If your child is autistic, finding the right support can sometimes feel overwhelming. There are schools, health professionals, disability services, community organisations and different approaches to consider, and it isn't always easy to know where to begin.
But perhaps the first question isn't only “What support is available?”
It is also “What does my child actually need?”
Every autistic individual is different. What helps one child may not be what another child needs.
At Growing Choices, I believe it is important to look beyond what we can see on the surface and take time to understand the individual, their experiences and what may be making everyday life confusing or overwhelming.
This is one of the reasons I value the Davis Autism Approach®.
A Different Way of Looking at Autism
The Davis Autism Approach® is a developmental, strengths-based approach that works with the autistic individual's way of experiencing the world. It is not about trying to “fix” the person.
Instead, the focus is on developing understanding and supporting the individual to participate more fully in life. The approach works with areas such as self-awareness, self-management, time, sequence, order, cause and effect, responsibility and relationships.
For me, this creates a different starting point.
Rather than looking only at a behaviour and asking how we can change it, we can become curious about what might be underneath it.
What might be confusing?
What might the individual not yet understand?
What could help them make better sense of their experience?
How Can Clay Help Children Build Understanding?
One of the most common questions I hear is:
“How can claying concepts help?”
It is a fair question.
Clay isn't simply about making something. Within the Davis Autism Approach®, it provides a hands-on way of exploring concepts that can otherwise feel abstract.
The individual can create a physical representation of an idea, experience it and then explore how that concept relates to their environment and everyday life. The Davis training material emphasises hands-on experience rather than relying solely on verbal explanation.
Concepts such as self, other, change and consequence can be explored through clay and then experienced in real situations.
This gives the individual an opportunity to build understanding through experience.
And that is an important part of the Davis approach.
The learning isn't meant to stay in the room.
From Concepts to Everyday Life
The Davis Autism Approach® works with concepts in a developmental order, allowing the individual to experience and explore them before connecting them with everyday situations.
The aim is for concepts to become part of the individual's understanding and identity over time.
This process takes time.
A child may need opportunities to explore a concept at home, at school or in other parts of their life. Parents and support people can play an important role in helping the individual connect their learning with everyday experiences.
For me, that is one of the strengths of this approach.
It connects learning with life.
Supporting the Whole Individual
The Davis Autism Approach® also includes tools designed to support orientation, focus, stress and energy management.
These include tools such as Auditory Orientation, Self-Orientation, Release and Dial Setting. The individual and their support people can learn how to use these tools as part of the programme and in everyday life.
The approach also considers individuation, identity development and social integration as important areas of development.
Ultimately, the goal is not simply to change one behaviour or improve one skill.
It is about helping the individual develop greater understanding and have the ability and opportunity to participate fully in life.
What Other Support Is Available in New Zealand?
The Davis Autism Approach® is one pathway families may choose to explore, alongside the wider support available in New Zealand.
Depending on your child's individual needs, you may also want to explore:
Schools and early learning services
Your child's school or early learning service may be able to provide learning support and work with you to understand what helps your child participate and learn.
Health and developmental services
Depending on your child's needs, you may work with health or developmental professionals who can provide assessment, guidance or ongoing support.
Disability Support Services
Some children and families may be able to access disability-related support depending on their circumstances and eligibility.
Needs Assessment and Service Coordination (NASC)
NASC services can help eligible people identify their support needs and explore available disability support.
Autism-specific organisations and community support
There are also organisations and community services that provide information, resources, advocacy and support for autistic children and their families.
These different forms of support can have an important place in a child's journey.
There isn't necessarily one answer.
What matters is finding support that considers your child's individual needs, strengths and experiences.
Where Do You Begin?
You don't need to know exactly what support your child needs before reaching out.
You can start by noticing what seems difficult, what your child enjoys, where they feel confident and where they may become overwhelmed.
From there, you can explore the options available to you.
At Growing Choices, I offer a 20–30 minute Learning Solutions Conversation for families who would like to understand more about the Davis Autism Approach®.
It is simply a chance to talk about what is happening, ask questions and explore whether this approach may be appropriate for your child.
There is no pressure and no obligation to decide.
Talk it through. Explore what's possible.
