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April 2022
This month at QSLA, we focus on how to support children with autism and their families.
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Staff Development and Support
Enhance Your Family Engagement Knowledge and Skills
Self-paced Courses and Webinar
Are you searching for ways to support children with autism in your care? Here are a few options, all self-paced courses to fit your schedule!
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder - Part 1: An Overview for Educators covers: (1) early signs of autism and (2) overview of the difference between a medical diagnosis and an educational determination of autism. Resources include notes on instructional considerations and things to keep in mind when working with families of children with autism. Estimated completion time: 2 hours.
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder - Part 2: Evidence-Based Practices highlights: (1) effective strategies used to teach appropriate behaviors and skills and decreasing inappropriate behaviors with children with autism and (2) several strategies that are particularly effective with young children, elementary and middle school students, and high school students. Estimated completion time: 3 hours.
Note: Professional Development Certificates are available for both of these self-paced modules.
  • STAR Autism Support offers a 1-hour recorded webinar "Play is Powerful: Strategies for Teaching Social Communication to Students with Autism" for providers to learn about:
  • The importance of play for social communication development, as well as typical milestones for play development
  • Examples of communication, language, and social skills that can be taught through play
  • How to create opportunities during play for students to practice social communication skills
  • Strategies for increasing variety and complexity in play, a common area of need for children with autism

Note: Providers need to create a free account with edWeb in order to watch the recording. After watching the recording, providers can download their CE certificate from the edWebinar transcript page.
These trainings support ECERS-R: Item 43- Opportunities for Professional Growth, PAS: Item 3- Staff Development, FCCERS-R: Item 37- Opportunities for Professional Development, and BAS: Item 1-Qualifications and Professional Development
Welcoming Environment
Ensure Your Program Feels Inviting
Creating an Autism Friendly Environment
Are you looking for ways to make your early learning program more welcoming for children and/or families with autism? Manar Matusiak from Living Autism offers a detailed article and an infographic on "How to Create an Autism-Friendly Environment." The article covers essential questions to ask ourselves about elements of the existing spaces, including:
  • Visual input,
  • Sounds,
  • Touch & pressure,
  • Odors,
  • Taste,
  • Balance & space,
  • Intended audience.
Short on time? Check out this handy infographic!
This video will support ECERS-R: Item 9 and FCCERS-R: Item 35- Provisions for Parents, PAS: Item 16- Family Communications, and BAS: Item 7- Provider Parent Communications.
Family Partnerships
Work with Families to Build a Stronger Program
Autism Resources for Families
Autism Speaks offers a large directory of resources for educators, families, and children with autism - by age range AND in both English and Spanish! What's even better? The Autism Speaks website also offers a resource guide to find local services in your area. Consider using the following life skills worksheet and toolkits in your program and inviting families to use them in their home as well.
Additionally, Autism Speaks partnered with the World Health Organization (WHO) to create this series of short videos covering quick tips for parents and caregivers to help them support their child's development at home. Only 2-3 minutes long, the following videos are great for both providers and families to explore and implement:
This resource will support ECERS-R: Item 38 and FCCERS-R: Item 35- Provisions for Parents, PAS: Item 16- Family Communications, and BAS: Item 7- Provider Parent Communications.
Community Partnerships
Use Community Resources to Strengthen Program Quality
Sesame Street in Communities -
Autism Resource Page
Sesame Street in Communities offers a variety of valuable resources on Autism as well as an Autistic muppet, Julia, that children can relate to. All the options offered by Sesame Street in Communities are ideal for young children and families, as they are short, eye-catching, and easy. Consider these options:
Knowing and using these community resources will support PAS: Item 17- Family Support Involvement, BAS: Item 8-Community Resources, and NAEYC Accreditation: Standard 7-Families
Additional Autism Resources
Each month, we respond to your needs as early educators by sharing helpful related QSLA resources as well as additional external resources.

This month:
Additional Resources for Child Care Providers
Additional Resources for Families
  • In this video, families can learn from experts that will help them evaluate their options and make informed decisions.
  • How can families determine what sources of information are reliable and evidence-based? The Organization for Autism Research (OAR) created this Parent's Guide to Research to support families in being savvy consumers as they educate themselves on autism and how to best support their child!
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*These quotes have been edited for grammar and clarity.
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If you have questions, feedback, or ideas we would love to hear from you! Please email us at cristina.espinoza@ccala.net.