The Mix social groups in the north and south of Adelaide are helping autistic children to engage in social activities in a safe environment without judgement or shame.

The groups, run by Diverse Learning and funded by AnglicareSA’s Communities for Children Playford and Onkaparinga programs, also welcome siblings and families outside the autism community.

Founder and Director of Diverse Learning, Meg Eusope, said the social pressure that autistic children feel to ‘fit in’ (known as masking) in the community is thrown out the door at The Mix.

“It’s a space where the children can fully be themselves without judgement or imposition of how they ‘should’ behave,” Meg said.

She said constant masking could lead to poor mental health outcomes for autistic people, including burnout, social anxiety, and depression.

That’s why The Mix focuses on building self-esteem.  

“We ensure that everyone involved in The Mix feels safe, supported, valued, and respects others’ differences and interests,” Meg said.

“Interacting with others and getting involved in different activities helps attendees build confidence and self-esteem, which boosts their overall mental health.”  

Autistic people might encounter difficulties in social situations, as behaviours like avoiding eye contact and struggling with small talk can be misunderstood.

Meg said The Mix aimed to reduce the overwhelming feeling autistic young people might experience when socialising by incorporating special interests into group activities.

“Special interests are not just accommodated, but embraced, encouraged and celebrated at The Mix,” she said.

“For each session, we organise a range of activities based on a theme the children are interested in, including science, crafts, games, and physical activities.”

Gen and her son Will (pictured in main image) attend every session of The Mix and said they had found a community of people who are accepting of him.

“He can be goofy, express himself, and stim in joy without anyone even blinking,” Gen said.

“It feels great to be in an environment that normalises things.”

Now, almost a year later, Gen said she had noticed changes in Will far beyond expectations.

“When we first started attending The Mix, Will was adamant that he was going to keep homeschooling forever,” Gen said.

“When he started experiencing social success with the other kids and found safe adults, he started experimenting with doing more activities.

“This year, Will decided to go to school and has successfully transitioned. Without the foundation of the success he built at The Mix, I think that might have been some years off.

“He is more confident, resilient and able to speak up for his needs.”

Gen said attending the group had also been beneficial for her as a parent of neurodivergent children, including Will.

“The program staff genuinely care and take the time to look after the whole family’s needs. I have been able to let my guard down for a while, knowing Will was safe – this is not something we often experience in group settings.

“It can be isolating in a high-needs household, and the group has been a reliable way for me to connect with others and feel supported.”

AnglicareSA’s Communities for Children programs in Playford and Onkaparinga are funded by the Australian Government Department of Social Services.

Get Mix-ing

The Mix is held fortnightly during school terms on Thursday evenings from 5pm to 6:30pm and is designed for children aged 8-14. Siblings are welcome to join the fun under parental supervision.

• The Mix North: The Platform, 73 Elizabeth Way, Elizabeth
• The Mix South: Wardli Youth Centre, 13 McKinna Road, Christie Downs

For more information, please call 8102 8340 or visit Diverse Learning’s website.

AnglicareSA Disability and Wellbeing Services’ new Autism Diagnostic Service is meeting a growing need in the early identification of autism spectrum disorder.

As a leader in the provision of therapeutic supports to children and young people with disability in South Australia, AnglicareSA launched the pilot program at the start of 2023, and 12 months on it is being hailed as a success.

Clinical Lead and Diagnostician, Liliana Claassen, said four years ago she and another speech pathologist based at the Daphne Street Autism-Specific Early Learning and Care Centre did some training focused on diagnostic assessments and identified a gap in services available to the community.

“We work in the early childhood learning space and had a lot of experience with children waiting for diagnostic assessment, so we set about establishing a program that would work for AnglicareSA and address our professional needs as well,” she said.

“At the moment in the public system people are waiting around two to three years for that crucial assessment.

“Private providers are a lot quicker to get into but they still have wait lists, so we were to be able to reduce those wait times through our services, get people in as soon as possible, and get that diagnostic outcome and they can then access support services.”

The assessment includes a play-based observation and standardised assessments as well as a parent interview.

Information gathered, results from assessments, and observations are considered against the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders – Fifth Edition (DSM-V) to determine if the child meets the criteria for diagnosis.

The diagnostic report can be used to support an application for NDIS funding so that the child can receive appropriate supports to help them thrive.

Liliana said during the initial six-month first phase of the pilot seven assessments were completed, with the goal to complete the process from inquiry through to delivery of the assessment within 12 weeks.

“All assessments were achieved ahead of that 12-week target, and we had really positive feedback from customers around quality of services,” she said.

“We also looked at how we could implement this program fully while maintaining our existing workloads and we were able to able to that within fewer hours than we were expecting.”

The program was such a success that an additional therapist was brought on board and a training program developed to build capacity internally to keep the service running.

In 2023, a total of 12 children were diagnosed by AnglicareSA’s trained diagnosticians (speech pathologists) and partnered psychologists.

Feedback from families was overwhelmingly positive in relation to the ease of processes, supports in place, and the sensitive approach.

One parent said: “There is a very real need in the community for this. We waited for more than two years for an assessment, and it was very lucky I ran across this program and was fortunate enough to be accepted.”

AnglicareSA is receiving referrals for assessments in 2024. If you are interested or want further information on the Autism Diagnostic Service, please contact [email protected] or call 1800 953 001.

AnglicareSA is opening doors and creating pathways for Disability & Wellbeing Services customers to be able to live with more independence.

Since August, six customers have moved into brand-new housing accommodation in Adelaide’s northwestern suburbs – a complex which includes three single-bedroom units and two three-bedroom units, as well as a community space, garden, and staff office.

AnglicareSA Manager, Accommodation Services Disability Support, Rebecca Curnow said the customers had previously lived together in a home where they only had their own bedroom and communal kitchen.

“The idea of this housing project was to offer a space where we can support them to develop those independent living skills,” she said.

“We want to help them build those skills, so they are able to do their own thing – things like shopping for themselves rather than communal shopping like they have always done.”

And it wasn’t just about rehousing the customers into a brand-new space, the Disability & Wellbeing Services team also worked on a co-design process with the customers, providing an opportunity to help shop for items, decorate, and set up their spaces how they wanted them.

“We wanted them to have ownership of their future,” Rebecca says. “They deserve to be able to live their best life, they deserve a nice new space to call home.

“It’s a space they have helped create and positive environments build positive people. That’s what we wanted, we wanted them to put their own personality into their homes.”

The residents are able to live independently, even those sharing a three-bedroom unit as the third bedroom is designed as a breakout room to offer a second living space.

And while much of the focus is on supporting independence, there are also opportunities to come together for regular activities and events.

“They have regular Friday barbecues, basketball, exercise circuits in the central garden space, fruit trees and vegetables, and even the local SA Police Community Constables drop in from time to time to challenge the residents to a few games of table tennis.”

Working closely with Believe Housing Australia, the tenants are learning about their responsibilities of living independently – tasks like housekeeping and maintaining the neatness of a property.

“We are hoping they can learn, grow, and develop these skills to a point where some perhaps see it as an opportunity to be able to live independently without the around-the-clock staffing support on offer at this property,” Rebecca said.

“In such a short space of time they have become so house proud.

“They have told staff to knock on their door any time and they’ll let them know if they are busy, or they are asking for advice on things such as how to fix up a mark on the wall.

“They take great pride in where they live.”