Jigsaw Autism Services is an innovative specialist autism behavioural and learning clinic. At Jigsaw our speciality is autism and all services are autism in focus and content. Jigsaw only engages in evidence based best practice and has modelled its service delivery as set out in the Guidelines of Best Practice in the Early Intervention for Children with Autism (Roberts & Prior, 2006) and the most recent update of that report set out by FaHCSIA in 2012.
TRANS-DISCIPLINARY APPROACH
Autism is a very complex and often controversial disorder because to date there is no known cause or cure for all people diagnosed with the disorder. Research supports, that behaviour educational interventions which are implemented as soon as diagnosis, usually in the early years of a child’s development, give children the best possible outcome.
Jigsaw uses an innovative model of service provision which is based on the framework of a “Trans-disciplinary Approach”. Jigsaw believes that this approach offers a holistic approach to the treatment of autism, a complex neurological disorder that effects ones communication and social skills as well as engaging in repetitive and restricted behaviours.
A trans-disciplinary approach supports members of an educational team to contribute knowledge and skills, collaborate with other members and collectively determine the services that would benefit a child. It requires team members to share roles and systematically cross discipline boundaries. Professionals from different disciplines teach, learn and work together to accomplish a common set of intervention goals for a child and family. Assessment, intervention and evaluation are carried out jointly by designated members of the team.
Jigsaw uses the knowledge and skills from the professions of Psychology, Education, Speech Pathology and Occupational Therapy. Put simply, a session at Jigsaw addresses the core challenges of autism with the understanding that autism is a social disorder that affects ones ability to function in a typical developing world. At Jigsaw we support your child to:
- develop skills to improve ones social/emotional understanding
- develop and maintain friendships and relationships with others
- improve both verbal and non-verbal communication skills
- develop skill sets to improve self-help and independent living skills,as well as play and social skills
- develop skills in cognitive and learning development, such as reasoning and flexibility in thinking
- improve self regulation through understanding positive behaviour support and management
DESCRIPTION AND EXPLANATION OF SERVICES
INITIAL CONSULTATION AND ASSESSMENT IN THE EDUCATIONAL PLANNING FOR THE TREATMENT OF AUTISM
Initial consultation with all stakeholders to establish family centred goals based on child and family needs and priorities; using a comprehensive approach to the treatment of autism derived from the principals of contemporary Applied Behaviour Analysis (“ABA”) and developmental frameworks. The Jigsaw team works closely with family to establish priority goals to address the core characteristics of autism. Standardised autism assessment tools that assist in the educational planning of Autism Spectrum Disorders is also used.
Session – 1.5 hours
INDIVIDUAL THERAPY
Individual therapy to address core challenges of autism. Framework from behavioural and developmental interventions. Therapy to assist communication, play and social skills, cognitive and learning skills as well as behaviour management.
Session – 1 hour
INCLUSION SUPPORT CONSULTANCY
Intensive support offered in educational settings using principals from behaviour and developmental perspectives. A tool box of practical strategies that enhance learning and skill development of autistic children. Consideration of environmental and classroom organisation is essential to support successful inclusion of mainstream educational settings. As well as increase skills, knowledge and training of child’s key learning support staff.
Session – 1 to 2 hours
HOME VISITS
Therapy is conducted in child’s natural settings to address behaviour and skill development. This also helps with generalisation of learned skills. Incorporating intensive behaviour therapy derived from ABA to address skill development and management of complex challenging behaviours. Area of curriculum includes communication, play and social skills as well as functional communication training and positive behaviour support strategies.
Session – 1 to 2 hours
INCLUSIVE EDUCATION – PEER MEDIATED INTERVENTIONS
Specialist Social communication program implemented in child’s educational setting. Priority areas addressed include attention, engagement, turn taking and sharing skills. Receptive and expressive language skills are addressed with a focus on pragmatic skill development and understanding of people, places and events. Typical developing peers are used as role models to help support positive behaviours and role modelling and practice of skills with competent peers. Child’s learning support staff are an essential component to the success of the program. Fits best practice and meets recommended 20-25 hours of quality evidence based practice as teachers are given a tool box of teaching and learning strategies to promote social communication and social understanding for autistic children; as well as assisting with autistic child’s ability in relating to self and others.
Session – 1 to 1.5 hours
INTENSIVE BEHAVIOUR INTERVENTION – APPLIED BEHAVIOUR ANALYSIS (ABA) FRAMEWORKS AT JIGSAW
Challenging behaviours is a barrier for children with autism to learn. This program teaches parents and gives them skills to engage and interact with their child. Through positive learning experiences the child’s challenging behaviours are decreased. The parents/carers learn a range of skills to assist their parenting techniques to be able to enjoy and connect with their child. This package is offered to assist families who want or need intensive one on one therapy for children who are displaying complex behaviours. Parents bring their child into Jigsaw for three (3) x 45 minute sessions for 5 weeks. Team members are accessed depending on skills, knowledge and expertise as the child progresses through his individual educational plan and gets things on track. Once child is in a routine and behaviour is under control we can begin to teach the child how to learn.
Sessions – Up to 3 times per week. 1 hour per session. Conducted over term (intensive).
SCHOOL HOLIDAY PROGRAM
This program is designed to compliment existing programs. It has an Inclusive Education focus and children must be enrolled in any of the above listed services. Using frameworks from evidence based best practice Jigsaw is turned into a Carnival of Fun. This is a highly innovative engaging and novel experience developed by Jigsaw. Quantitative and qualitative data is collected for research purposes.
Session – 1.5 hours
WORKSHOPS FOR PROFESSIONALS
Workshops can be conducted at the Jigsaw clinic or can be designed around your school’s needs.
Innovative educators never stop learning. At Jigsaw we are innovators in the teaching and learning of children with Autism and related childhood disabilities.
At Jigsaw:
- We learn how to teach children with autism so we can share are experiences and knowledge with other dedicated educators by having highly qualified staff who are trained in Inclusive Education and Autism.
- We put the fun back into learning, making our workshops engaging and interactive, with a touch of novelty and joyful learning.
- Our workshops are designed to give teachers and educators practical strategies to support inclusive education.
- We are concerned about the how to teach children with autism and setting them up for success.
- We recognise the need to skill educators in understanding what autism is and how having the disorder effects ones learning in what generally is an education world for which they have little understanding.
- We know and recognise that quality teaching is what makes the difference in the teaching and learning of all children.
- We are passionate about play-based learning and work within the Early Years Learning Framework (“EYLF”), teaching teachers how to include and meet the needs of autistic children in their unique individual educational setting.
- We are advocates for young children accessing early intervention in a mainstream educational setting.
Let’s get together to share and create new teaching and learning experiences that will bring your educational setting to the forefront. All children need to experience learning that is engaging and builds success for life. The EYLF recognises that all children need to be connected to family, community, culture and place. As children participate in everyday life experiences, they develop interests and construct their own identities and understandings of the world. Children with autism are born with a neurological disorder which impairs normal childhood development, making building social connections and social understanding in the world often frustrating and confusing.
Price by application, depending on numbers and length of workshop. Minimum 2 hours. Includes handouts and Certificate of Attendance.
WORKSHOPS AT JIGSAW – Maximum of 20 attendees
Our workshops are recommended for teachers, early childhood educators, speech pathologists, occupational therapists, parents/carers and organisations working with children. Jigsaw can present at staff development days, conferences and as a guest speaker. Workshops can be tailored to your needs, however, some popular workshops include:
- I am All Eyes – Using the Principals of structured Teaching in Inclusive Classroom Settings. During this workshop teachers will learn how to capitalise on the visual learning strength of children with an ASD. Learn about the principals of structured teaching and how to implement these techniques into your early childhood setting or classroom.
- Play-Based Learning for children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. Children learn through play. Work is play for children. Play and learning are inextricably woven together. Play is intrinsically motivated and powerful for children in all cultures. But what if your child has an Autism Spectrum Disorder? … then play becomes work. For this cohort play does not come naturally and intrinsically motivating as their typical developing peer group. Autism affects one’s ability to be with and connect with others on social communication capacities and emotional and social understanding. This can be significantly impaired. Learn with Jigsaw how to connect with kids on the spectrum and to teach their peers how to be a friend with someone who has autism through play.
- Practical Strategies for Implementing Autism Curriculum in Mainstream Educational Settings. Learn about Inclusive Education and its role in the treatment of autism. Let Jigsaw help you set up for successful school transition programs such that they are well supported and can access the mainstream curricula both play based and academic.
- Teaching children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Learn about autism interventions and application of best practice guidelines to implement teaching and learning strategies that address the core deficits of autism. This workshop is a highly innovative and interactive workshop suitable for participants who have a basic understanding of autism.