Thomas Ryan’s 10th birthday is just around the corner and his mother Claire is getting more and more worried.
“The guest list keeps growing,” he said with a laugh.
“We came up with a list of 20, and I said, ‘Okay, maybe we should sit down and try to control it a little bit.’
But really, it’s anything but a concern.
In fact, it’s more than Claire could have imagined.
For most of his life, his son has struggled to regulate his emotions and connect with other children.
But a statewide transition program from the regional city of Mansfield to the foothills of the Victorian Alps has changed everything.
Thomas Ryan has an autism spectrum disorder and has been supported for the transition to conventional school. (ABC Goulburn Murray: Charmayne Allison)
In just two years, Thomas has joined a full-time primary school and is surrounded by a growing group of friends.
Reflecting on the past and comparing it to the present still makes Claire cry.
“They are tears of happiness,” he said.
“From where he was and how much we fought as a family … he’s made a total of 360.”
“He would come home very angry”
Claire and Thomas moved their family from Geelong to Mansfield, at the foot of the Victorian Alps, in October 2020.
Prior to that, Thomas had struggled in school, socially, academically, and mentally.
“I would come home very angry,” Claire said.
“And he just didn’t know how to deal with or regulate any part of his body.”
It was a daily battle that affected the whole family.
But when they moved to Mansfield they instantly connected to a transition program run by Mansfield Autism Statewide Services.
Simone Reeves, executive director of Mansfield Autism Statewide Services, local mother Claire Ryan and transitional senior teacher Jack Finegan. (ABC Goulburn Murray: Charmayne Allison)
The program works with families — and increasingly with schools — to help children integrate and thrive in mainstream school settings.
The small classes of six students allow teachers to give focused attention to each child, imparting strategies to meet the academic and social demands of a normal class.
Gradual transition to mainstream
Once the child is ready, the final stage of the transition begins.
But that doesn’t happen overnight.
For Thomas, he started with a video call to his future classmates.
Claire Ryan says Thomas is able to concentrate and learn more effectively now. (Provided by Mansfield Autism Statewide Services)
“That way I could visually see who they would be and get an idea of what would be done,” said Mansfield’s autism transition head teacher Jack Finegan.
From there they visited the school for a tour before returning several times to play in the yard.
Soon Thomas was ready to be alone in school, initially a few days a week before finally settling in full time.
Finegan said it was always a bittersweet moment when the transition was complete.
“You work with them so closely that you build that connection. But more than that, it’s a moment of pride for me,” he said.
Overwhelming demand for service
Mansfield Autism was established 50 years ago by Dr. Local Joan Curtis in response to lack of services for children with autism.
The statewide service currently manages family camps, day school, therapy school, respite and crisis care, as well as residential care, home schooling, outreach activities and school holidays.
Executive Director Simone Reeves said early intervention is crucial, but rising statewide demand meant they were “exploding” with long waiting lists for all programs.
Mansfield Autism Statewide Services is building a therapeutic care farm. (ABC Shepparton: Rhiannon Tuffield)
But a $ 40 million expansion of the organization aims to address that.
Mansfield Autism is developing a 40-acre therapeutic care farm that will feature family cabins, student residences and a new school campus.
“He is capable of being a happy child”
Ms Reeves said thousands of children had gone through the service so far, but stressed that families did not have to move to Mansfield for support.
“Our main goal is to support children in their family environment across the state,” he said.
Thomas Ryan is enjoying school and has made friends. (ABC Goulburn Murray: Charmayne Allison)
“But children can come here if they need more intense intervention, for a nine-week therapeutic placement.”
For countless parents like Claire, Mansfield’s autism journey has demonstrated the power and importance of early intervention.
“Thomas is able to learn, he is able to concentrate,” he said.
“She ‘s making friends. She can sit down and have a conversation with another kid and she’ s not struggling with that.
“He’s capable of being a happy kid, as he should be.”
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Posted 16 hours ago 16 hours, Friday, June 3, 2022 at 9:48 PM, updated 8 hours ago, 8 hours ago, Saturday, June 4, 2022 at 5:29 AM