At The New England Center for Children (NECC), students aren’t the only ones who receive support. The Enrollment Family Support (EFS) team regularly hosts information sessions designed for parents and guardians of current students who are caring for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and intellectual disabilities (ID).
These Special Topic Series and Family Wellness Workshop sessions feature clinicians from a number of NECC departments who have expertise and extensive clinical experience in a particular topic area.
“We reviewed the most popular topics that were presented in years past and reached out to families to ask about topics that would be of interest to them,” shared Kyla McHaffie, MS, BCBA, LABA director of NECC’s Enrollment and Family Support department. She added that EFS prepared a small list for the spring but are hoping to expand in the future and welcome all caregiver feedback on the topics presented.
Topics covered in these sessions are curated based on direct feedback from families. Ranging from external communications to specialized areas such as “How to Read a Progress Report,” “Feeding/Food Selectivity,” and “Toileting,” these topics reflect the commitment to addressing the diverse needs of our caregivers. Sessions are available in person and virtually, with expert clinicians from various departments on-site at NECC.
In addition to the Special Topic Series held for NECC Southborough parents and caregivers, EFS collaborated with the Mohammed bin Rashid Center for Special Education (MRC-NECC) in Abu Dhabi to offer a Family Wellness Workshop series, which was customized for caregivers. Led by Health and Wellness Specialist Aline Atallah, these workshops focused on stress management techniques derived from established therapies such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT).
According to Atallah, the Family Wellness Workshops were primarily designed to create a supportive atmosphere and equip caregivers with essential tools to handle the challenges of caregiving while also taking care of themselves. From mindfulness exercises to personalized routines, the goal is for caregivers to learn new self-care strategies to integrate into their daily lives. While the Family Wellness Workshops began to support MRC-NECC families and caregivers, in January they opened up the workshop series to families at NECC Southborough.
Lisa Ching, the mother of an NECC Southborough student, found immense value in the wellness workshops. “Not only did I learn new strategies and ideas behind how to keep healthy in all areas of life, but it reminded me of the importance of maintaining a balanced and engaging lifestyle so that we can be the best we can be for our special needs family member, the rest of our family, and ourselves,” she shared. “The education we received from the caring teacher and helpful and supportive members of the EFS department was excellent. I highly recommend these sessions for all caregivers.”
Providing long-term well-being and resilience among caregivers is woven into these workshops as a key takeaway. “Participants were provided with a workbook that serves as a guide throughout the workshop. This workbook includes summaries of key concepts, spaces for reflection, planning exercises, and suggested “homework” assignments to facilitate the integration of information into daily life,” shared Atallah.
“We hope to continue to collaborate with Aline and the MRC-NECC community and share resources for all of our families across globe,” said McHaffie. “Our goal is to continue to offer opportunities for families to learn from experts at NECC about specific topics that they may encounter along their journey as a parent of a child with ASD. It is a great opportunity to meet other families, share experiences, and learn from one another.”