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EARLY INTERVENTION

When your young child is diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder, you will be faced with a whole lot of new terms and service types. The information below should help you make some sense of who does what.

What is Early Intervention?

Early Intervention is the term used to describe program options for the child under six years of age. In Victoria, there are many different early intervention options.

  • Centre based programs for children with a range of developmental delays
  • Mainstream and specialist pre school programs
  • Centre based programs specialising in Autism Spectrum Disorder
  • Home based programs based on a particular therapy approach
  • Specific therapies provided in a clinic
  • Agencies that arrange for early intervention workers to visit your home on a regular or semi regular basis - this is sometimes called an outreach service
  • Programs that are researched and coordinated by parents

What Family Support is available?

Victorian families with a young child with an Autism Spectrum Disorder can also access a range of family support services

  • Please click here to view information about The Helping Children With Autism initiative
  • Case Management and family support services from the Victorian Department of Human Services Early Childhood Intervention Services program. The Department of Human Services also fund several agencies to deliver support programs such as "Early Choices" and "Making a Difference".
  • Your local council or shire is funded to provide respite care in your own home. For details contact the Community Services Department at your shire or council office. The Federal Government's Home and Community Care Program (HACC) funds this service.
  • The Autism Victoria Support and Information Service can assist families in two ways - with short term counselling, practical and emotional support (Family Counselling Service) and with a range of information services, including a library, information packages and tip sheets and a quarterly magazine (Information Support Service).
  • If you are using childcare facilities, the CSRDO program funded by the Federal Government is a possible source of additional support for your child. As with HACC programs, the CSRDO program is administered by your local council or shire.

Funded Specialist Programs

The Department of Human Services funds the following programs specifically for the child with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. However, funding is greatly limited, and many programs are only able to provide a few hours per week of support. Centre based programs are where you take your child to a centre or facility. Outreach programs are where specialist staff visit your home or community based service, such as child care or pre school. Contact the relevant agency below to find out what type of early intervention services they offer.

Non-funded Specialist Programs

Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) is a home-based therapy program used by many Victorian families. It is based on the work of Dr Ivar Lovaas, and involves a structured one to one teaching and reinforcement format. The program should be developed and supervised by an ABA trained psychologist or teacher. The teaching sessions are conducted by parents and/or trained ABA therapists. The outcome for many children on an ABA program can be very good, but as with most treatment programs, results vary from child to child. ABA is costly, from both a financial and time perspective, and in Victoria is funded by the family.

For information and assistance about ABA, contact the Autism Behavioural Intervention Association. The ABIA is committed to promoting ABA and organises parent education and therapist training programs. The ABIA Coordinator can provide guidance and support to parents interested in running an ABA program.

Specific Therapies

There are many trained therapists experienced with Autism Spectrum Disorders who can help your child. These include

  • Psychologists
  • Speech therapists
  • Occupational therapists
  • Early Intervention teachers
  • Physiotherapists
  • Music therapists
  • Dance and Movement therapists

Most of these therapists are in private practice and a fee for service applies. Some families have been able to secure funding from the "Making a Difference" or "Early Choices" programs to pay for some therapy services. However, for most families therapy costs have to be self-funded.  In 2006 the federal government introduced some Medicare items to fund limited non medical appointments - talk to your GP about "Enhanced Primary Care Plans" and "Mental Health Care Plans".

Alternative Therapies

As interest in Autism Spectrum Disorder grows, so do the number of specific treatments and approaches that claim to 'cure' or 'recover' the child. Many of these are described on The Center for the Study of Autism website. Some treatments may help some children some of the time, and there are the very occasional stories of amazing improvements. However, virtually none of these claims have stood up to closer scrutiny.

At this time, the treatments or approaches that show sustained gains are the educationally and/or behaviourally based programs. These programs are intensive, structured, and long term. There is no quick fix approach.

Help with Behaviour

This is the area parents most often ask for help. Your early intervention service can help as can the Autism Victoria Family Counsellor. An interactive website called Autism Help has been developed by Gateways Support Services. It contains a wealth of information about Autism Spectrum Disorders in several formats. Using the interactive and animated areas of the site requires downloadable software, and may not be accessible to some computer users.