The Autism Action Team

Siân Williams - Special Education Teacher.

Hi, my name is Siân Williams founder and Director of Autism Action Pty Ltd. It gives me great pleasure in telling you about the impact of working with families of children with autism. 
I started my journey into autism when I did a teaching practicum at the then, Irabina SDS (now Wantirna Heights School).  Before going I did a little reading on autism but had no ‘real’ understanding of it.  I remember sitting next to a 3 year old girl who would scream for apparently no reason…this intrigued me but at the same time I had no clue how to engage with a child that didn't seem to want to 'play' or talk to me.  Still curious I did another teaching practice on a camp for families to have respite during the school holidays.  The child I cared for was a little boy who was obsessed by ‘Thomas’, water and later I found out, fire! You guessed it we stayed at a recreation centre in Ballarat that had an open fire place, a running creek, and a video player, but no Thomas! As we had to sleep in the same room with our little charges by the 3rd night of constant head banging on his mattress and crying I became exhausted! I also became very annoyed by his behavior, why couldn't he just go to sleep, couldn't he see that I was tired! By the 4th night the little boy was so stressed after a day out at Sovereign Hill that all he could do when he came back to his room was head bang on the concrete floor. As an inexperienced onlooker I was so sad I burst into tears with frustration and helplessness because I was not given any training and therefore did not have the understanding of his autism and the tools to help him feel in control.This experience was a pivotal moment for my career as a new teacher. 
After graduating with a Graduate Diploma of Special Education I worked as ‘Travelling Teacher’ for Mansfield Autistic Centre. This amazing service provides families in rural Victoria a 'live in' autism teacher for one week. Followed this I developed my skills as a classroom teacher at Western Autistic School.
Now I'm  married and a Super mum to 3 (rascals) children!.  Raising children and trying to be a wife has given me a better insight on how a family can function or dysfunction. It’s this ‘real life’ experiences and my professional background which has helped me as an educator to developed programs, which suit individual needs and to support all people with an Autism Spectrum individual learning style.

 
I love what I do and still after 15 years of working with children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder I still wonder what that little girl was trying to say. It is this ‘wonder’ that keeps me learning and teaching about autism. There is nothing more satisfying than seeing a parent or professional reach into their child's world and make a mutual connection.  

Robyn - Speech Therapist

Hello! I’m Robyn Bishop. My interest in Autism Spectrum Disorders has developed over my working life, from a curiosity into a fascination and mission.
My journey started with completing my Bachelor of Speech Pathology at La Trobe University in 1999.
After having worked for a short period in rural Victoria, I moved to Ballarat in 2000, to work as a Speech Pathologist at Ballarat Health Services. At this point, my experience with children with Autism was mainly from reading about Autism and hearing colleagues discuss children with Autism they had treated. I very clearly remember one family that came in to see me at the Speech Pathology outpatient clinic at the hospital. A mother had brought her child in to see me and had not yet been given any diagnosis. I remember this child, coming into my small, confined therapy room like a whirlwind, destroying everything in sight. I remember being shocked by this ‘out of control’ child, and tried all the “normal” strategies I knew. But they didn’t work. At the time, my inexperience and lack of knowledge about Autism lead me to believe that this child was “naughty” and hyperactive. I now know that this child had Autism. I cringe with shame when I think of how I judged the mother who had come to me for help and advice. I had no idea what it was like to be a mother, let alone to be a mother who instinctively knows her precious child is having enormous difficulties with everyday life. I often wonder, and hope, that this mother and child received the help and understanding they needed.
It wasn’t until I took a job with Warooga Early Childhood Intervention Centre (now ‘Best chance’ Early Intervention Program), that I truly started to understand and learn about the needs of children with Autism. Working alongside an Occupational Therapist, Physiotherapist, Movement therapist, Early Childhood Intervention Teacher and a Social Worker gave me the opportunity to learn about different perspectives and strategies to use with children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder and their families. Even though I have trained as a Speech Pathologist, I feel as if now my approach to working with children with Autism is holistic and not just traditional speech therapy.
It was during this time that I also became a mother myself. Even though I had worked with children and parents for 6 years (thinking I knew what parenting was about), I remember sitting at home with my 3 week old baby, thinking, “Aha! NOW I understand.” I also remember thinking that every mother in the world is a champion – it’s so hard!
I am passionate about creating connections for children with Autism and helping them to be happy and safe in a confusing world. I enjoy the challenge of discovering how a child with Autism connects to things and people in their world, and watching for those moments of engagement with something or someone. There is nothing like working with a family who has a child with Autism, riding the ups and downs with them, and watching their child come out of their world and engage with their parent.
That’s my reward!

Narelle - Early Intervention Teacher

Narelle will be joining the Autism Action Team in term 1, 2009 as our ActionPlay Coordinator. She will be running the early years social skills group.  As we all like to talk I think it only fare that Narelle give you her experiences with autism. So stay tuned for her story in the coming weeks!

Rachael - Teacher of the Deaf

Tracey- Special Education Teacher

Cindy- Speech Therapist

Lana-Joy - Pyschologist

Biddy- Experiecened Therapy assistant

Rachael H- Tutor for priamary and secondary students