Question 1

Workshops and Presentations

Autism Spectrum Disorder: What does this diagnosis really mean?
ASD: Autistic girls (what to look for, adapting strategies to best support girls within a primary school setting)
ASD: In early learning, primary school and secondary school settings
ASD: Disclosing a diagnosis, using a strength based approach
Engaging in the curriculum: Engaging children with an ASD in the academic curriculum
Teamwork: What are the key ingredients for a successful team?
Transition: 5 stages to a successful transition for your student
Group work: What role does executive functioning play?
Play times: Impact of social and emotional skills
Specialist classes: Coping with transitions and developing flexible thinking
Motor skills: Areas to consider and strategies to develop skills
Occupational profile: How to devise independent learning goals for your students
General topics such as the introduction to social thinking / zones of regulation, anxiety management and sensory processing
Behavioural management: Creating an optional learning environment for successful student outcomes
Case studies and tailored presentations: Problem solving strategies / addressing needs specific to students at your school

Please contact Susanne or Jaye to discuss how SNAA can fit your professional development and educational needs.

Answer

Susanne Nelson and Jaye van Klaveren founded Susanne Nelson and Associates Consultancy Services (SNAACS) in 2014. With a combined clinical experience of 35 years, Susanne and Jaye aim to share relevant, practical and innovative ideas, strategies and resources they have learnt from working within paediatrics, the child’s educational environment, and within the Autism field. They offer workshops, presentations and education to teachers, professionals, parents and caregivers around areas related to Autism Spectrum Disorders and general topics about paediatric developmental areas. SNAACs is able to provide a range of presentations relevant to your community, including specifically tailored packages or more general discussions around areas related to ASD and or Paediatric development. We are a flexible service and can adapt and devise individualised packages to meet the needs of specific students in your setting. SNAACs presentations can range from single information sessions with a small group to a series of workshops for larger staff bodies centered on key areas associated with Autism Spectrum Disorders or Paediatrics. Many groups choose for SNAACs to present during staff meetings or outside school hours to maximise staff involvement and participation. SNAACS continues to present in a variety of independent, government and catholic schools around the state throughout each year. SNAACS has presented at the Victorian Autism Conference, Spectrum Journeys conference, On the spectrum – live on stage in Bendigo and for many years facilitated the Camberwell Mental health network. SNAACs has previously presented to groups on areas including:

Question 2

Online Support Services

Answer

Online ASD and OT support: Online support services are available via Zoom and Microsoft Teams. Please contact Susanne or Jaye to discuss how SNAA's online support services can support your child's needs. Please click here for further information on SNAA's online services. Training and education: This service is offered for new graduates and OTs interested in paediatric OT / ASD. More information to come in 2021.

Question 3

Support work / therapy assistance within the home or learning environment

enabling the autistic child to practice and implement necessary strategies to perform required activities of daily living
promoting the generalisation of skills across from their social learning environment / therapy sessions
provide support to other family members e.g. sibling support and or respite for parents

An SNAA occupational therapist who would be currently providing therapy for that family, conducts a home visit and family meeting to:

Assesses the current situation and supports needed
Devises a tailored and individualised home program for the family for the support worker/therapy assistant to implement.

This home program is continually monitored and evaluated by the SNAA Therapist. The therapist also provides ongoing supervision for the support worker/therapy assistant, enabling tweaking of the program as required and ensuring the support worker / therapy assistant is implementing the necessary therapeutic strategies appropriately. Where SNAA cannot provide its usual ongoing outreach service model for families / children located outside its catchment area, in home support provided by a support worker / therapy assistant may prove to be a more appropriate and beneficial source of support and use of NDIS funding (especially if actual Occupational Therapy is not able to be provided to the child directly). For further information, please contact Susanne or Jaye.

Answer

The impact of an ASD can be significantly great within the home environment, not just for the autistic child themselves, but for the other members of the family as well. SNAA appreciates this and understands the need for in-home support as much as possible, and where it is suitable families can utilise their NDIS funding to seek in home support. Where the family can utilise their NDIS funding for a support worker / therapy assistance, SNAA seeks to employ either a third or fourth year occupational therapy student or equivalent, to fulfil this role within the family‘s home environment. There are many reasons for in-home support, including and not limited to: