New Technology Helping Families of Children on the Autism Spectrum
For many children this Christmas, an iPad would be an answer to their Christmas wish list, but for some families with a child who has an autistic spectrum disorder, an iPad is proving to be a useful part of the answer to teaching their children new skills and managing some of their behavioural issues too. Vancouver-based Family Centred Practices Group (FCPG) provides behavioural consultation and intervention services to support children with autism and their families. Using applied behaviour analysis and developmental psychology they work one-to-one with children and spend a great deal of their time collecting and recording information about behaviour. Until now, this has involved copious amounts of writing, record keeping and vast paper trails.
FCPG is in the process of changing that. They are one of the first organizations in Canada that is adopting a digital approach to the problem of collecting and analyzing the necessary information and have begun the roll-out of iPads together with customized software for therapy records management and data collection. This enables the individualized programs developed for clients to be recorded, analyzed and stored online and has an enormous impact on the service delivery because it frees up time to work with clients rather than writing up notes. This then allows for faster analysis and evaluation of the information and more responsive changes to service where new successes or challenges with educational or behaviour issues arise.
“I’m very excited by the difference this is going to make for the families we work with” says Tina Linton, Clinical Director of FCPG. “They are going to be able to login from their own computers and see real-time information about how their child is doing, where they are struggling or succeeding and they are going to feel more involved in their child’s development.”
The technology has been successfully used in the United States, but FCPG is proud to be the one of the first organizations to introduce this system to families in Canada. Tina Linton notes “We have always strived to provide the best service to our clients and this is another way which we are delivering on this commitment. We want our staff to have the most up-to-date tools that enable them to get the most out of their time with clients and to be able to focus on the needs of the child, rather than being consumed by the necessary administration”.
Currently FCPG has begun a phased roll-out and looks forward to extending this technology to more families in 2015. FCPG was founded in 2002 and offers behavioral consultation and intervention services to support children with autism and their families, as well as workshops for parents and professional development for educators, across the Lower Mainland. Tina Linton is the Clinical Director and has owned the company since 2008. Tina has a masters degree in Special Education with a concentration in Autism and Developmental Disabilities from the University of British Columbia. She is also a Board Certified Behavioral Analyst with 20 years of experience working with children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders. For more information visit www.fcpg.ca.
For more information, interviews or images please contact:
Clare Adams – Media contact, FCPG
1-250-571-4158
[email protected]