AFSA Parent/Carer Forum 2018

TUESDAY 29th MAY – Autism Q&A presented by AFSA – Taking Care of Carers – an opportunity for parents and carers to ask an expert panel questions relating to the issues and situations they face parenting their family member with autism.

Borrowing from the ABC Q&A format, AFSA assembled a panel of clinicians with expertise in ASD who addressed YOUR questions. It was an excellent day attended by 45 family members and interested persons. Summary notes about the questions asked and panel responses will be posted to our website on this page shortly as will some photos of the day in our AFSA Gallery.

AFSA would like to sincerely thank our wonderful moderator and panel members for their generous support of our Q&A Forum. Thanks especially to the parents/carers who contributed a range of personal and challenging questions which gave significant insight into the stresses and difficulties caring for a family member or members with autism.

Feedback from panel and audience members indicated strong support for this type of session and we will look to holding more sessions in this format in the future. NB Panel members can be contacted via their company/organisation websites – links below.

PANEL MEMBERS:

• Moderator – Professor Cheryl Dissanayake (Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre, LaTrobe University)
• Laura Addabbo (Psychologist, The ASD Clinic)
• Lisa Vale (Occupational Therapist, Splash Therapy)
• Betty Mihelakos (Speech Therapist, Speech Pathology Australia)
• Karen McKinnon (Board Certified Behaviour Analyst**, Autism Partnership Australia)
• Sophie Kerr (Director, PECS Australia)

** Some extra information about BCBA’s – the Victorian Department of Education implemented a BCBA pilot project in 2018 – whilst all places in the pilot have been filled, this page on the department website has quite a bit of information that maybe useful.