Seminars for Caregivers

Learn about the functions of behaviour and behaviour support plans to help understand why your child or youth might be engaging in challenging behaviours. This seminar will share strategies to support decreasing behaviours that may be interfering with daily living, including using data collection to track progress. Duration: 1.5 hours Register: Email [email protected], or call us at 1-800-668-8555 ext. 1333 to register.

When learning how to talk, some children may communicate using echolalia, which means they are copying what they’ve heard. These children may be misunderstood if the people who are supporting them do not know that echolalia can be a way to communicate and is part of language development. In this seminar, families will learn about echolalia, types of language development, and ways they can support their child to help build their communication

This is a child-friendly version of our “Introduction to Autism Spectrum Disorder” seminar. In this seminar, siblings and friends of children and youth who have ASD get to experience a fun and interactive information session about ASD while also learning about autism acceptance and awareness. The participants will also have the chance to interact with others who have brothers and sisters on the autism spectrum. Recommended ages 7-11 years. Du

What is it about the Winter Holidays that makes it so difficult for our children with Autism to manage? This seminar will provide you with the understanding of why your child struggles. It will also give participants information on how to anticipate and use strategies that support your child and your family. You will come away with a plan going into the holiday season. This presentation will also provide many resources to use moving forward. Dura

Does your child struggle with emotional regulation? Does your child go to a school where they use the zones of regulation in their class? Over the course of this seminar, you will be walked through the foundational concepts and background information on the Zones of Regulation curriculum. You will learn to identify the zones and use some of the strategies within your home in order to be consistent with the skills your child is learn

Does your child struggle with change? How about moving between environments or activities? The focus of this presentation will be supporting your child with transitions as well as changes in their environment or routines. We will review antecedent based strategies which can be used to support your child as well as practice with some hypothetical situations in a discussion-based format. When: Coming soon. We’d love to let you know when this ses

Has anyone ever told you that your child could benefit from Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)?​ Is your child non-speaking (non-verbal)?​ Is your child’s speech not sufficient to meet his daily needs? ​Have you ever wondered what AAC meant or entailed? ​ ​If you answered yes to any of these questions, this seminar is for you. This seminar will discuss what Augmentative and Alternative Communication is, from Pict

Have you ever wondered if your child needed speech and language services? Are you curious about your child’s communication abilities? This seminar focuses on the different areas of speech, language, and communication. Families will learn how and why their child communicates. Some strategies to try at home to promote communication development will be given and some myths about speech and languages services will be debunked. Duration: 1.5

Social skills are often a struggle for people with Autism. In this seminar, families will learn about the social aspects of communication. Families will learn to understand their child’s social communication skills and will receive coaching on developing a social communication goal for their child. Strategies for teaching social skills will be reviewed with an emphasis on practical strategies that can be implemented by caregivers at home. Durat

Do you have a youth with autism looking to transition into adult services in the future? This seminar is designed to inform you about available supports for adults with development disabilities. We will go over introductory information about DSO, ODSP, Ontario Works, College/University Supports, and workplace supports as well as how to prepare your youth for this transition. Come join us and learn more about transitioning to adult services. Durat

Transitioning from elementary school to high school can be a stressful time for both teens and parents. Are you looking for ways to help support your child with this transition? Join us in this seminar to discuss and learn strategies on how to prepare your child for high school, help with transitioning, teach self-advocacy, facilitate social skills, and learn executive functioning strategies. Let us help you create a smooth transition for your te

Are you ready to start the toilet training process? Or have you encountered challenges around toilet training? This seminar will identify readiness skills for toilet training, and work on steps to build a successful toilet training routine for your child using the principles of ABA. You can expect to leave with a strong understanding of techniques and potential barriers associated with these processes. Duration: 1.5 hours Send us an email at aut

Is your child with ASD starting school? Do you find yourself wondering how to best prepare your child for school or start a new school year?  We understand that entry to school can be both stressful and exciting for parents, and we are here to help.  In this seminar we will share information, tips, and strategies on how to help prepare you and your child. Duration: 1.5 hours To Register, just send us an email at [email protected] or call us

Is your child a picky eater? Does your child have a limited number of foods they will eat? Not sure how to introduce new foods into your child’s diet? This seminar covers the difference between picky eaters and food refusal, the mealtime routine and how to increase expectations for trying/eating new foods. There is particular focus on strategies to decrease challenging behaviours around mealtime, increase the likelihood of your child trying a n

Do you feel overwhelmed by school meetings? Do you find it difficult to remember the names of all the reports? We understand the stress that goes into a new school year for caregivers, and we are here to help. In this seminar, you will learn about special education options, the IPRC process, the IEP process, and PPM 140.  You will gain strategies and tips to advocate for your child to ensure your unique needs are met at the planning table. Durat

In this seminar, families will develop a better understanding of the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and what it means to their child and family. The seminar will include a description of the diagnostic process and how a diagnosis is determined. Families will learn how genetic and environmental factors are associated with ASD and common issues that are associated with the disorder. Treatment options will be reviewed with an emphasis o

Do you want to learn more about ABA and how it can benefit your life? This seminar will teach caregivers about the science of Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA). Topics discussed include motivation, reinforcement, data collection, and application of ABA strategies. Families will learn how to use these skills in various environments and across different situations. Duration: 1.5 hours Register: Email [email protected], or call us at 1-800-668-85

When was the last time you got a good night sleep? If you don’t know the answer to this question, this seminar is for you. In this seminar, caregivers will identify difficulties that their child has regarding bedtime routine, falling asleep and staying asleep. Steps to improve these difficulties will be discussed and caregivers will leave with concrete goals to work on at home. Duration: 1.5 hours Register: Email [email protected], or call

So, you’ve figured out why your child engages in challenging behaviour, but now what? Are you unsure of where to go next, now that you’ve tried the strategies shared in ‘Challenging Behaviours 101’? This seminar goes more in depth with strategies that can be used to decrease challenging behaviours observed at home and introduces what to do if your child does engage in these behaviours. Duration: 1.5 hours Register: Email autism@handstfh

Do you ever wonder why your child engages in challenging behaviour? Are you not sure where to start with dealing with challenging behaviour? This seminar focuses on the functions, or the why, individuals engage in challenging behaviours, how to figure out when function is the reason why your child engages in these behaviours, how to collect data, and a brief introduction of strategies that can be used before your child engages in challenging beha

This seminar looks at some of the barriers that children may face regarding planning and following through on tasks. Participants will be taught the steps to create goals that will help build independence through middle school and beyond. Participants will learn how to prepare early teens for transitions into vocation and work skills. This presentation will also focus on including your child in planning and implementing goals through school and h

Puberty, a terrifying and uncomfortable word for a lot of parents. In this presentation we will discuss the changes which children go through as they enter and complete this stage of life. The discussion will focus around emotional, physical and mental changes that occur for all adolescents. There will be tips and tricks reviewed as well as strategies on approaching this topic with children with a developmental disability. Duration: 1.5 hours To

In this seminar, families will develop a better understanding of mental health and autism, and what it means to have a dual diagnosis. Caregivers will learn about a variety of mental health disorders that are commonly seen within children/youth with autism, such as, anxiety, depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and oppositional defiant disorders. Strategies are discussed with caregivers to begin to recognize the signs and s