CEAT

Early Intensive Intervention

Early Intensive InterventionEarly Intensive InterventionEarly Intensive Intervention
Early intensive intervention involves the delivery of an individualised, comprehensive and integrated programme in which skills compliment and build upon each other. Quality intervention programmes progress systematically through stages of learning, with an emphasis on an individualised curriculum for each child.   Decades of empirical research suggest that early intervention that is based upon evidenced-based practice is most effective.  Using the principles of Applied Behaviour Analysis, we design intervention programmes that are grounded in this research and that avail of the many tried and tested autism-specific strategies. 

For our very young learners with autism, we use an interactive, play-based approach, giving children the opportunity to adapt to frequent contact with others.  Intervention is typically delivered about ten to fifteen hours per week, with a gradual increase as the children get older.  Children are engaged in incidental teaching opportunities, taking advantage of situations that occur in the natural environment to learn new skills.  

Once a positive learning environment is established for both the learner, more structured learning opportunities are gradually included.  Structured learning opportunities involve access to preferred activities and positive reinforcers; it also allows for more difficult skills to be taught in am more systematic manner.  A comprehensive, integrated approach to intervention requires up to thirty-five hours of one-to-one teaching per week.  A teaching session usually lasts about two to four hours, during which playtime is an integral part.  

What will my child learn through an early, intensive intervention programme?  

Goals for our early learners may include a range of skills, including the learning readiness skills of; attention, imitation and co-operation.  Once a child has developed these skills, our intervention goals expand to include receptive and expressive language development, the social use of language, play and social interaction skills, self care and academic readiness. Teaching involves breaking complex skills down into small basic units of behaviour, guiding the child to demonstrate the behaviours, and providing positive reinforcement for doing so. Learning becomes a rewarding process, and ultimately, children with autism learn how to learn.

How might my child benefit from an early, intensive intervention programme? 

Children with autism characteristically do not learn readily from typical environments.  However, young children who follow a typical path of development are constantly learning from their environment and are acquiring new skills at a rapid rate.   We aim to help our learners access those learning opportunities that other children naturally seek out.  We doing this by enriching the learning environment, changing our own interaction style and using high levels of positive reinforcement.  And, by setting goals and targets that are appropriate to your child's developmental level, we are helping them to experience success, leading to more enthusiasm for learning. 

Why should I chose an early, intensive behavioural intervention programme for my child? 

At present, the only intervention for children with autism that is supported by credible scientific evidence is based upon the principles of Applied Behaviour Analysis. The delivery of such programmes are comprehensive, in that they use multiple methods to address a range of skill areas. They are intensive, in that one-to-one teaching is provided for a high number of hours per week. Intervention is provided as early as possible, and should occur at an intensive level for approximately two years. After this time, systematic support in an appropriate educational placement takes place, while supplemental home-based intervention should continue as appropriate to the child's needs.

How do I get started with my child's early, intensive intervention programme? 

Through our Intake and Assessment process, we can help you start this journey.  After you make initial contact with us, we can send you additional information on our organisation through the post.  Then, after you provide us with some basic information on your child and family, we can arrange an Initial Screening Interview. This will give us and you the opportunity to get to know each other and to determine if your child's needs and our services are a "good match."  Following the Screening Interview, we will provide you with written recommendations regarding your child's proposed intervention programme. One you decide to start your programme, we can assist you in the search for home-tutors and then provide the training and ongoing consultancy required to ensure that your child's early, intensive intervention programme runs as smoothly as possible.  

If you are interested in learning more about early, intensive intervention programmes or in applying for a Screening Interview, please contact us and / or print, complete and post this Client Information Form.   We will then contact you to arrange a suitable meeting time.