FAMILY SUPPORT & EMPOWERMENT
The general health and wellbeing of the family as a unit plays a vital role in the progress of the child with autism. With this in mind, AFA provides varied Family Support Services like family counseling, weekend respite support, and holiday camps that are run during the summer vacations.
Parent Child Training
Action For Autism’s Parent Child Training Programme (PCTP) runs three times a year. Each session spans a period of approximately nine to twelve weeks.
The first session starts in January, the second session in July and third session in September or October of each year.
A group of 10 to 15 parents (mother/ father primarily responsible for the child’s care) and their children train together throughout the duration of the programme under the guidance of experienced, trained therapists.
Individualized Programme for Home Management
The Individualised Home Management Programme includes strategies and plans to improve learning and activities, and manage a child's time better, in the home environment.
*The parent and an AFA therapist design this together.
*Tailored to each family’s individual needs, the therapists provide structure for daily routines and activities that the family carries out with the child at home.
*The family returns for an update at predetermined intervals of a fortnight or more.
*The Program also gives families an opportunity to seek solutions to issues pertaining to any difficult behaviours and the learning of daily living skills.
Family Counseling
Family counseling, specially after receiving a diagnosis and during critical phases such as approaching adolescence, can 'offer parents' options of how best to support their child. It also improves parents' abilities to make positive, long-term decisions for their child by providing factual information.
Counselling is also provided to family members to deal with issues related to *the pressures and stress of parenting a child with autism, *parenting the sibling of a child with autism, *living in a nuclear or joint family, *second child issues, or *any other concerns families may have.
Appropriate coping strategies are discussed and developed with inputs from psychologists and medical professionals. Parents also receive referrals to schools and services elsewhere.
Weekend Respite Support
For parents who have to work on Saturdays, families in crisis, or those simply wanting a break - to watch a movie or complete their shopping AFA offers weekend support where children and young adults with autism spend a day with their buddies, away from their parents.
The programme provides training in daily living skills through fun activities like preparing lunch, tidying/cleaning up, going out for short outings or lunch to a restaurant. Preparations are underway to have a similar weekend support programme which would also include an overnight stay away from home and family.
Holiday Camps
A four-week summer camp is organized every year during the months of May-June for children with autism and their siblings. The camp focuses on building self-help and leisure time activities.
For more information about these programmes or for appointments, please contact us
