An Autism Plan for Mauritius
-
Upload
violet-santana -
Category
Documents
-
view
41 -
download
8
description
Transcript of An Autism Plan for Mauritius
• Estimated number of children with autism 13,000
• Adults will be identified too
• Demand for support and services will grow
• These children have potential and can be economically active or become a burden for the state
• All staff and agencies working with children need autism awareness
• Parents need a clear care pathway
• Early identification to diagnosis to management plan to IEP to employment support
• Many services/sectors can contribute
• No medical cure for a lifelong condition
Multi-agency working
• Essential to avoid duplication and confusion
• Team around the child and family- key worker
• Autism therapies are numerous and costly
• Needs trained, motivated team members
• Can be difficult to achieve! Silo mentality...
A national autism strategy group ?
• Should involve two key ministries- budget holders?
• Academics -University Psychology department
• Main NGO's working with disability/autism
• Education staff - Hospital paediatrician
• Technical support
• Parent Association representative
• Training is a major issue for health and education staff
• Every school needs awareness of identification and referral process
• Some centres of excellence needed
• Many children will be in mainstream schools-spectrum of provision
Recommended tools and
interventions• Not all autism therapies are of value-scientific evaluations often lacking
• Need to define "best practice for Mauritius"
• TEACCH- visual structure ABA?
• PECS- Picture Exchange Communication System
• Social Stories and Social Skills training with peer group
• Curriculum adaptation to meet individual needs
Possibilities for collaboration
• Joint conference MEd and MOH- November 2012
• Future training events on diagnostic process, educational issues, parent support etc.
• Creation of the national committee and Plan
• Linking schools and special units to schools with experience in UK- teacher exchange visits?
• Engagement with Autism Speaks Global Autism Initiative- financial support for epidemiological survey?