Play and Language for Autistic Youngsters
MindBuilders’ P.L.A.Y. Project Home Consulting Programme:
Introductory Information for Parents
What is PLAY?
The P.L.A.Y. Project™ Home Consulting Programme provides training and support for families of children with autism right in their home.
A trained home-consultant teaches parents techniques that are effective, fun and useful in day-to-day interactions, so they can provide intensive, one-on-one, play-based interventions to their autistic child.
By providing training in the home, consultants see the family in an environment where the child feels comfortable, rather than in unfamiliar settings, that are sometimes experienced as intimidating by the child.
A Home Consultation typically includes:
Family Support and an average of 10 (range 6-12) monthly visits per year
Sessions usually lasting 2-3 hours, providing modeling, coaching and feedback
Selected videotaping of PLAY-interactions with written evaluations and feedback
Video Review Program in combination with home visits
A PLAY-Project-Folder for materials, information, reports, etc.
Additional information/materials as appropriate
Assistance with IEP-Goals, where requested
Documenting progress using a combination of family information, assessments and questionnaires
Thorough PLAY-Programme Evaluation of Family Satisfaction
Why?
Parents spend more time with their children than all of their teachers and therapists combined.
By training parents to be their child’s best P.L.A.Y. partner, the child can receive intensive high quality intervention every day.
We recommend that parents/ caregivers, once trained by our Home Consultant, then spend at least 2 hours every day PLAYing with their child, usually in shorter (e.g. 6x20-minute) sessions, which can/will be a very enjoyable time for you with your child.
This type of PLAY assists the child to work through the core deficits of autism.
This Early Intervention programme aims to address developmental problems, that a child needs to have mastered BEFORE starting at play-group, nursery or other group-settings and in order to get ready to cope and become ready to learn at school.
… because Parents are the Experts on their Child
Our Home Consultants are experts on autism and have been intensively trained to guide you and to teach you PLAY-techniques, so that you can more effectively assist your child to move up the developmental ladder, and increase language and social skills.
Our goal is for you, the parent, to be your child’s best P.L.A.Y.-Partner!
How does it Work?
Our Consultants show you practical ways of making every interaction with your child a growing and learning experience. All daily routines like eating, dressing, bath-time, going out, etc. can be used to help your child to build meaningful relationships.
Home visits allow the Consultant to see your child in the place where he/she is most comfortable, so the consultant can see how he/she acts most naturally.
The Home Consultant will videotape segments of the home visits, to monitor your child’s progress and give suggestions for more effective techniques. This allows the Home Consultant and your family to design and implement an individual P.L.A.Y. Skills Sequence for your child (see The P.L.A.Y. Project CD Rom as best introduction, which can be purchased on www.playproject.org or from www.mindbuilders-consulting.org).
We recommend that families watch the CD ROM as a first step of the PLAY Project.
Who created The PLAY Project?
The P.L.A.Y. Project was created by Dr. Rick Solomon, a developmental and behavioural paediatrician in Ann Arbor/Michigan/USA, as a practical application of the DIR/Floortime model of the respected child psychiatrist, Dr. Stanley Greenspan,
Home-Consultants have degrees in child development fields (e.g. Speech, Psychology, OT, Special Education) and receive intensive training by Dr. Solomon and his supervisory staff in the DIR/P.L.A.Y. Project™ model before working with families.
Research Evidence for The P.L.A.Y. Project
The programme has been piloted with over 500 families in the Midwest of America and is currently offered by over 30 agencies, schools and hospitals in 11 states. Dr. Solomon has evaluated 68 children, each enrolled for 8 to 12 months of intervention in The P.L.A.Y. Project at the University of Michigan. The results showed that 47% of the children made good to very good progress (increasing 1-1.5 functional developmental levels during the study) and 32% made fair progress. A larger study funded by the US-government is under way.
The principles and techniques of The P.L.A.Y.-Project have been adopted into MindBuilders’ repertoire since January 2007 with outstandingly positive effects.
What Parents say about MindBuilders’ P.L.AY.-Project:
Mother of 4 year old non-verbal Anika: ‘After just one visit by Sibylle, my daughter already made improvements in her social interaction. Initially Anika was withdrawn and never noticed around the house, because she was so silent. She had never shown any interest or motivation to her surroundings. Now she is more active, shows more affection to me and is more independent than a month ago. She babbles a few unknown words and has a mind of her own, like she’d answer the phone by picking up the handset and challenges her brother. I am very pleased to meet Sibylle and use her ideas, which have really worked for Anika. I am sure she will make more progress, and eventually I hope to put her through mainstream school, if she continues to receive support from people like Sibylle.’
Father of 5-year-old Timy: ‘You have been a great help to Timy’s development. When we took him for his first assessment and he was diagnosed as autistic, things felt so bleak. But with the imaginative play, positive attitude and learning how to play, we are now getting back on track. MindBuilders has had the greatest positive effect on Timy and our family.’
Mother of 3-year old Sam: ‘Sometimes the only way for me to survive is to think of your suggestions. Sam is now beginning to use words. You gave me the support and information that no one could give it to me till now.
Paediatrician: ‘At review-meetings we see that parents with home-consultation support are more confident and no longer depressed, that families are functioning better and that dads are more involved with their children.’
Speech Therapist: ‘This focus on coaching parents on how to play and communicate with their autistic child at home is exactly what has been missing from our services and we are already seeing great improvements.’
MindBuilders’ P.L.A.Y. Project Home Consulting Programme:
Introductory Information for Parents
What is PLAY?
The P.L.A.Y. Project™ Home Consulting Programme provides training and support for families of children with autism right in their home.
A trained home-consultant teaches parents techniques that are effective, fun and useful in day-to-day interactions, so they can provide intensive, one-on-one, play-based interventions to their autistic child.
By providing training in the home, consultants see the family in an environment where the child feels comfortable, rather than in unfamiliar settings, that are sometimes experienced as intimidating by the child.
A Home Consultation typically includes:
Family Support and an average of 10 (range 6-12) monthly visits per year
Sessions usually lasting 2-3 hours, providing modeling, coaching and feedback
Selected videotaping of PLAY-interactions with written evaluations and feedback
Video Review Program in combination with home visits
A PLAY-Project-Folder for materials, information, reports, etc.
Additional information/materials as appropriate
Assistance with IEP-Goals, where requested
Documenting progress using a combination of family information, assessments and questionnaires
Thorough PLAY-Programme Evaluation of Family Satisfaction
Why?
Parents spend more time with their children than all of their teachers and therapists combined.
By training parents to be their child’s best P.L.A.Y. partner, the child can receive intensive high quality intervention every day.
We recommend that parents/ caregivers, once trained by our Home Consultant, then spend at least 2 hours every day PLAYing with their child, usually in shorter (e.g. 6x20-minute) sessions, which can/will be a very enjoyable time for you with your child.
This type of PLAY assists the child to work through the core deficits of autism.
This Early Intervention programme aims to address developmental problems, that a child needs to have mastered BEFORE starting at play-group, nursery or other group-settings and in order to get ready to cope and become ready to learn at school.
… because Parents are the Experts on their Child
Our Home Consultants are experts on autism and have been intensively trained to guide you and to teach you PLAY-techniques, so that you can more effectively assist your child to move up the developmental ladder, and increase language and social skills.
Our goal is for you, the parent, to be your child’s best P.L.A.Y.-Partner!
How does it Work?
Our Consultants show you practical ways of making every interaction with your child a growing and learning experience. All daily routines like eating, dressing, bath-time, going out, etc. can be used to help your child to build meaningful relationships.
Home visits allow the Consultant to see your child in the place where he/she is most comfortable, so the consultant can see how he/she acts most naturally.
The Home Consultant will videotape segments of the home visits, to monitor your child’s progress and give suggestions for more effective techniques. This allows the Home Consultant and your family to design and implement an individual P.L.A.Y. Skills Sequence for your child (see The P.L.A.Y. Project CD Rom as best introduction, which can be purchased on www.playproject.org or from www.mindbuilders-consulting.org).
We recommend that families watch the CD ROM as a first step of the PLAY Project.
Who created The PLAY Project?
The P.L.A.Y. Project was created by Dr. Rick Solomon, a developmental and behavioural paediatrician in Ann Arbor/Michigan/USA, as a practical application of the DIR/Floortime model of the respected child psychiatrist, Dr. Stanley Greenspan,
Home-Consultants have degrees in child development fields (e.g. Speech, Psychology, OT, Special Education) and receive intensive training by Dr. Solomon and his supervisory staff in the DIR/P.L.A.Y. Project™ model before working with families.
Research Evidence for The P.L.A.Y. Project
The programme has been piloted with over 500 families in the Midwest of America and is currently offered by over 30 agencies, schools and hospitals in 11 states. Dr. Solomon has evaluated 68 children, each enrolled for 8 to 12 months of intervention in The P.L.A.Y. Project at the University of Michigan. The results showed that 47% of the children made good to very good progress (increasing 1-1.5 functional developmental levels during the study) and 32% made fair progress. A larger study funded by the US-government is under way.
The principles and techniques of The P.L.A.Y.-Project have been adopted into MindBuilders’ repertoire since January 2007 with outstandingly positive effects.
What Parents say about MindBuilders’ P.L.AY.-Project:
Mother of 4 year old non-verbal Anika: ‘After just one visit by Sibylle, my daughter already made improvements in her social interaction. Initially Anika was withdrawn and never noticed around the house, because she was so silent. She had never shown any interest or motivation to her surroundings. Now she is more active, shows more affection to me and is more independent than a month ago. She babbles a few unknown words and has a mind of her own, like she’d answer the phone by picking up the handset and challenges her brother. I am very pleased to meet Sibylle and use her ideas, which have really worked for Anika. I am sure she will make more progress, and eventually I hope to put her through mainstream school, if she continues to receive support from people like Sibylle.’
Father of 5-year-old Timy: ‘You have been a great help to Timy’s development. When we took him for his first assessment and he was diagnosed as autistic, things felt so bleak. But with the imaginative play, positive attitude and learning how to play, we are now getting back on track. MindBuilders has had the greatest positive effect on Timy and our family.’
Mother of 3-year old Sam: ‘Sometimes the only way for me to survive is to think of your suggestions. Sam is now beginning to use words. You gave me the support and information that no one could give it to me till now.
Paediatrician: ‘At review-meetings we see that parents with home-consultation support are more confident and no longer depressed, that families are functioning better and that dads are more involved with their children.’
Speech Therapist: ‘This focus on coaching parents on how to play and communicate with their autistic child at home is exactly what has been missing from our services and we are already seeing great improvements.’
