Over 125 preschool children across Manitoba are receiving extra supports as they prepare for all that’s to come in their childhood: school, friendships and being a part of a community. These little ones have autism and might need a different level of support; something St.Amant is pleased to provide as part of the Autism Early Learning Program.
Most of the children supported by St.Amant are in community childcare centres, but there are three St.Amant classroom spaces across Winnipeg. Each space features a different type of regulation room, geared towards the students who are in preschool for the year. The regulation spaces themselves were funded by the St.Amant Foundation, which focuses on improving quality of life and bringing joy, connection and adventure to the lives of those supported by St.Amant.
“These regulation rooms, which we used to call sensory rooms, provide different supports for each child,” explains Duong Ramon, Director of Autism Programs at St.Amant. “One child might want to go listen to their favourite song. Maybe another needs the lights dimmed, or needs to read a book, or maybe even just have some quiet time. We want kids to feel safe when they arrive here and have access to different spaces and supports for their needs.”
“We all just want to belong, right?” continues Ramon. “So we want to ensure that we’re supporting children as they learn root skills in a fun way. They’re playing, but they’re also doing hard work. They’re learning to play with others, to feel safe, to get used to new spaces and places.”
The agency and the choices of the children always comes first. “There are many ways that children with autism might express themselves,” explains Ramon. “Some children use words, others use gestures and eye contact. Each child is empowered to make choices, which means our classrooms are always adapting to the kids we have at the time. We normally have about 10 students per classroom, plus their support worker, so a space where little ones can go have some regulation time is very important.”
While the Autism Programs team is using creativity and self-determination to help young children learn and grow, there’s lots of communication and connection with families. “We see each child for who they are, and we want them to feel seen, heard and respected,” shares Ramon. “We have to get to know these kids and have ongoing discussions with families because we truly want to understand: what’s important to these kids? What brings them joy? Then we allow time and space to explore together.”
The children aren’t the only ones who receive supports from St.Amant. Recently, Autism Programs launched a summer camp, but also a family get-together that brought out 120 people who have a child with autism in their family. “It was heart-warming to see families getting their phones to exchange numbers,” remembers Ramon. “We hope that our program can continue grow, but we’re also hopeful that community will continue to form among the families here.”
Duong is grateful for all those who contribute to the success of the Autism Early Learning Program at St.Amant. “I’m tremendously proud of the team for being child and family-centred,” she says. “And we have such great support from families, three of whom recently came to a team meeting to help us better understand their experience and their needs. It was so powerful, and so generous of them to share. We are so well surrounded!”