Autism Spectrum Australia

I want to take some time this month to build awareness about the organisations and groups who provide support for families of children with Autism.

Autism Spectrum Australia: ASPECT

ASPECT state on their website that they are Australia's "largest not-for-profit autism specific service provider." They provide many services for families of children with Autism.

Information
You can start learning about Autism by visiting ASPECT's information pages. However, it doesn't stop there.

They also have an information line which you can call to get information and advice. They can advise you on anything from diagnosis to finding services for your child.

If you live in NSW, Australia, ASPECT can also help you understand and navigate through the process of applying for early intervention funding.

Diagnosis
If you are concerned about your child's behaviour or development, but don't yet have a diagnosis, you can complete an online questionnaire on ASPECT's website to give you an idea of whether you should be looking for a diagnosis of an Autism Spectrum Disorder. ASPECT also provides a team who can make a diagnosis.

Early Intervention
Once a child is diagnosed it is important to start building their skills as soon as possible. One of the services that ASPECT provides is an Early Intervention Service called Aspect Building Blocks.

Workshops and Family Support
Aspect also run workshops for families and professionals. They also coordinate a parent support network.

Specialist Schools
Aspect also run a number of specialist schools and classrooms. For example, in the Hunter Region (Newcastle, NSW) there is one specialist school and five satellite classrooms located in other private or public schools.

And there's more!
Aspect provide many more services for children, youth and adults. So make sure you explore their website further. They may have something that either you or someone you know might benefit from.


How you can help:

Aspect is a not-for-profit organisation. Like any such organisation, they are always in need of money to keep their services affordable for families. Please consider making a donation to help them expand and continue their invaluable service.


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Contact me if you have a service, support group or fundraising effort that you would like me to write about this month.