World-leading early years training and education provider Norland College and the Transforming Autism Project [TAP] have announced a collaborative research project toward developing a therapeutic framework and a monitoring and evaluation system for TAP’s new Family Services offering.
The Transforming Autism Project is a charity which aims to change the way autism is perceived and is pioneering new methods of supporting children with autism and their families.
Its Family Services arm functions as a family visitation programme, within which a specialist child therapist works directly the autistic child and their family. The programme adopts a psychotherapeutic approach which is centred on reducing elements of anxiety and overstimulation experienced by autistic children. It is hoped that the service can help create emotionally safe spaces for children and foster trust-based relationships between the child, their parents and other family members.
The collaborative research project is aimed toward developing a framework for TAP’s Family Services that is based on the very latest scientific research and evidence, as well as a monitoring and evaluation framework and system that is armed with the relevant tools.
Norland principal Dr Janet Rose commented: “We’re delighted to be working with TAP on this research project. The Family Services project is an inclusion project focusing on young children and their families, which are core elements of Norland’s programmes of study. Supporting pioneering work and collaborating with charity organisations like TAP, is central to our charitable and research purpose and aims.
“We are pleased that this project will help to increase our contribution to the evidence base in the early years sector, which in turn will inform our programmes of study.”
TAP CEO and founder Guy Shahar said: “Like many parents of autistic children, I know very well what it feels like to be left with little meaningful support or guidance in raising an autistic child. There is a real gap in the support available to parents in terms of being able to manage daily life with their children. Providing precisely this kind of support is the idea behind the Parent-Child at-home service.
“I know very well from personal experience the potential that these types of services have to transform the lives of autistic children and their families. Developing a therapeutic framework and a robust monitoring and evaluation system will allow us to test and demonstrate the impact we can have, and allow us to further develop this vital work. I’m really pleased we’ve been able to join forces with the fantastic team at Norland to deliver this.”
