Stories - Parent 2 Parent

Shape you new Disability Employment Support Program

Disability Employment Services Consultation

The government is working on a new Disability Employment Support model. It will replace the existing Disability Employment Services (DES) …

RESOURCES – Disability Royal Commission

The Disability Royal Commission is well under way now, and with that, ongoing media coverage, which may be traumatic for …

Christmas lights up inclusive nights

Out and about on the streets of the Sunshine Coast during this time of year there is a warm colourful …

Photo of Michael and Jill at the P2P stand.

A Fair Day Out

A Fair Day Out 2021 was held on Saturday 9 October at the Eumundi Markets to celebrate inclusive communities. There …

Bruno is flying high

Bruno uses P2P services and was so excited to share his skydiving story with us. We thank Bruno and his …

Peer Facilitator Positions

Would you like to be involved in the Stand by Me project? The Stand By Me (SBM) project is funded …

Having A Say!

Last month VALID ran their Having A Say Conference virtually for the first time. The members of Loud and Clear …

White clay-style person holding a stop sign

MEDIA RELEASE – No Mandatory Independent Assessments

Queensland disability peak bodies held a forum in May to discuss planned changes to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). …

A blue book with the My Plan on the front

Automatic Plan Extension

The NDIS has made some changes to plan renewals. As part of the COVID-19 safe options available, you might be …

We Won’t Back Down On Independent Assessments

We’ve been vocal about our opposition to the proposed changes to the NDIS by the Australian Government. These changes would …

The Amazing Tallis

Friday 26 March is Purple Day for Epilepsy Awareness. Angela is a P2P member and volunteer. To mark the day, …

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Parent to Parent Qld

5 hours ago

A Fair Day Out is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year!Equity Works are seeking expressions of interest from individuals, groups, and organisations wishing to perform or have a market stall at the event in September.See below for contact details.A Fair Day Out is seeking expressions of interest from individuals and organisations wishing to have a market stall and individuals or groups to perform on stage.Would you like to have a market stall to sell your creations, would you like to perform on stage or host an activity tent? Spread the word, we would love to hear from you!Contact Kylie Moore on: Phone: 0419 322 709Email: k.moore@equityworks.org ... See MoreSee Less

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Parent to Parent Qld

5 hours ago

This is incredible from the Victorian state government! Auslan Interpreting will be free to study at TAFE from next year.Let's get emailing Annastacia Palaszczuk MP and our local MPs to do the same here in Queensland! [Image text: We're adding Auslan to free TAFE starting from 2023.]Auslan interpreters have never been in such high demand. And it's a good thing. They're making our state a more accessible, inclusive place. And that's why today we've announced that Auslan Interpreting will be added to the Free TAFE course list next year. It'll be a huge boost to the workforce, and mean interpreters can continue supporting Victorians who are deaf or hard of hearing. Our Free TAFE courses are chosen to make sure students are getting skills in industries that are in demand - like construction, healthcare and mental health. And now we can add interpreting to the list. ... See MoreSee Less

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Parent to Parent Qld

8 hours ago

Great information…Many teachers have expressed challenges while teaching autistic students in a mainstream class, where there are a variety of needs amongst students but often few resources. As a result, teachers can experience increased stress, a sense of dread associated with the school day ahead, a feeling of lack of understanding or support within the school system, and exhaustion leading to burnout.We have found that it takes at least six months to really know an autistic student. Knowledge about autism and how autism presents in your autistic student, combined with an attitude of curiosity, open-mindedness, and respect, are the two tools that you need to be successful with your autistic students. The fact that you are asking questions and reading this post means you already have these tools or are well on the way to having them.In this post, we will share our top 10 strategies to assist you to a teach your autistic student.1. Knowledge.Increase your knowledge about autism. Understanding autism will help you to understand and support your autistic student. For example, frequently the reason behind some behaviours is social confusion or sensory overload or both. Reducing confusion and overload is one way to help support your autistic students. 2. Tailor-made.Increase your knowledge about your autistic student. There is a saying, “if you have met one autistic person, you have met one autistic person.” In other words, the autistic community is a very heterogeneous group, and it is important to understand the unique profile of your autistic student. Ask both the parents and previous teachers to give you a one-page snapshot of the child.Ask for the following information – your students:• personality strengths• abilities• interests• motivations• long-term dream/goal• learning profile • 3-5 key challenges in the classroom, including sensory challenges• solutions that have helped in the past3. Attitude.Increase your compassion and respect for your autistic student. It is difficult to be autistic in a world full of people who are not. On a daily basis they are challenged with understanding how other people think and relate, not being able to easily make friends or maintain them, bombarded by sensory experiences, frustrated by their own difficulties with initiating tasks and completing them, frustrated by not being able to follow their own agenda and not understanding why, feeling different from others, often feeling judgement and social rejection. We could go on. Increasing our compassion and respect for our autistic students increases our motivation, energy and drive to assist them, and this is what they need most, our assistance and support.4. Support for You.Get support for yourself. The best model in education that we have seen is to have a special needs unit within the mainstream school, where mainstream teachers have access to special needs teachers to consult around various challenges and issues, they experience in teaching autistic students. If this expertise is not available within your school, talk to your School Principal about how you may access this expertise in an ongoing basis.5. Prioritise Learning.Attend workshops on autism, join a support group if you become really interested (the passion for understanding and helping people with autism can be enormously strong throughout a person’s whole life, we call it being “bitten by the bug,” e.g., the authors of this post!) and read relevant books. Here is a list of resources to help:Books:• The Essential Manual for Asperger Syndrome (ASD) in the Classroom: What Every Teacher Needs to Know by Kathy Hoopmann, published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers, Web: www.jkp.com• Friendly Kids, Friendly Classrooms: Teaching Social Skills and Confidence in the Classroom by Helen McGrath and Shona Francey, published by Pearson Education Australia, Web: www.pearson.com.au• Teacher Education and Autism, edited by Clare Lawrence, published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers, Web: www.jkp.com• Asperger Syndrome: A Practical Guide for Teachers by Val Cumine, Julia Dunlop and Gill Stevenson, published by Routledge, Web: www.routledge.com• Autism Spectrum Disorders in the Mainstream Classroom: How to Reach and Teach Students with ASDs by Barbara Boroson, published by Scholastic Teaching Resources6. A Sensory-Friendly Classroom.Once you know the sensory profile of the autistic students in your class, make the accommodations necessary to ensure that your classroom is as autism friendly, considering the sensory profile, as possible. Make sensory toys available for all students. Over time, the ones who really need them or use them, and the novelty will wear off for the others. Many of the Neurotypical kids will also benefit!7. A Sanctuary.Set up a safe space that is either in a separate room, a separate building, or a corner of the classroom, that is a sacred space for retreat and recovery. Ensure that all students know that they can use this whenever they need to, to take time out to calm down and feel more focused. It is important that all the students understand that the space is a calm space, not a punishment space. There are rules for this space, for example, minimal talking, and only one person in the space at one time, if possible.8. Team.Consult with the parents (carers or Grandparents) regularly. Set up a meeting at the beginning of each term to discuss how the holidays have been, how the last term went, what worked, what didn’t, and to create a plan for the coming term. Have a review meeting during and at the end of the term to review what worked, what didn’t, barriers to success and how to remove those barriers and to create a plan for the next term.9. Be flexible.Plan to be flexible. Autistic kids need flexibility, creative solutions, and flexible problem-solving, for their own unique situations and needs.10. Create inclusivity.Model and create an inclusive classroom where diversity is recognised and welcomed, respect and mistakes are expected, rules are created together and everyone is responsible for ensuring they are followed, and classroom values are transparent and discussed. Where students feel safe to be their authentic selves and understand the parameters of their behaviour and potential consequences for behaviour. Set up mentor relationships between students, based on their individual strengths and challenges, including academic, artistic, social, and emotional.SummaryTeaching autistic students can seem daunting at first. Armed with knowledge about autism generally, and specifically for your student, an attitude that respects and accepts the student as they are, and support for yourself, you are well on your way to providing a teaching experience that will pave the way for your autistic student to thrive.Autism in SchoolsLIVE WEBCAST And Live In Townsville: Autism In School - 17 June 2022Our brand new event, Autism in School, was specifically designed to train teachers and teacher aids in autism to increase their understanding of autism and equip them with specific strategies for teaching the autistic children and adolescents in their classroom, in Primary, High School, Distance Education or Home Schooling. Families and health professionals who support the child or teenager attending school will also benefit. Who Will Benefit?Educational professionals including:Teachers, Teacher’s Aides, Principals, Deputy Principals, Administrative Staff, Guidance Officers, School Counsellors (NB: NSW Teachers can use this event as an Elective CPD)Parents and carers with autistic children/teenagers currently attending primary or high school, Distance Education or Home Schooling.Health professionals supporting autistic children and adolescents who attend school, for e.g.:Psychologists, Speech Pathologists, Occupational Therapists, Social Workers, Mental Health Nursesattwoodandgarnettevents.com/.../live-event.../** The information in this post is from peer-reviewed research and the perspectives and experiences of many autistic individuals from clinical experience and communications and may not apply to each person.#autism #autistic #autismawareness #autismacceptance #autismfamily #autismspectrum #autismparents #NDIS #attwoodandgarnettevents #psychologist #psychology #alliedhealth #alliedhealthprofessionals #alliedhealthcare #teachers #specialeducator #specialeducation #specialeducationalneeds #specialeducationteacher ... 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Parent to Parent Qld

9 hours ago

Something to check out… ... See MoreSee Less

Luminous Lantern Parade South Bank | Must Do Brisbane

www.mustdobrisbane.com

Queensland's most iconic celebration of multiculturalism, the mammoth parade will light up South Bank

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Parent to Parent Qld

1 day ago

It's important to keep educating.#AutismSafety ... See MoreSee Less

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