Information for key workers
ASD is complex and each child’s team needs to have evidence-based common knowledge in order to work effectively with the child. It is almost impossible for a key or lead worker to do this on their own, but if the child’s team attends this programme you will get a team of people who know what they should do and why— leading to more effective strategies and a better quality of life for the student you support.
You will also find that your role will be easier because the course provides:
- a knowledgeable functioning team who all know the words to the waiata (sing off the same songsheet) and understand your child/student better; can recognise and intervene before they become stressed; are able to communicate more easily and make better decisions because they share the same knowledge and principles
- less firefighting and responding to difficult situations
- a team who have the foundations for you to build more skills
- a neutral environment and child-focused tasks which help team members to build a shared view of the child’s needs and to leave some of their differences and challenges behind
- the luxury of everyone being able to spend enough time together to assess, plan and reflect without distractions
- impartial reinforcement and support for the advice and support that you are giving, reassuring team members about current evidence-based practice
- enhanced current curriculum knowledge and thinking.
What if I have already attended a ‘tips’ course?
Many key workers choose to attend the course again with another team (if it is a particularly complex situation). They find that it is a good use of time as teams are often able to be very independent afterwards. Because the course is very consistent, it is possible for a key worker who has previously attended to support a team without attending, or by only attending key sessions (the timetable is available). Key workers need to be able to respect the work of the team on the course for this to be successful.
"Brilliantly designed course to get collaboration happening – we watched it happening in all the teams during discussions over the period of the course."
