home or day care therapy is also a great way for the important people in your child’s life, such as parents, siblings, and day care workers, to become involved and learn key strategies to support work on your child’s goals each day.

“I have noticed that Elijah is such a happier boy and I am glad he can build his confidence here. ”

Parent of Elijah,3 years old

www.autism.org.au | Registered NDIS Provider

8 | First Steps for Autism Early Intervention School visits Some of your goals may be best suited to work within your child’s school setting. Our Therapists are skilled at working with children and their teaching staff within the school to get the most out of their therapy time. Having therapy in the school can support your child to learn key skills to access the curriculum and work on their goals in a familiar setting alongside their teachers and peers. Therapy in school allows your Therapist the opportunity to: • Share information between your child’s teachers and education assistants • Ensure your therapy strategies and goals form a key part of your child’s individualised education plan • Support you with attending case conferences and meetings in school. Community visits Therapy supports can also be provided to support your child’s inclusion in a range of community settings, such as your local sports club, cultural group, scouts group or after school care setting. These visits can be used to upskill support workers, volunteers or coaches, working to support your child effectively, while also building the capacity of the setting to provide supports. First Steps Holiday Therapy Our Therapy Team run a range of Holiday Therapy Programs over the January and July school holidays across most of our metropolitan sites. These Programs are designed to develop skills and create social networks for children up to 7 years of age. Children participate in small group sessions, designed to focus on attention skills, communication, fine motor skills, social skills and school readiness. These are very popular groups and a great way to consolidate the skills that children have learned during weekly sessions throughout the term. Transition support We understand times of transition can be

challenging. Transition to school, a new school year, a new community setting, or a new support service requires extra care and attention. In the Early Intervention Therapy Service, we treat all kinds of transitions in life as a priority area for support. Your Therapist can work with you to ensure transitions are well planned, supported and resourced to allow you and your child the best chance for success. Your child will move into the School Age Therapy Team once they reach Year 2, to continue being supported throughout their school years.

“We are very satisfied with the services for Gaman and we really love all the Therapists we have.The Therapists are high quality, relatable and professional. ” Parents of Gaman, 6 years old

www.autism.org.au | Registered NDIS Provider

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www.autism.org.au | Registered NDIS Provider

10 | First Steps for Autism Early Intervention Specialised Therapy Teams At times when accessing therapy services there may be a need to seek input from a specialised service. Within the Early Intervention Therapy Service, we have 3 specialised Therapy Teams, who can provide intensive support or work on complex issues. All of our staff meet the NDIS Code of Conduct and Worker Screening rules and have completed the ‘Quality, Safety and You’ Worker Orientation Module. A referral is required to join these Teams. 2 Specialist Communication Team - Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) The Specialist Communication Team are available for children with complex communication needs who may require the support of a high-tech AAC device. Following a referral to this Team, an experienced Speech Pathologist can support you with: • Comprehensive assessment of communication strengths and needs • Trial of high-tech communication devices • Application for purchase of a device through the NDIS – Assistive Technology (AT) budget • Setup and training on the implementation of the device TASTEE: The Autism Specific Team for Everything to do with Eating TASTEE Team members are specialist clinicians in areas of Speech Pathology, Psychology and Occupational Therapy. They work collaboratively with families and Therapists to provide education, support and advocacy for Autism and mealtimes. The TASTEE Team help to bridge the gap between mealtime challenges and their relationship with children’s behaviour, diet preferences, sensory needs, communication, and co-occurring conditions. The Team play a pivotal role in engaging medical teams when required to ensure your child’s needs

are appropriately identified and are supported.

www.autism.org.au | Registered NDIS Provider

Consultative Supports

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Evidence shows that supporting a child to develop skills in an isolated environment for 1 or 2 hours per week is likely to have only limited impact on improving a child’s skills in everyday life. Research shows that supporting and training the people who surround the individual, on a daily basis and teaching them how to implement therapy everyday has a much greater impact. We strongly believe that building the skills and capacity of teachers, parents, carers and supporters is the best way to reach your child’s goals. Our services offer sessions in natural settings in the home, at school, as well as in the community and through involving family, teachers and supporters closely in this process, will ultimately build inclusion, independence and, over time, reduce the need for regular therapy. Training and support for teachers Schools can take part in our training sessions by attending workshops or hosting school specific training at their school. You can also choose to use your funding for your Therapist to hold an individualised session with your child’s teachers, education assistants and peers.

Support for siblings

Having a brother or sister with different needs may mean that siblings have to take on extra responsibilities within the family, or perhaps need their own supports to understand Autism and the ways they can help. When providing Therapy Services in the home, your Therapist can also spend time with siblings to support them in understanding the needs of their brother or sister with Autism and to build their knowledge and confidence to help where they can.

Building capacity in your community Your Therapist can assist your network of supporters and stakeholders to best support your child across all settings. We are able to provide training, support and resources to people such as coaches at your local sporting club, support workers, mentors, tutors, babysitters, cultural groups, extended family, or members of other recreational settings, and community spaces that your child attends. Understanding therapy strategies We recommend family members, carers and support people take an active role in therapy so they can also become confident in the therapy strategies. This helps to get the most out of your supports and to build confidence in delivering therapy at home and in the community.

www.autism.org.au | Registered NDIS Provider

Parent Training and Support

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Training

We have a calendar of training options offered at no cost for families accessing our services, including over 60 different training sessions across a wide-range of topics. Training workshops Developed to include a range of key topics and issues often requested by families, these parent training workshops are designed to provide information, practical strategies and resources to support families and carers in managing everyday situations. Ranging from 1.5 hours to 6 hours, these sessions run throughout the year on evenings and on weekends. Topics include:

• Creating Successful Mealtimes • Supporting Positive Behaviour Change • Our Sensory World • Emotional Regulation: What’s the Big Deal? • Making it a Success! Getting Ready to Start School Webinars

For families accessing our services from regional and remote Western Australia, or who would prefer to access training from the comfort of your own home, many of our training options are also available

online using the platform Zoom. Hanen ® parent training

Parents who wish to learn more about communication can take part in either of our Hanen ® Programs; More than Words ™ or Talkability ™ . These Programs run across a 7 week period and are designed to help parents and carers learn new ways to support their child’s language and communication. Early Days workshops Early Days is a series of free workshops for parents and other family members of young children with Autism up to 6 years old. These workshops are also suitable for parents who feel their child may have Autism but have not yet received a formal diagnosis. Workshops are provided in a variety of languages and interpreters can be arranged, when required for no additional charge.

www.autism.org.au | Registered NDIS Provider

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Parent Support Groups MyTime

Being a parent of a child with Autism, you know your child best. Parents have an amazing amount of experience, skills and ability to provide support for other parents who also have children with Autism. Our MyTime Parent Support Groups run weekly from different locations around Perth. They are a great opportunity to network, ask advice, share stories, develop friendships or just have a coffee and a break. Childcare is available during these sessions. Dads Autism Connect Alongside our regular Parent Support Groups, we now have a specific social group available for dads of children with Autism. This is an opportunity for dads and father-figures to meet with other dads, build relationships and support networks, share stories and take time out for themselves. Parent newsletters

You can choose to receive frequent news updates, useful information and resources from our Team via email throughout the Term, these are age related so you receive relevant information for your child’s age. We also have our Autism News, sent out monthly to update you on what’s happening throughout the Association.

www.autism.org.au | Registered NDIS Provider

Community Inclusion

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Autism Apps

Personal tablet devices, such as iPads, provide a wonderful opportunity for children with Autism to develop skills in a fun and engaging way. Our Autism Apps Website teaches users how to use an iPad effectively, how to support people with Autism using technology, tips for selecting a useful app, and Therapist reviews of the apps to assist you in choosing the best and most relevant app for your child’s goals. With this information we aim to empower you with skills and knowledge to successfully choose apps which are the most appropriate for each child.

Autism Heroes

The goal of Autism Heroes is to build student knowledge about Autism and teach students how they can support children with Autism in their classroom and in the school environment. Designed with the Australian National Curriculum in mind, the Autism Heroes Education Pack contains lesson plans, a video and worksheets for students in Year 3 to 6. There is also a range of resources that are designed to help Teachers and Education Assistants prepare and deliver the pack and to support understanding of Autism within your child’s school.

Autism in Cricket

Winners of the Excellence in Innovation Award at the 2020 Western Australian Disability Support Awards. The Autism in Cricket Program is for everyone who is passionate about inclusion in sport. The Program is designed to break down barriers to participation and support individuals with Autism to get involved in their local cricket club. The Team at the Autism Association are here to support you to join your child as a player in your local club or to become a part of your club community in other roles.

www.autism.org.au | Registered NDIS Provider

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Community sensory events We work throughout the year with a number of local businesses and venues to create opportunities for children with Autism to participate and encourage support and acceptance from the community. There are a range of sensory events at locations such as AQWA, Scitech, Perth Zoo, Latitude, Little Land, the WA Museum, the Art Gallery of WA and more! We also work with local shopping centres and libraries to run quiet sessions for all at allocated times.

Health and Dental Training Program The Autism Association is excited to have launched the first online training Program for Health and Dental Professionals in Australia. Alongside a number of Health Professionals and Dentists throughout Perth, we have developed a new training Program for the health and dental sectors to provide the knowledge and resources to improve access and the health care experiences of people with Autism. We also have a range of resources to support families when visiting their Doctor or Dentist available to download from our website.

www.autism.org.au | Registered NDIS Provider

16 | First Steps for Autism Early Intervention Our Centres

Shenton Park 215 Stubbs Terrace (08) 9489 8900

Joondalup - Early Intervention 9/210 Winton Road (08) 6206 5102

Midland - Early Intervention 9 Sayer Street (08) 6380 5900

East Fremantle 217 Canning Highway (08) 6380 5950

Gosnells 2232 Albany Highway (08) 9398 2247

www.autism.org.au | Registered NDIS Provider

Additional Support for Your Family The First Steps Early Intervention Therapy Service is just one of the Autism Association’s wide range of services available. Your Therapist can help you to link in with any of the other services you may require and can support by collaborating and consulting with the different people involved in your child’s care. Some of the options that are available to you and your family include:

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Information and Advice We are here to help!

Our Autism Advisors are available to anyone wanting more information about Autism; including diagnostic pathways, funding options, therapy and support services available from the Autism Association of WA and the general community.

Autism Diagnosis Comprehensive Autism diagnosis is available for individuals age 2 to 30 years through the Autism Association’s Autism Diagnostic Clinic. Our clinic offers a timely and cost effective diagnostic service. School Age Therapy Service Our School Age Intervention Service is available for children and adolescents from 6 to 18 years of age. Therapy can be delivered at our specialist centres or within the home, school and/or community environments, to develop skills, promote the development of networks and relationships, develop independence and increase participation at home, school and in the community. Families are also able to access a range of group therapy options, based on our unique group therapy curriculum. Short Breaks (Respite) Our Short Breaks homes provide a home away from home for children and adolescents with Autism age 6 to 18 years old. Children are provided the chance to stay over and spend the weekend or holiday breaks, doing the things they enjoy. Children are carefully matched based on their age, gender, and support needs to ensure each child enjoys their stay. Community Support Our Individual Options Team provide tailored, flexible support options to people with Autism to achieve outcomes in a range of areas including recreation, leisure, personal independence, community participation, social skills and more! Community Inclusion Initiatives We are continuously working to create a community where people with Autism are understood, accepted and celebrated. Some of these initiatives include: - Autism in Cricket : supporting people with Autism to get involved in the cricketing community. - Autism Heroes: resources for teachers to teach primary school students about Autism.

www.autism.org.au | Registered NDIS Provider

Additional Information

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Accessing this information

This information can be translated to different languages or produced in different formats such as Easy English and child-friendly versions upon request.

NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission

The Autism Association will be responsible for ensuring that your service complies with the requirements in relation to the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission framework. In addition, all of our staff meet the NDIS Code of Conduct and Worker Screening rules and have completed the ‘Quality, Safety and You’ Worker Orientation Module. The framework is designed to make sure that you have as much control over your service as possible, your safety and your wellbeing are considered in every service provided, and your decisions are respected. You can read more about this on the NDIS website at www.ndiscommission.gov.au.

Providing suggestions and feedback

The Autism Association places great value on our relationship with you and your family and always welcomes feedback. Your feedback helps us to improve so that you will feel safer, happier and get more out of our services. We always welcome feedback, so please speak to your Therapist if you have any concerns about our service and if you have any suggestions on how we can improve. We promise your feedback or complaint will be kept private and we will listen and reply, as quickly as possible. For further information on how you can provide feedback, please see our feedback brochure. This is also available on our website at www.autism.org.au/contact/feedback.

Find Out More You can speak to our First Steps for Autism Early Intervention Team while touring the facilities, or you can find out more about the information in this booklet by emailing the Team at FirstSteps@autism.org.au or calling us on (08) 9489 8900.

www.autism.org.au | Registered NDIS Provider

Stay Up to Date! In the current fast-paced and busy lifestyle we lead, it can be difficult to stay informed and up-to-date with everything that is happening in the Autism community and in your therapy service. We ensure to share service opportunities, training, events, resources and more via our social media platforms and e-news. You can get access to the latest news and events on the following platforms:

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Follow us on Facebook /AutismWesternAustralia

Follow us on Instagram autism_association_wa

Check out our YouTube Channel Search for Autism Association of Western Australia

Subscribe to our E-newsletter www.autism.org.au/contact/newsletter

Get involved in our Autism in Cricket Program www.autism.org.au/cricket

Join our Autism and Dads WA Facebook Group www.facebook.com/groups/autismanddadsWA

“Thank you again with utmost respect and gratitude for helping and support Zain and our family. ”

Parent of Zain, 2 years old

www.autism.org.au | Registered NDIS Provider

Visit our website www.autism.org.au Subscribe to our e-newsletter www.autism.org.au/contact/newsletter

Free call 1800 636 427 (08) 9489 8900 autismwa@autism.org.au Locked Bag 2 SUBIACO WA 6904 215 Stubbs Terrace Shenton Park 6008 www.autism.org.au