Inspire’s Structured Training and Education Programme (STEP)

Although currently there is no cure for autism, research has confirmed the positive impact that appropriate intervention may have on the further development and enhancement of skills. Specialized programmes such as STEP Early Years, have often been the key for enabling and empowering children on the autism spectrum to access learning and social opportunities as well as supporting their parents and other relevant stakeholders. <br />
Awareness is key! Sadly, parents raising a child with autism may not only be dealing with the challenges that this condition may bring, however, must also face the battle of being unfairly judged by society. People are quick to judge and assume that the parent is failing, or the child is simply out of control. The last thing a parent needs is to be told to ‘discipline’ their child who may be having a meltdown due to a possible sensory overload. These parents need help, not judgement. Hence our commitment is not only to support the child, however, to empower their parents! <br />
School staff must be supported and empowered with information/training as this enhances their understanding of autism. Inclusion is not just physically having the autistic child in the classroom, it’s about ensuring that the student participates in the class’ activities and benefits from being in a mainstream classroom. Schools must be aware that autistic children need more specialized intervention such as specialized resources, including specially trained staff, communication aids, sensory equipment and environmental considerations which cater specifically to this condition. <br />
Inspire has a wealth of experience directly supporting and advising staff involved in teaching children on the autism spectrum such as learning support educators (LSE) and teachers. Specialised tutors visit the children while at school in order to observe the child in the mainstream setting along with their peers. This is followed by a discussion with the LSE, where recommendations regarding communication strategies, behaviour management techniques and possible environmental considerations are outlined and adapted for the classroom environment. <br />
External training events are tailor-made and specifically designed to provide basic information regarding autism to promote awareness and broaden the participants’ knowledge of the condition, leading to more understanding. Specialised techniques are discussed in an interactive manner, providing the participants with the opportunity to take away practical strategies and apply them within their context. An example of a very popular training event is that of the Inclusion/Exclusion training. The content of this training event focuses on educating people on the importance of embracing diversity and pointing out that we are all different from each other in many ways. <br />
An important component of delivering a fully comprehensive service is providing support to children during extracurricular activities. During the summer months, STEP Early Years children make use of the therapeutic services at our Marsascala branch. Using facilities such as the indoor hydrotherapeutic pool, the state-of-the-art multi-sensory theatre and therapeutic horseback riding provide the children with an opportunity to generalise acquired skills in a variety of environments – and have fun at the same time! The feedback received from the parents is overwhelmingly positive and continues to fuel our enthusiasm to continue our work.