Irabina Childhood Autism Services is an organization specializing in Early Intervention services and programs for school children having Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Additionally, this not-for-profit now provides therapy for adolescents who are also affected by autism. The Irabina service is basically a family-centred practice. This is because there is nobody who understands a child’s needs more than his or her own family.
Whilst Irabina recommends a blend of services, this will be largely dependent on discussions with the child’s family, taking into consideration their intimate and unique understanding of their child. Families get support towards identifying their needs and strengths, and all the services and programs are delivered in a manner supporting the family as one entity.
Whilst the children attending Irabina’s programs get the needed support to grow and develop, they in addition get assistance by being offered opportunities of education so they could assist in facilitating the learning of their own child.
Irabina’s family-centred methodology entails the provision of services/programs like:
- Orientation/Tours
- Introductory family session, for those families that are planning to join Irabina, or who only wish to understand more.
- Education/Workshops for professionals and families • Parent Education precisely to those families having a child that is newly diagnosed as having autism.
- Key Worker support
- Extensive therapy programs
- Family Support and Service Plans
- Accessibility to emotional and psychological trough their Family Support Service Team
- Availability of Parent Room to facilitate informal social interactions with other families that have also got kids on the Irabina Autism Spectrum.
Vision:
To become the Centre of Excellence for persons living with the autism condition and its related conditions.
Mission:
To positively transform the lives of individuals, people and the family with autism and it associated conditions through implementing best practice accepted principles.
The Irabina Autism Spectrum Values:
- Support
- Empowerment
- Excellence
- Integrity
The Irabina Team
Irabina got a team of in excess of 40 professionals, experts in helping children and families impacted by the Autism Spectrum Disorder. They got Social Workers, Education Assistants, Special Education Teachers, Psychologists, Speech Pathologists and Occupational Therapists, making the learning of new skills fun and exciting for the kids and their families!
Research Work
Irabina got several research-skilled members of staff in every department plus strong linkages into the broader Autism Spectrum Disorder area as well as strong relationships with Department of Psychology at Deakin University and the Royal Children’s Hospital Department of Specialized Medicine. Through this on-site vast expertise plus the links with several educational institutions, they have been able to identify many opportunities for autism research.
Currently, Irabina is engaged as a partner in several grant applications and is in addition open to any more future opportunities.
Irabina Services
Diagnostic and Assessment Clinic at Irabina
Irabina offers Speech Pathology and Psychology diagnostic assessments for the first diagnosis. In case you got concerns regarding the development of your child please make book a suitable appointment to get an assessment plus you don’t require having a General Practitioner (GP) or a Paediatrician referral to attend Irabina. However, having a referral, does give you entitlement to a possible Medicare rebate assisting with the assessment costs.
All kids who attend services and programs at Irabina ought to get a diagnosis for Autism Spectrum Disorder. Irabina recommends as is best practice that your child’s ASD diagnosis gets confirmed by:
- A Psychologist
- A Paediatrician
- A Speech Pathologist
Additionally, to the diagnostic appraisal Irabina provides a variety of assessments to appraise the progress of your child, and in supporting the child’s application to join if possible, the school funding program.
Early Intervention
This refers to offering support for the kid addressing the symptoms as early as feasible. Research shows that commencing intervention at the earliest is most effective towards assisting the development and growth of kids having ADS. Families could obtain support even prior to getting a diagnosis, particularly as it could take several months before all the assessments get completed.
Therapies at Irabina are offered in the manner of individual treatment and/or trans-disciplinary groups approaches. These are grounded on the main Early Intervention elements for children having autism.
Among them are:
- Specific program content
- Transition support
- Usage of visual supports
- Collaborative multidisciplinary approach
- Focusing on independent individual functioning
- Addressing rituals and obsessions
School Holiday Programs
The Intensive School Readiness Program
This is a therapy program for a small group focusing on kids that are preparing for the transition into the mainstream school. This program runs over a period of five consecutive days for having an Autism Spectrum Disorder. The program session cost and length and varies.
The Intensive Group Therapy
This Therapy is operated over five successive days for children having an Autism Spectrum Disorder. The session cost and length of the program do also vary.
Intensive Aquatic Occupational Therapy
This has been designed for kids up to age 7 having the Autism Spectrum Disorder and is run by certified Occupational Therapists.
Family Support
- The Irabina Introductory Session
- The Family Services Support Team
- Key Worker
- Family Support and Service Plans
- Parent Education
- Workshops/Education for Professionals and Families
Funding Options
Irabina offers Early Intervention services and programs that are family-centred to families and children impacted by ASD. Majority of these programs aim at kids up to age 8 and their respective families. Irabina gets some funding coming from the Victorian State Government to offer services geared to the State Based Early Childhood Intervention. They however remain a not-for-profit charitable organization. Much of the funding is coming from families that are using their HCWA funding, and the payments collected as Fee for Service.
Getting Involved
Irabina is ever seeking to boost the funding level. It relies on the generous support of caring families, individuals, businesses, community organizations, foundations and trusts to assist in generating funds.
You might be having people who would be willing to support or assist Irabina in a diversity of methods like:
- Partnering
- Giving at the Workplace
- Goods or Services Donating
- Pro-bono Discounts Provision
