The project addressed the problem of insufficient support for people on the autism spectrum in Skarżysko-Kamienna. The diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder is increasing in Poland. Data from the District Centre for Educational Development in Skarżysko-Kamienna show that in the last 5 years the number of decisions on the need for special education due to autism spectrum disorders has almost doubled. However, people on the spectrum are sometimes ostracized because of their special needs and social difficulties, and their relatives are often treated as educationally incompetent. Local specialist services have limited capacity and staff training, and still use outdated therapeutic approaches that have been debunked by modern scientific discourse. People on the autism spectrum do not have access to modern, effective therapies and face a lack of social awareness of autism on a daily basis.
The project was aimed primarily at parents and children on the autism spectrum from Skarżysko-Kamienna. There were open lectures about Applied Behaviour Analysis, behaviour therapy, different developmental stages of children on the spectrum. Parents participated in an online support group, and experts in areas such as communication, food selectivity and parent-therapist collaboration were invited to meetings. Individual support pathways were developed for children on the autism spectrum and they received individual behavioural therapy (24 participants), with ongoing monitoring of progress. Parents planning their child’s diagnosis or carers working therapeutically on their own benefited from individual consultations (23 people in total).
Young people on the autism spectrum from Skarżysko-Kamienna and the surrounding area and their parents took part in the activities. The children received individual therapeutic support, which improved their communication skills, emotional management and social functioning, as well as developing independence and reducing challenging behaviour. Parents of children on the autism spectrum increased their awareness of effective therapy methods and developed their parenting skills. An important outcome of the project, the so-called added value, was that the project promoter set up the first kindergarten in the city to work with children on the autism spectrum using uniform behavioural methods.