Next Step Autism Intervention Program

This program provides intensive, individualized, and early intervention behavioural services to children with autism (Autism Spectrum Disorder - ASD). We work in partnership with appropriate individuals, programs, and professionals.

We believe that each child diagnosed with ASD has a right to equal opportunities to develop their abilities to the fullest potential.

Our Commitment to the young children and their families includes:

• Empowering them by valuing, welcoming, and respecting them
• Promoting inclusion in all aspects of society
• Developing individualized, innovative, and creative services that provide fair and accessible choices
• Providing a multi-disciplinary team that assesses and improves core skill development in the areas of communication, self help, sensory processing, fine and gross motor ability, and school readiness
• Following the guidelines of Best Practices for intervention with children on the Autism Spectrum
  
  

Fees and Accreditation

Next Step is a fee-for-service program. Parents and caregivers pay for the program with the Autism Funding that they receive from the provincial government for that purpose.

The program is a recognized leader in the field and has the highest accreditation standard possible, as defined by the CARF accrediting body.

Services

We provide:

• Functional assessment and monitoring of the child's program
• Individualized intensive behaviour intervention, based upon the goals set out in the child’s program plan
• Functional analysis of behaviour to address behaviours of concern
• Development of alternate communication systems, such as Picture Exchange Communication Training
• Social skills instruction with a focus on generalizing these skills in peer and adult interaction
• One-to-one direct instruction to foster readiness and concept development.
• Development of self-help skills to foster independence
• Opportunities to explore their self and their environment through a variety of sensory experiences
• Evaluation of sensory processing issues to help develop coping strategies for calming, alerting, eating, sleeping, and effective learning
• Fine and gross motor development
  
  

All services are centre-based and are delivered at facilities in Abbotsford, Mission, and Chilliwack.

Our Multi-Disciplinary Team

An Educational Behavioural Consultant provides individual functional assessments, develops the child's program plan, and monitors and reviews the child’s progress.

A Speech / Language Consultant helps the child develop communication and social skills. These include:

• Receptive and expressive language skills
• Speech sound production
• Oral-motor skills
• Alternative-augmentative communication
• Social communication
• Peer interaction and play skills.
  
  

An Occupational Consultant addresses areas of self-help skills (toileting, feeding, and dressing) as well as fine motor skills and sensory function.

A Behavioural Interventionist provides one-on-one intervention with each child, while following the child’s program plan that has been developed by the three above-mentioned consultants.

Find Out More

To learn more about the Next Step Autism Program and how it can help your child, contact Kirstie Glasgow by telephone at 604.852.2686 (toll-free: 877.850.2686) ext. 255, or by email at kglasgow@fvcdc.org

About Autism Spectrum Disorder, visit www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/autism/