News
-
NNDS sponsors conference on helping children with autism form friendships
January 15, 2008"All children . . .have the intrinsic need to play and make friends. Children with autism are no different -- they just express this need differently." – Heather McCracken, author, speaker and mother of a child with ASD
CRANBERRY TWP., Pa. – It’s often hard for children on the autism disorders spectrum (ADS) to make friends, but they need friendship and play time as much as any child.
An upcoming one-day conference for parents, teachers and therapists will feature author-founder Heather McCracken of the Friend 2 Friend Social Learning Society (www.friend2friendsociety.org). McCracken founded the Vancouver, British Columbia, non-profit organization in 2002 to share her formula for promoting mutually rewarding friendships between children with autism and their peers.
"All children, regardless of their unique challenges and gifts, have the intrinsic need to play and make friends,” said McCracken. “Children with autism are no different -- they just express this need differently."
“Fostering Social Relationships and Play in Children on the Autism Spectrum” is planned for 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 8, at the Regional Learning Alliance facility in Cranberry Township. The National Network of Digital School is among sponsors.
Participants may register at www.thehopelearningcenter.com, call 724.624.4293 ext. 1528, or email autism@pacyber.org. The $75 fee includes breakfast, handouts and childcare/social skills groups by behavioral therapists from Family Behavioral Resources.
The conference, the first in a series, is being presented by the Hope Learning Center LLC under sponsorship of PA Cyber Charter School, NNDS, AutismLink, Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center and Family Behavioral Resources.
Upcoming conferences will feature other internationally recognized experts on ASD - Ellen Notbohm on March 14; Carol Gray on April 18, Jed Baker, Ph.D., on June 19, and Richard LaVoie on July 21 - according to Asha Persaud, executive director of the Hope Learning Center.
Persaud said participants in the Feb. 8 seminar will get practical tips on how to help children with autism build mutual friendships, and learn how to establish inclusive classrooms and supportive community environments. Using video, stories and personal experiences, the presenter will show how to promote acceptance, understanding, friendships and play skills between children on the spectrum and their peers and siblings.
McCracken is a mother of three children, one of whom is diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. She is the creator of the Friend 2 Friend model, and founder and executive director of the Friend 2 Friend Social Learning Society. She has received distinguished recognition for her work, which has been featured on radio and television news broadcasts, as well as in printed media
Widely published, McCracken wrote a book entitled, “That’s What’s Different About Me: Helping Children Understand Autism Spectrum Disorder.”
“Our values are based on our belief that all children need friends,” said McCracken. In order for friendships to take root and grow, autism must be demystified for a child’s siblings and classmates, she said.
The Hope Learning Center is designed as a center of excellence to bridge the gap between nationally recognized autism research and the high demand for diagnostic and therapeutic services for children with autism, according to Persaud, its founder and director. The Center is dedicated to improving education for students affected by autism through curriculum development, teacher training, family support, arts outreach, technology, and public awareness.
Prism Gallery (www.prismgallery.org) a traveling exhibition of artwork by adults and children with ASD, will be on display at each of the conferences offered by the Hope Learning Center. Prism Gallery is sponsored by PA Cyber (www.pacyber.org) and NNDS (www.nndsonline.org).