Autism Association of WA: Introduction to School Age Therapy

Introduction to School Age Therapy

About the Autism Association of Western Australia The Autism Association 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, support their inclusion in a positive way at school, and ensure they are supported in adult life through job placement and the opportunity to live in their own home. 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. How can we support your child to achieve their 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 do not believe that one size fits all. That is why the School Age Therapy Service offers a broad range of therapy options which are all aimed at supporting you to achieve your child’s personal goals. 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 NDIS guidelines we have worked to ensure that we maintain approaches we know to be best practice in Autism, to offer an individualised service with options tailored to your family's needs and preferences. 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.

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

Our School Age 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 Teachers. 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. 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 your child. In addition to your key contact, there is a full team of Therapists who are accessible across the School Age Team, that can bring additional advice, consultation, and assessment based on their passion and expertise to support your child and family. These can include our Specialist Mealtime Therapists, High-Tech Communication Team, Specialist Behaviour Support Practitioners, Diagnostic Clinicians and more. Family is core to the Team and your allocated Therapists will work alongside you to identify what additional expertise is required to support you and your child at different points of time. Our Therapists use evidence-based practices to tailor interventions to best meet the needs of each child and adolescent. Our School Age Team are highly skilled and participate in ongoing intensive training throughout the year and are trained and supported in the latest research and evidence informed practice to ensure the best outcomes for each individual. Our combined approach means we use a variety of models and teaching strategies that are known to be effective for children and adolescents with Autism. All of our programs are: • Individualised • Incorporate systematic instruction and generalisation strategies • Create structured and supportive learning environments • Underpinned by an Autism-specific curriculum • Provide intensive transition support across environments and contexts • Have a functional approach to behaviour

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Our Therapists also work in collaboration with other services within the organisation to create seamless service delivery for individuals accessing multiple programs across the Autism Association. Our Team are passionate and dedicated to creating a difference for each individual and their family, and are able to provide specialist consultation in school and community environments to create a more inclusive environment to maximise participation for each individual.

www.autism.org.au | Registered NDIS Provider

4 | Introduction to School Age Therapy School Age Therapy Supports

Direct Therapy Supports Initial assessment Therapy sessions Home, school and community visits

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Transition support Social skills groups

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

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Consultative Supports Training and support for schools Support for siblings

Understanding therapy strategies Building capacity in your community

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 we work with you to complete a full initial assessment to identify your child’s strengths, needs and goals. An initial assessment consists of:

• 1-2 sessions direct with your family • 1:1 assessment tasks with your child • Observational visits completed in the community • Collaboration with key support people • Completion of a detailed Autism Matrix and Individual Service Plan

The initial assessment process takes around 6 hours. If you require a full Functional Assessment and Report as requested by the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA), this can take up to 10 hours. 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. 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:

• 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 behaviour

www.autism.org.au | Registered NDIS Provider

6 | Introduction to School Age Therapy 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 throughout the day. Home visits Providing therapy support in your home is not only a convenient way to access therapy supports, but it can be a great way to build natural skills in an everyday environment. Accessing therapy at home provides opportunities to work within a familiar setting, with the resources your child is used to. Home visits are also a great way for parents and siblings to become involved and learn key strategies to work towards your child’s goals each day. School visits Many of your child’s goals may be best suited to working within their 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 school can support your child to learn the 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: • Work on their goals in a familiar setting • 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 in a range of other community settings such as your local sports club, scouts group, cultural group, after-school care, or Short Breaks (Respite). These visits can be used to upskill support workers, volunteers or coaches working with your child and to offer support while also building the capacity of the setting to provide inclusive supports. Transition support We understand times of transition can be challenging and how they can impact children and adolescents with Autism and their family. Transitions require extra care and attention so our Team support each child and adolescent to prepare and plan for new changes such as transitioning from Early Intervention to School Age Therapy supports, changing school years, moving from primary school to high school, and preparing for adult life. We work with each individual, their family, school and community supports to create successful transitions and also provide comprehensive planning and preparation for the future beyond school.

www.autism.org.au | Registered NDIS Provider

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www.autism.org.au | Registered NDIS Provider

Social Skills Groups Our School Age Team provide social skills group therapy sessions based on our own dedicated curriculum. There are several different group therapy options designed and matched to children and adolescents according to their individual goal areas.

Primary School - Year 1 to 6

Social Adventurer Program The Social Adventurer Program is a series of skill-based therapy groups designed to develop social and emotional skills for school age children with Autism. Groups include:

Discovery Club Program The Discovery Club Program is designed to support the development of introductory-level social skills such as sharing and turn-taking for school-age children with Autism, with moderate to high level support needs. The group curriculum uses play and practical hands-on activities to help students learn to have fun within a group setting, develop communication and interaction skills and self regulation.

Explorer Club Program The Explorer Club Program follows a combination of group-based activities, discussion, reflection and play to support and consolidate learning. The group draws on concepts and strategies from a range of evidence-based therapy tools including the Social Thinking ® Curriculum and the Zones of Regulation ® . The emphasis on student participation in these groups is aimed at increasing social outcomes at home, school and in the community.

KONTAKT Kids For children age 8-12 years, KONTAKT Kids is aimed at supporting with high-level social skills goals. The group is run in collaboration with Curtin University and is discussion-based so children can set their own goals for building social skills.

www.autism.org.au | Registered NDIS Provider

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High School - Year 7 to 12

Social Adventurer Program The Social Adventurer Program is a series of skill-based therapy groups designed to develop social and emotional skills for school age children with Autism. Groups include:

Discovery Kitchen The Discovery Kitchen Program provides

Explorer Kitchen The Explorer Kitchen Program provides students with the opportunity to learn, practice and improve their social communication, while also exploring and learning about different cultures through food and traditional customs. The group works to develop a range of skills, including practical kitchen hygiene and safety, planning, organising, practical cooking, personal wellness, balanced nutrition, and healthy living. At the conclusion of the group, participants invite parents and carers to enjoy a 'Food Truck' experience with dishes from around the world prepared by the participants.

students with the opportunity to learn, practice and improve social communication while also developing lifelong skills and knowledge to create simple meals and snack options. This program focuses on building kitchen safety and hygiene fundamentals, along with an understanding of planning and organisation, all while working within a group.

KONTAKT KONTAKT is a manualised group program developed to support teenagers ages 12 to 17 years with high-level social skills goals in collaboration. The group is discussion based and participants are required to set their own goals for building on their social communication and participate in homework tasks. Koder Club Koder Club is a social club for teens ages 12 to 17 years with Autism who are interested in coding. Funded by Telethon, this group allows adolescents to meet new people, make new friends, be a part of an inclusive community for teens with Autism through coding, and explore coding with Construct, Scratch, Java, Python, HTML and CSS.

www.autism.org.au | Registered NDIS Provider

10 | Introduction to School Age Therapy Specialised Therapy Teams At times when accessing therapy services, there may be a need to seek input from a specialised service. Within the School Age 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. 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 your child’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. 2 Specialist Communication Team - Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) The Specialist Communication Team are available for children and adolescence 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 PBS: Positive Behaviour Support Team Our Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) Team run a comprehensive program tailored to your child’s individual needs to encourage lasting, positive behaviour change. These changes aim to improve the quality of life for your child and your family by increasing their own capacity, as well as their environment and support systems. Our PBS Program is tailored to meet the needs of your child and family and can include: • Completion of a comprehensive assessment process with your child, family and other stakeholders to better understand the ‘why’ behind the behaviour • Development of a PBS Plan in collaboration with your family and other key people in your child’s life • Support for the implementation of the PBS Plan including modelling, direct teaching and resource development and implementation • Ongoing monitoring and review of the PBS Plan and strategies

www.autism.org.au | Registered NDIS Provider

Consultative Services

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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. Through involving family, teachers and supporters closely in this process, your child will ultimately build inclusion, independence and, over time, reduce the need for regular therapy. Training and support for schools Schools can take part in our training sessions with us by attending workshops or hosting school specific training at their schools. You can also choose to use your funding for your Therapist to hold an individualised session with your child‘s Teachers, Education Assistants or peers. 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. 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. Support for siblings

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.

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 using the online 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.

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 for advice, share stories, develop friendships, or just have a coffee and a break. Childcare is available during these sessions.

www.autism.org.au | Registered NDIS Provider

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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 are receiving 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 one for your child’s goal. 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 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 | Introduction to School Age Therapy Our Centres

Shenton Park 215 Stubbs Terrace (08) 9489 8900

Joondalup - School Age Therapy 13/210 Winton Road (08) 6206 5120

Midland - School Age and Adult Therapy 26 Railway Parade (08) 6459 8100

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 School Age 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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Advice and Consultancy

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.

Support in Early Childhood Our First Steps for Autism Team deliver Autism specifc, intensive early intervention therapy to children age up to 7 years. Therapy is tailored to meet the individual needs of each child and their family. In addition, our First Steps Autism Day Care provides long day care for children with Autism, or those going through the diagnostic process, age 2 to 5. 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!

Support for Adults We have a range of services for adults with Autism including diagnosis, therapy services, social skills groups, accomodation support, transition into adult life, employment support, support to access the community 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 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 School Age Team to find out more about the information in this booklet by emailing them at therapyservices@autism.org.au or calling (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 with 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

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