If your child is participating in the First Steps Therapy Program, whether at one of our centres or via a school, home or community-based program, the following support is also available for you and your family.
Individualised Assessment and Program
An individual assessment is undertaken in collaboration with the family, to identify your child’s learning profile and areas for further skill development. Then an individualised therapy plan is created by a team of professionals, including occupational therapists, speech pathologists, specialist teachers, psychologists and therapy assistants.
The therapy plan will include some or all of the following areas:
- Attention and communication.
- Behaviour and self-regulation.
- Cognitive skill development.
- Gross motor and fine motor development.
- Play and social skills.
- School readiness.
- Self-help and independence.
Your key therapist will work closely with you to integrate therapy strategies into family routines. In addition, therapists work in close collaboration with day care and school educators to integrate therapy goals into the school routine.
Together, we’ll help your child to develop the skills required for creating an enjoyable life.
Sibling support:
Support is available for siblings of children who are accessing our First Steps for Autism therapy program.
School consultation and support:
Our team will work closely with your child’s school to facilitate the transition into new school environments, the integration of therapy goals within the School Individual Education Plan and to support curriculum modification and integration of visual strategies. Teachers are also encouraged to observe therapy sessions to replicate strategies that can be implemented into the classroom.
Infobite sessions:
We run parent training sessions whilst the children are engaged in therapy groups, called Early Learning Infobite’s, see the events calendar for dates. These are short information sessions on various topics such as communication, sensory processing and similar. Topics can also be requested by families.
Parent coffee groups:
Each week we run parent coffee mornings. Come along for an informal chat with other families, facilitated by our therapists. Click here for more information. You’ll share information and engage local community organisations to provide information on local supports and services. Groups are currently run in across the Perth metro area.
Parent training:
Parents are key members of the team. Throughout the year, training workshops and coaching programs are run to assist you to turn everyday family life and events into learning opportunities for your child. Click here for more information.
Support for teachers:
Specialist visual resources will be prepared and implemented across home, school and community environments, whenever required, to assist in developing your child’s independence, communication and social participation. Click here to view our teacher and educator resource page.