Therapy

Aspect Therapy employs over 250 allied health and education professionals including speech pathologists, occupational therapists, psychologists and early childhood intervention teachers.

Therapy services and supports can be delivered individually or in small groups with flexibly-designed programs based on what individuals and families want. Therapy services are delivered in a location of the individual and families choosing and may be natural environments such as home or school, or more formal clinic-based settings where available.

Individuals, and their families and local support network are involved in all aspects of decision making and are allocated a single main point of contact to coordinate the right supports. We use a transdisciplinary, person-centred and family focussed approach, based on evidence-based practices.

Speech Pathology

Speech Pathologists assess and treat individuals who have difficulties with communication. The Speech Pathologist works with individuals, parents and other support persons to design an intervention program that best meets the communication needs of the individual on the autism spectrum. Interventions are designed to develop the individual’s language, play, and social communication skills. This may involve developing joint and shared attention, teaching communication intent, teaching the individual ways to communicate through the use of augmentative and alternative communication strategies such as photographs, pictures and signs, developing the individual’s listening skills and comprehension, turn taking, conversation skills, and the use and understanding of facial expression and body language.

The Speech Pathologist provides information, guidance and resources to assist carers and others to foster and promote the development of communication skills and to help the individual’s understanding of language and the world around them.

Occupational Therapy

Occupational Therapists support individuals and families to participate in the activities of their daily life. These activities may include self-care tasks, playing with others, fine motor and gross motor activities and engaging in school or work tasks. Occupational Therapists work with individuals to develop the skills needed to engage in functional activities, whilst also considering adaptation of tasks and the environment. They also support the understanding of an individuals sensory preferences and differences that impact upon the tasks they need to engage in. The Occupational Therapist works with individuals, parents and others to develop an intervention program that best meets the individual’s goals in order to develop independence. The Occupational Therapist provides information, guidance and resources to assist the individual, parents and others to foster and promote the development of these skills and to help the individual participate meaningfully and independently in the activities of their daily life.

Psychology and Social Work

Psychologists have expertise in how people think, feel and behave. Psychologists focus interventions upon helping families, and others to manage behaviours of concern, and helping individuals to develop skills to improve social interactions and to regulate emotions. The Psychologist assists parents, carers and others to gain a greater understanding of the individual’s autism and the impact this may have upon their learning, development and behaviour. This assists them to develop skills to respond positively and appropriately to the individual’s needs. The Psychologist works with parents and others to develop and implement a plan to assist them to positively manage behaviour, to help the individual to manage emotional difficulties such as anxiety or anger, to help the individual develop self-regulation skills, and/or to assist the individual to develop skills for socialising with their peers and adults. Interventions are designed to improve the individual’s ability to form and maintain positive social relationships.

The Psychologist provides information, guidance and resources to assist parents and others to foster and promote the individual’s social and emotional coping skills and to help them interact positively with others.

Education and Skill Development

Educators are specialist teachers with a strong knowledge base across all areas of a child’s development and learning. Early Childhood Support Educators focus upon the child’s participation in the activities, experiences and opportunities afforded young children as part of daily living. They may work individually with children and their parents and carers and/or they may design and deliver specific group programs for young children on the autism spectrum. They have expertise in planning for, including, and supporting children in a range of education environments and they may also work with others to incorporate children’s individual goals into a variety of early education settings.

The Early Childhood Support Teacher works with parents and others in homes and community settings to develop and implement a plan to support a child’s successful participation in family and community life. Supports are designed to improve the child’s functional skills and to strengthen the capacity of others to foster the child’s learning and development and his/her inclusion in the routines, activities and places of everyday life. They provide information, guidance and resources to assist parents and others to maximize the child’s engagement, learning and meaningful participation in a range of day-to-day activities and opportunities.