My Current Services

In response to a parent who wrote to me after reading my blog, I feel that I might have given an impression that I was no longer providing services for autistic children.

Thus, I feel that I need to provide an updated list of my services, with the termination of my individualised and customised children’s programme.

My current services are:

Individualised and Customised Home-Based Consultation Services (Behavioural, Sensory, Social and Academic Issues: $75.00/2-hour initial assessment session; Additional Report (only when needed): $75.00; Subsequent training sessions: $75/2-hour session; additional payment for learning materials and handouts (as needed); additional transport costs if commute is far from my home (up to $10).

It is important to note that I limit these sessions to no more than 4 sessions per family. Some families may only need me for 1 or 2 sessions. The point is not for me to serve as a therapist, but to empower and teach parents to strategise and execute the strategies for their children.

Parent Training Sessions: $40/per 3-hour session/per person (if I conduct it in my home; otherwise I would have to factor in the rental of the facility for parent training purposes)

Based on the needs of the parents who want to participate in my parent training programme, I can customise a 1- to 3-session training programme for them.

Teacher Training Sessions for Primary School Teachers: $50/per 3-hour session/per person (Held on school premises; paid for by the school training fund)

The objective of this two-session training workshop, designed by me, is to provide teachers with the hands-on strategies to understand and cope with autistic students within the mainstream school setting.

Teacher Training Sessions for Special Needs Schools Teachers: $50/per 3-hour session/per person (Held on school premises; paid for by the school training fund)

These teacher training sessions are essentially customised for the special needs schools based on the requests of the principals and the Heads of Departments.

Consultancies for Mainstream Schools and Special Needs Schools: $80/hour

Based on my consultancy work with a special needs school with the objective of training teachers to work with their students both in planning and in the actual classroom, I have found that I can be extremely effective in providing interventions for teachers and students (of diverse special needs). I have now approached mainstream schools to offer my service in this area. Hopefully, I would have the opportunity to provide affordable focused assistance in these schools on an as-needed basis.

Update on World of Autism and Other Developments

After operating from September 2005 to July 2006, my children’s individualised and customised learning programme had come to an end (a part of the World of Autism under the auspices of KS Charity and Education Foundation). While I had been happy to assist in the progress of a handful of mildly autistic to moderately autistic children ranging from 5 to 9 years old (at different times), I had to end this programme due to my change in residence. After my son decided to move to my mum’s place in Ang Mo Kio, with the sale of the property that I was renting, I decided that it was not feasible for me to continue with this highly affordable programme in Tampines.

As a single parent, I consider this development as a time for me to reflect on how I would like to pursue my lifestyle as a homeschooler of an autistic son and a freelance writer/editor/consultant/educator. As it has been my policy to charge parent clients a highly affordable fee, especially with regard to the children’s programme (which took up a lot of my time and energy not only in implementing the class, but also in designing the coursework), I now feel the need to re-adjust my priorities to aim for better financial security for my son’s future.

Thus, I am taking a break from this programme in order to decide how to proceed further. Currently, I am still busy with outside editing work, my own writings and my teacher training workshops and consultations involving primary school teachers in mainstream schools, along with special needs teachers.

However, I am mindful of the fact that many people have donated their money with the purchase of my picture book (All Because of the Hummingbird… Or the Horse), which was used to raise money for this specific programme. Currently, there is still $1,1962.74. As I am not 100 percent certain that I will be running another children’s programme in Ang Mo Kio, I have given myself a deadline till the end of this year to make this decision. Should I decide not to continue with the children’s programme, I will be donating this sum of money to a special needs school/organisation of my choice. I will update you all about my future plans.

With regard to the subsequent sales of the picture book, 200 copies have been picked up by a distributor for sale (not for charity purposes, as the distributor takes a hefty 60 percent portion of the proceeds) and 10 copies are being sold at Bookaburra Bookstore at Forum Shopping Centre at Orchard. The retail price for this book is $12.60 (or very close to this amount).

Once again, I would like to thank all of you for your continuous support for my endeavours. To all the parents of autistic children, continue to fight the good fight for your children and love them. To all the professionals who make the choice of working with autistic children (when you do not have to), thank you and keep an open mind about these extraordinary children.