Autism Association Annual Report 2023

Ensuring families have the opportunity to create connections with other parents with similar experiences is extremely important. Groups ran throughout the year to provide resources, information, workshops, webinars and events for parents and carers. This year, we collaborated with Parenting Connection WA to provide more opportunities for regional families to link in with specialist training and advice. To date, over 500 families have connected into our live workshops. Additionally, we hosted our first educational forum for school-aged families. Leaders from the Department of Education, Catholic Education Western Australia and Association of Independent Schools of Western Australia presented at this information session for parents and carers to learn about the different educational sectors and the supports available. Parent Coffee Groups - MyTime The MyTime Parent Support Groups continued weekly throughout the year, with 8 groups and 2 dads’ groups running throughout the Perth metropolitan areas. These groups support families to build connections, gain peer support, share their stories and experiences, and develop tips and strategies to support their son or daughter. Throughout the year, we also hosted parent social events which were a great success, including a movie night and a Lego and pizza night for fathers and their children. Siblings Program This year, we launched a new Siblings Program designed for children 6 to 13 years of age. There are 2 groups for different ages, with a focus on building resilience and supporting emotional wellbeing. Playgroup Our partnership with the Department of Education Child and Parent Centres continued to expand with support from Telethon. Across the year, 230 families attended these playgroups and were able to talk to our staff and Play Leaders about support pathways. These programs have also created opportunities for local staff to develop their knowledge and understanding of Autism and to support parents to join the playgroup.

Autism Association of Western Australia - Annual Report 2023

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