We love our Parent and Caregiver Community at AFTS! See below to learn about the supports and connections available to our parents.
PARENT Coaching
Parents meet with their BCBAs weekly for coaching meetings. Parents are taught skills and concepts, they are provided with tools to use at home, they review their children's progress, and may even observe a session with their child. These meetings all cover a core curriculum but are tailored to meet the individual needs of each family.
PARENTS FACEBOOK GROUP
If you are a current or former parent of a child in our care, we encourage you to join our private Parents Facebook Page where you can connect and interact with other parents from our wonderful community. Click the link on the right to join!
annual Fun run
We participate in the Autism Society of the Heartland’s annual Fun Run during which our children, their parents, siblings, and grandparents as well as our staff and their families are all encouraged to attend. The result is a huge presence for this great cause and a wonderful sense of community. We create custom t-shirts for the occasion and cheer each other on throughout. This fun activity builds fellowship among our families and provides a way to connect our staff to our families in a relaxed and interactive way.
coffee meetups
Our group of parents gather regularly for Coffee Meetups at both of our locations. These intimate gatherings are an opportunity for parents to share stories, resources, and tips. Members of the AFTS Administrative team will also join the conversation in order to answer questions, facilitate discussion, and get to know our families even more.
local PARENT education
Children’s Mercy Division of Developmental and Behavioral Health offers family trainings on topics related to autism. These meetings are currently offered virtually, but in real time. Click the link to the right to see upcoming courses.
The Thompson Center at the University of Missouri has many online training videos and research opportunities throughout their site as well. Click on the link to the right to learn more.
LOCAL support group
Autism Society — The Heartland is the fabulous state affiliate for Autism Society of America in Kansas and Missouri. ASH is a robust resource for support, education, advocacy, information, and community programs. Connect with this passionate community of others who understand your journey by clicking on the link to the right.
“As a family, we benefited immensely from our parent trainings with our BCBA. She was incredible at listening to us and helping us find solutions to whatever was going on at the time. I never felt like I couldn’t reach out and ask questions or check in to see how things were going. The whole time was always supportive and helpful!”
“Absolutely the best experience for our family! When you have a nonspeaking child it is imperative for parents to feel absolutely sure their child is priority. Our experience was a lot of play based ABA so your child is still getting to be a kid while getting the services needed. The communication with all the staff is amazing. They will truly care about your child and make your entire family feel at ease that you’re doing the best for your child.”