Aspire Sydney

Our programs, workshops and training are based on the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM) and Early Intensive Behaviour Intervention (EIBI) techniques. 

We’re happy to connect you with Aspire families who have just started, are completing or have completed our programs. Many children we work with transition to mainstream education and test within the normal range on the Autism Diagnostic Observations Schedule and all other language and IQ testing. 

We can also connect you with parents of children with similar diagnoses or you can review our family stories. 

To access NDIS funding for our services, you must meet one of the three criteria below:

• Have a recognised diagnosis and live in an NDIS area.
• Have a delay in two or more areas (skill, speech/language/communication, motor, play and social).
• Display behaviours that are impeding development in two or more of those areas.

• Communication
• Motor skills
• Social interaction
• Learning
• Self-care
• Self-management

However, a diagnosis of autism at any level will likely meet NDIS funding criteria. Medicare and private health insurance also cover some or all associated treatment costs for services, such as occupational therapy, speech therapy, physical therapy and psychological services. Please check with your providers for more information. You may also choose to privately fund your services if that’s an option for your family.

The programs we provide encompass all areas of development and can be implemented for children with any impairment or delay. 

While most Early Intervention research focuses on autism, our programs are designed for children with a range of special needs, including global developmental delay, Down syndrome, attention deficit and/or hyperactivity disorder and Williams syndrome.

Our areas of focus:

• Language skill-building based on the Verbal Behaviour Framework
• Fine and gross motor skill building, and muscle strength training, if necessary
• Play skill building, including toy play and functional pretend play
• Social skill building from basic greetings to complex social skills, such as holding a conversation
• Attending skills, such as social referencing, following a parent’s instruction or the ability to complete tasks independently
• Development of Theory of Mind skills
• Teaching Executive Functioning Skills, including flexible thinking and problem solving
• Reducing inappropriate behaviours using ABA techniques, including extinction and functional communication

While each program is designed to suit your child’s individual needs, a typical early learner program should include skill-building in pivotal response areas, such as:

• Imitation
• Joint attention
• Object permanence
• Toy play and manipulation
• Social referencing/eye contact
• Attending skills
• Responding to and categorising visual, vocal and auditory stimuli
• Matching skills
• Manding using voice, Picture Exchange Communication System or sign language
• Fine motor skills, such as a pincer grasp and finger isolation
• Gross motor skills, including jumping, hopping and ball skills
• Self-help skills, such as grooming and toileting

While our area of expertise is early intervention, we cater for children aged 6 months to 18 years old. 

With the right support, outcomes are usually better when children start early intervention at a young age. This is because they have fewer skills to master in order to catch up to their peers.