The ACT-NOW Project
Initially, the ACT-NOW project was funded from July 2004 - June 2007 (Stage One). The strategy impacted on parents, early years service providers and the community. The development of nine Regional Autism Coordination Teams (ReACTs) to facilitate cross-programme partnership successfully harnessed the good will and interest of a range of views focusing on a common goal. (Click here for the Stage One report, pdf 457kb)
Lisa Neville (Minister for Children) allocated non-recurrent funds to continue with the ACT-NOW strategy from July 2007 - December 2008 (Stage Two). This was an opportunity to consolidate what had already been achieved. Stage two focussed on providing support, supervision, mentoring and consultation for professionals working with young children with autism and their families. (Click here for the Stage Two report, pdf 345kb)
Non-recurrent funds to continue with the ACT-NOW strategy from December 2008 - December 2009 have recently been allocated (Stage Three). Our focus during stage three will be on journal clubs, case study groups, master classes, updating the ‘Autism in the Preschool Years’ manual and supporting clinicians who are providing the ‘Preschoolers with Autism Parent Education and Skills Training Programme’. We will continue expanding the website with fact sheets and updating the regional training calendars. We will also provide a series of training workshops to the Specialist Children’s Services Central Intake Teams on best practice, screening and assessment and working effectively with parents.
In line with the goals of the Early Childhood Intervention Services vision and key priorities statement (DEECD, 2003), the aim of the ACT-NOW strategy has been to build skills and capacity across each DEECD region in Victoria in the area of Early Childhood (0-6 years) to enable each network of regional service providers to:
- Identify Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDDs)
- Provide a more integrated range of evidence based early interventions for young children with autism and their families that will complement and interface with other agencies and services
- Promote understanding of PDDs in the wider community and strategies for working effectively with these children and their families
- Improve linkages between service providers & strengthen partnerships between services and families
- The training and consultation provided by ACT-NOW is based on the principles of best practice in autism early intervention. The strategy also embraces the principles of best practice in early childhood intervention outlined in the ECIS Programme Framework document (Department of Human Services, 2005).
The ACT-NOW Team
The ACT-NOW team is based at the Centre for Developmental Psychiatry and Psychology at Monash University. The members of the team have experience and expertise in specialist service provision, community and professional education, service development, support and consultation, and family advocacy. The team is internationally recognised for its research in the field of Pervasive Developmental Disorders.
Directors
Manager
Web Support
Other
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Specialist staff from within the Centre for Developmental Psychiatry & Psychology (including: Psychologists, Speech Pathologists, Occupational Therapists, Paediatricians) are employed on a sessional basis as required.
ReACTs - Regional Autism Co-ordination Teams
The aims of the program are being achieved partly through the development of a Regional Autism Co-ordination Team (ReACT) in each Department of Education and Early Childhood Development region in Victoria. Members of the ReACTs are people working within a specific sector with young children with autism and their families. For example, one Preschool Field Officer may represent preschool staff in the region. There is also parent representation on each ReACT.
Each ReACT meets regularly with the ACT-NOW team to identify and respond to autism specific training and consultation needs. Sub-groups work on specific issues (eg. transition to school). ReACTs have also developed regional action plans that look at a range of broader issues such as developing service directories, links with paediatricians and information for GPs.
Training
In partnership with the ReACT, and harnessing the advice, knowledge and expertise of regional service providers, the ACT-NOW team provides a range of training opportunities tailored to meet the needs of each region. Regional calendars outline all training related to young children with an autism spectrum disorder and their families provided by both ACT-NOW and local service providers.
Anyone who is running training in Victoria that would be relevant for professionals working with young children with autism and their families can send the details to Paul Bower for submission.
Information Provision
Quarterly newsletters from the ACT-NOW team are made available on the ACT-NOW website. ReACTs have been encouraged to share information and innovative practice across the state in the newsletters.
Fact sheets have been written and posted on the ACT-NOW website to provide accessible, evidence based information for parents and professionals. Fact sheets have primarily been written by Dr Avril Brereton in response to requests from ReACT members or to complement training that has been provided by ACT-NOW staff.
Specialist Consultation & Training
Professional development is sometimes viewed as simply providing education and training. Education and training certainly provides a solid foundation for knowledge and skill development. This was the focus of the first stage of the ACT-NOW project. During stage two and three of the strategy, ACT-NOW added several key professional development activities including mentoring, clinical supervision, journal clubs, case studies and ongoing opportunities for education and training in a small group format.
1. Case Studies
Case study instruction is an excellent strategy to train ECI professionals and also to bridge the gap between theory and practice. Cases are stories with a message. They are not simply narratives for entertainment. They are stories to educate. The cases we use will be deidentified but will be real children and families. The settings in which intervention services are provided will be varied. The format will be short stories rather than academic readings and will focus on the individual needs of the child and family.
2. Journal Club
Journal clubs offer the opportunity for professionals to develop their critical appraisal skills. In a journal club discussion, articles are evaluated as to their quality and also whether and how the findings can be applied to practice. Being a member of a journal club encourages the professional to set time aside to read articles, keep abreast of current research and issues and gain evidence for best practice.
3. Preschoolers with Autism: An education and skills training programme for parents
‘Preschoolers with Autism’ (Brereton & Tonge, 2005) is an effective, manualised parent education programme. It is a 20 week programme with 10 group sessions (90 minutes) and 10 individual sessions (60 minutes) for parents of preschoolers recently diagnosed with autism.
In stage three of the project, ACT-NOW will provide ongoing support and supervision to clinicians who have attended prior training during stage one and two of the ACT-NOW project.
4. Teaching Materials
ACT NOW has developed teaching materials for a series of three 2-hour workshops titled ‘Autism in the Preschool Years: A Series of Three Workshops’ (Brereton, Bull & Tonge, 2006). The manual includes speaker’s notes, a CD-Rom of the Power point presentations, including imported DVD footage, handouts and suggestions for further reading. The workshops cover the core features & early signs of autism, communication and social interaction skills and understanding and managing difficult behaviour.
The manual for these workshops was developed to provide Early Childhood Intervention Services (ECIS) with teaching materials that could be used to provide ongoing autism training (primarily to the broader early childhood sector). ACT-NOW will be updating these teaching materials during stage three of the project.
In order to maintain the high quality of presenter skills and knowledge of the training materials, all other clinicians who wish to become presenters must access training and accreditation from the ACT-NOW staff who wrote the training material (Kerry Bull or Avril Brereton).
5. Master classes
A series of four master classes will be arranged in collaboration with Autism Victoria. Both internal and/or external speakers will be invited to present teaching sessions on a range of current issues. Factsheets will be linked to master classes.
6. DEECD regional intake team training
Training for the central intake teams will be delivered in conjunction with DEECD and will focus on:
- Best Practice in autism
- Screening and assessment
- Working with parents
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