Here is a wonderful
opportunity for 8 to 12 year old neurotypical siblings of an individual
on the autism spectrum to take part in an 8 week group program aimed at
assisting them to better understand their sibling on the spectrum. This
FREE program conducted at Griffith
University, Mount Gravatt campus, assists children to enhance their own
personal coping, to help their sibling, but also to let go of taking
personal responsibility for problems outside their control. This is a
group full of useful information, practical learning, and fun. To
register your interest and find out more about this opportunity please
email Emilita Cornain on emilita.cornain@yahoo.com.
Kind regards,
The Team at Minds and Hearts
Minds and Hearts
Suite 6, Level 1, 88 Boundary Street
WEST END QLD 4101
PO Box 5675
WEST END QLD 4101
Ph: 07-3844 9466
Fax: 07 3844 9533
Showing posts with label Children's Programs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Children's Programs. Show all posts
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Monday, September 26, 2011
Smart Pups Assistance Dogs for Special Needs Children
Helping
Special Needs Children gain independence, confidence and success whilst
enjoying the companionship, loyalty and love only a dog can give.
Autism Assistance Dogs
Smart
Pups Service Dogs are tested and qualify for Full Public Access (just
like a guide dog). We train Assistance Dogs “task specific” for special
needs children and in particular we specialise in training dogs for
children within the Autism Spectrum.
Autism Assistance Dogs are specially trained to help children who
have any disability falling in the Autism spectrum. These dogs are
trained to disrupt behaviour outside of the child’s set behavioural
patten. In addition, these dogs can be trained to track the child should
he or she wander away. Autism Assist Dogs can become “extra help” when
out in public by having the child tethered to the dog who will act as an
anchor instead of having to be held by hand.
The most important aspect is the hope that the child will build a
trusting relationship with their dog. Regardless of what advanced skills
Autism Assistance Dogs might be trained to do, their primary purpose is
to provide a best friend, confidant and playmate for a child who almost
always has few friends.
Smart Pups Assistance Dogs, on the Sunshine Coast, are the only
Association in Queensland training dogs for children within the Autism
Spectrum. Just as Seeing Eye dogs make the world more navigable for the
blind, specially trained service dogs are now also helping children with
Autism achieve success and independence. These canine companions aid
children through everyday social challenges and help lower children’s
overall stress levels.
You Tube on Smart Pups
Saturday, September 24, 2011
RESPITE - MORETON BAY AREA
21/9/11
Today I found out that there is respite avaliable for families through a friend in
the moreton bay region.
the moreton bay region.
The details as follows :
Cost of services: Inhome respite $3/hr; Community Access Respite $5/hr plus activity costs arising. Weekend Centre Based Respite $15/day plus activity costs arising Summer Respite Program $15/day plus activity costs arising Centre Based Day ...Respite $15/day (meal not included) plus activity costs arising Social Support Inhome $3/hr. Community Access $5/hr plus activity costs arising. Areas of service: Albany Ck, Bald Hills, Bray Park, Brendale, Bunya, Burpengary, Caboolture, Camp Mtn, Cashmere, Cedar Ck, Central Pine West, Clear Mtn, Closeburn, Dakabin, Dayboro, Draper,Eatons Hill, French's Forest, Griffin, Highvale, Joyner, Kallangur, Kurwongbah, Lacey's Ck, Lawnton, Mango Hill, Mt Glorious, Mt Mee, Mt Nebo, Mt Pleasant, Murrumba Downs, Narangba, Ocean View, Petrie, Rush Ck, Samford, Samsonvale, Strathpine, Warner,Whiteside and Yugar.
see more details on the website above!
To find more information please contact:
76 Dayboro Road, Petrie
- Phone: (07) 3889 1638
- Fax: (07) 3889 2348
- PO Box 258, Petrie Qld 4502
- Email: PineRiversDisabilityProgram@moretonbay.qld.gov.au
(thanks Ally for this information )
Lee
Thursday, September 22, 2011
THE ALERT PROGRAM
When teachers, therapists, or parents use these
simple words to begin the Alert Program®, they enter an exciting adventure with children. The journey unfolds easily with the Alert Program®'s clearly defined steps for teaching self-regulation awareness.
The book, How Does Your Engine Run?® A Leader's Guide to the Alert Program® for Self-Regulation (Williams & Shellenberger, 1996), describes an innovative program that supports children, teachers, parents, and therapists to choose appropriate strategies to change or maintain states of alertness. Students learn what they can do before a spelling test or homework time to attain an optimal state of alertness for their tasks. Teachers learn what they can do after lunch, when their adult nervous systems are in a low alert state and their students are in a high alert state. Parents learn what they can do to help their child's nervous system change from a high alert state to a more appropriate low state at bedtime.
Leaders of the program not only learn what they can do to support self-regulation, but how to share the underlying theory so all can understand the basics of sensory integration. By reading the book or attending a conference, adults increase awareness of their own self-regulation thereby improving their ability to facilitate students' optimal functioning. The Sensory-Motor Preference Checklist (for Adults) is a tool used to support this learning process. For example by filling out the checklist, adults may discover that before work, they may drink coffee, take a brisk walk, or listen to jazzy music to get their engine up and going for the day. Or others may find that they drink hot chocolate, rock in a rocking chair, or watch the glow of a fireplace to get their engine slowed down after a busy day. Bringing to awareness what most people do automatically in their daily routines, fosters the understanding of how important self-regulation is for students' functioning.
Although the Alert Program® initially was intended for children with attention and learning difficulties, ages 8-12, it has been adapted for preschool through adult and for a variety of disabilities. If children are intellectually challenged or developmentally younger than the age of eight, the program's concepts can be utilized by staff to develop sensory diets (Wilbarger & Wilbarger, 1991) to enhance learning.
Join the group of teachers, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, physical therapists, adapted physical educators, educational assistants, counselors, social workers, and parents who are enhancing children's lives using the Alert Program®.
For more information: http://www.alertprogram.com/
The book, How Does Your Engine Run?® A Leader's Guide to the Alert Program® for Self-Regulation (Williams & Shellenberger, 1996), describes an innovative program that supports children, teachers, parents, and therapists to choose appropriate strategies to change or maintain states of alertness. Students learn what they can do before a spelling test or homework time to attain an optimal state of alertness for their tasks. Teachers learn what they can do after lunch, when their adult nervous systems are in a low alert state and their students are in a high alert state. Parents learn what they can do to help their child's nervous system change from a high alert state to a more appropriate low state at bedtime.
Leaders of the program not only learn what they can do to support self-regulation, but how to share the underlying theory so all can understand the basics of sensory integration. By reading the book or attending a conference, adults increase awareness of their own self-regulation thereby improving their ability to facilitate students' optimal functioning. The Sensory-Motor Preference Checklist (for Adults) is a tool used to support this learning process. For example by filling out the checklist, adults may discover that before work, they may drink coffee, take a brisk walk, or listen to jazzy music to get their engine up and going for the day. Or others may find that they drink hot chocolate, rock in a rocking chair, or watch the glow of a fireplace to get their engine slowed down after a busy day. Bringing to awareness what most people do automatically in their daily routines, fosters the understanding of how important self-regulation is for students' functioning.
Although the Alert Program® initially was intended for children with attention and learning difficulties, ages 8-12, it has been adapted for preschool through adult and for a variety of disabilities. If children are intellectually challenged or developmentally younger than the age of eight, the program's concepts can be utilized by staff to develop sensory diets (Wilbarger & Wilbarger, 1991) to enhance learning.
Join the group of teachers, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, physical therapists, adapted physical educators, educational assistants, counselors, social workers, and parents who are enhancing children's lives using the Alert Program®.
For more information: http://www.alertprogram.com/
Monday, May 30, 2011
“Encouraging Friendship Skills”
“Encouraging Friendship Skills” Program for Children with Asperger’s Syndrome and their parents”
The Aims of the Study
Parents of children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), including Asperger’s syndrome (AS), often report that they experience significant stress in their daily lives. In addition, many children with AS have difficulty with friendship skills in particular affectionate communication, which can lead to a number of difficulties in everyday life.
This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a newly developed stress management approach that has been adapted for parents of children with AS and a child program developed by Professor Tony Attwood to encourage friendship skills in children with AS.
Who can participate?
The Study
First phase: both parent/s and child will be required to come to the University of Queensland, St Lucia Psychology Clinic for an assessment session. At this assessment session, the parent/s will be asked to complete a battery of questionnaires and answer questions about their child’s diagnosis, friendship difficulties and own stress levels. The child will complete a brief measure of intelligence and answer questions about a hypothetical situation designed to assess their friendship skills. This assessment session will take approximately 1.5 hours. Parents will be asked to complete the same battery of questionnaires at three different time points: at the assessment session, immediately following the program and 3 months following the program. These questionnaires take approximately 30 to 40 minutes to complete. The questionnaires are about parenting, stress, coping and your child’s affection and friendship skills.
Second phase: involves completing the 7 week intervention program. The program will be conducted at the UQ Psychology Clinic, St Lucia campus, for two hours each week on consecutive Saturday mornings. There are two groups planned: one to start the first weekend of School Term 3 and the second on to start the first weekend of School Term 4. To meet research requirements, parent/s and their child will be randomly allocated to one of two groups.
The first two weeks are for the parents only. These two weeks will cover the stress management techniques. During these two weeks, parents will work in large groups to learn stress management techniques specifically designed for parents of a child with AS.
The last five weeks are for both the parent/s and their child. These five weeks will cover the ‘Encouraging Friendship Skills’ program developed by Professor Tony Attwood. These sessions will focus on teaching the children friendship skills and the importance of affectionate communication for making and keeping friends. The children will be in groups of three with two therapists. The parents will cover the child content in a large group so they are able to support and help their children learn the skills and complete homework tasks.
The program will be conducted by Postgraduate Provisional Clinical Psychologists and supervised by Clinical Psychologist, Dr Kate Sofronoff. Please also note to participate in the program, $50 will be charged. This cost is to cover the program resources and facilities provided.
Joining the Study
If you would like to participate in this project or you would like more information, please contact a member of the research team:
Lize Andrews
Ph: 0432 438 600
Email: lize.andrews@uqconnect.edu.au
Celia Bird
Ph: 0430 179 174
Email: celia.bird@uqconnect.edu.au
The Aims of the Study
Parents of children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), including Asperger’s syndrome (AS), often report that they experience significant stress in their daily lives. In addition, many children with AS have difficulty with friendship skills in particular affectionate communication, which can lead to a number of difficulties in everyday life.
This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a newly developed stress management approach that has been adapted for parents of children with AS and a child program developed by Professor Tony Attwood to encourage friendship skills in children with AS.
Who can participate?
- Children aged 7 to 12 years old with a diagnosis of Asperger syndrome or High Functioning Autism who have difficulties with friendship skills.
- Parent/s of the child with AS who is/are experiencing parenting stress or distress.
The Study
First phase: both parent/s and child will be required to come to the University of Queensland, St Lucia Psychology Clinic for an assessment session. At this assessment session, the parent/s will be asked to complete a battery of questionnaires and answer questions about their child’s diagnosis, friendship difficulties and own stress levels. The child will complete a brief measure of intelligence and answer questions about a hypothetical situation designed to assess their friendship skills. This assessment session will take approximately 1.5 hours. Parents will be asked to complete the same battery of questionnaires at three different time points: at the assessment session, immediately following the program and 3 months following the program. These questionnaires take approximately 30 to 40 minutes to complete. The questionnaires are about parenting, stress, coping and your child’s affection and friendship skills.
Second phase: involves completing the 7 week intervention program. The program will be conducted at the UQ Psychology Clinic, St Lucia campus, for two hours each week on consecutive Saturday mornings. There are two groups planned: one to start the first weekend of School Term 3 and the second on to start the first weekend of School Term 4. To meet research requirements, parent/s and their child will be randomly allocated to one of two groups.
The first two weeks are for the parents only. These two weeks will cover the stress management techniques. During these two weeks, parents will work in large groups to learn stress management techniques specifically designed for parents of a child with AS.
The last five weeks are for both the parent/s and their child. These five weeks will cover the ‘Encouraging Friendship Skills’ program developed by Professor Tony Attwood. These sessions will focus on teaching the children friendship skills and the importance of affectionate communication for making and keeping friends. The children will be in groups of three with two therapists. The parents will cover the child content in a large group so they are able to support and help their children learn the skills and complete homework tasks.
The program will be conducted by Postgraduate Provisional Clinical Psychologists and supervised by Clinical Psychologist, Dr Kate Sofronoff. Please also note to participate in the program, $50 will be charged. This cost is to cover the program resources and facilities provided.
Joining the Study
If you would like to participate in this project or you would like more information, please contact a member of the research team:
Lize Andrews
Ph: 0432 438 600
Email: lize.andrews@uqconnect.edu.au
Celia Bird
Ph: 0430 179 174
Email: celia.bird@uqconnect.edu.au
TOUGH LOVE PROGRAM
TOUGH LOVE PROGRAM FOR PARENTS TROUBLED BY UNACCEPTABLE ADOLESCENT BEHAVIOUR
We ask three things of you
Assessing your situation
Look at the following issues, or printout and fill in one of the Crisis Assessment forms, below.
AT HOME
Has your teenager run away
What is your assessment?
Do you want things to stay as they are, or are you ready to change?!
How many items have you ticked?
Are you satisfied with the way things are?
Do you believe that a crisis may be developing?
Do you believe that you are in crisis now?
We believe that if you have ticked two areas in the home category, two areas in the school category and one area in the legal category then YOUR CRISIS IS BUILDING.
If you have ticked more areas then YOU ARE ALREADY IN CRISIS.
DON’T FEEL BAD, GET MAD!
THEN USE YOUR ANGER TO MAKE CONSTRUCTIVE CHANGES.
http://toughlove.org.au/index.htm
(07)3856 3211
TOUGHLOVE philosophy is explained in the Parent Manual, which every parent receives when they become a member of a TOUGHLOVE group.
How we work
- We are a parent support group – parents meet for peer support.
- We deal in behaviour, not in emotions, even though emotions are considered and respected.
- We do not act as professional counsellors - each group can recommend helpful professionals from their own resource lists.
- We have no affiliations with any religious, or political groups.
- We can give you no immediate answers to your problems, what we can do is show you that you are not alone, that and you have rights and worth and deserve to be treated with respect.
- We have a “process for change” that you can use as a guide. We offer supportive confrontation and selective support to help you to make changes - first for yourself and your wellbeing - then for your teenager. We give no guarantees.
- We do not tell you what to do. We can give suggestions, hope and sharing. There are no prescriptions: you make your own plans and get support from the group to follow through with your decisions. If you don't know what to do we can help brainstorm and provide our collective experience.
- That you use the TOUGHLOVE materials so we are all speaking the same language.
- That you allow yourself time to see how TOUGHLOVE works. Please plan, initially, to come to at least six consecutive weekly session.
- And because we are a support group, not a service, that you give back support to others when you can.
- TOUGHLOVE is a non-profit, educational organisation offering self-help materials to parents, kids in trouble and the professionals working for them... it works!
- TOUGHLOVE is an effective self-help program for the parents of unruly young people.
- We empower parents and young people to accept responsibility for their actions and to stop destructive behaviours.
- We help parents to regain control of homes and lives, making communities safer places in which to live.
- TOUGHLOVE is a combination of philosophy and action which, together, can help you gain positive control of your home again.
- TOUGHLOVE is a network of parents helping kids – of parents and professionals working together – to bring change into the lives of young people.
- TOUGHLOVE does not advocate or support physical or verbal abuse.
- TOUGHLOVE does not advocate or support kicking kids out – we give our kids options that protect their safety and our responsibility, even though the reality is that they may not choose our options.
Assessing your situation
Look at the following issues, or printout and fill in one of the Crisis Assessment forms, below.
AT HOME
- You and your spouse argue about your teenager’s behaviour
- You have withdrawn from your spouse
- Your spouse has withdrawn from you
- You have not recently had a peaceful nights sleep
- You hate to hear the phone ring when your teenager is not home
- You or your spouse lost time from work because of your teenager
- High?
- Unreasonably late?
- Drunk?
Has your teenager run away
- Overnight?
- For two days?
- For a week?
- For more than a week?
- Verbally?
- Physically to the house or furniture?
- Physically to anyone in the family?
- Physically to other people in the community?
- In school?
- With the police?
- Been lazy?
- Absent without your knowledge?
- Missed classes?
- Been suspended?
- Have you been called by the school?
- Received a summons?
- Received fines or tickets?
- Been involved in accidents?
- Been charged with drug incidents?
- Been charged with drinking incidents?
- Been arrested?
What is your assessment?
Do you want things to stay as they are, or are you ready to change?!
How many items have you ticked?
Are you satisfied with the way things are?
Do you believe that a crisis may be developing?
Do you believe that you are in crisis now?
We believe that if you have ticked two areas in the home category, two areas in the school category and one area in the legal category then YOUR CRISIS IS BUILDING.
If you have ticked more areas then YOU ARE ALREADY IN CRISIS.
DON’T FEEL BAD, GET MAD!
THEN USE YOUR ANGER TO MAKE CONSTRUCTIVE CHANGES.
http://toughlove.org.au/index.htm
(07)3856 3211
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