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Childhood Games – Alternative methods for the integration and recovery of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders
FunderEuropean Commission
Funder Contribution €60,000.00
Funded underERASMUS+ | Partnerships for cooperation and exchanges of practices | Small-scale partnerships in adult education
Project code2023-2-RO01-KA210-ADU-000175630
Open Access mandatePublications: NoResearch data: No
Identifiers
Description
"<< Background >>Parents of children with ASD play an essential role in their recovery and integration process, ensuring continuity of interventions, personalizing therapeutic strategies, and providing emotional support, guidance, and gradual exposure to social environments. In Cluj, parents of children with autism, whom the founders of the TCADE association met during their son’s therapies, confessed that they feel overwhelmed by the lack of support from the state, due to difficult access to expensive therapies and the lack of free training courses for parents. Furthermore, mainstream schools accept these children only if they reach a certain level of development.In HU, the Szimbiózis Foundation has established a sports club for people with disabilities, including autism, which offers accessible activities such as football and pétanque to show the benefits of team games as a developmental opportunity that can be practiced in free time, free of charge and without professional assistance. Although there are many projects dedicated to autism, many parents are still reluctant to expose their children to public spaces, which makes support and awareness vital to preparing children for integration into the school environment and to face its challenges.<< Objectives >>The project aimed to raise awareness among parents of children with ASD about the importance of movement and physical activities for their recovery and integration into school groups and the community. To achieve this goal, two objectives were established:1.Raising awareness among parents of children with ASD from our communities about the existence of alternative/additional (easily accessible) therapy methods for the integration and recovery of children with ASD.2.Initiating 30 parents of children with ASD from Cluj County, Romania, and Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén County, Hungary, on how to use the alternative/additional methods represented by Childhood Games.We aimed, through the involvement of parents, to encourage the participation of children with ASD in age-appropriate games as early as possible, with beneficial consequences for their social and motor skills development, as well as to help parents overcome their reluctance to expose their children in public.<< Implementation >>During the implementation of the project, we realized: 6 Practical Demonstrations (3 in Romania and 3 in Hungary) on how to play 4 Childhood Games and adapt these to the needs of autistic children (the games Pétanque, Hopscotch, Ducks and Hunters, Target Throwing with Sensory Bags), 2 Job Shadowing activities (1 in Romania and 1 in Hungary), a children’s exposure exercise in public playgrounds in Romania, the elaboration of the ""Booklet for Parents,"" 2 Transnational Project Meetings (1 in Romania, 1 in Hungary), and the Opening and Closing Conferences, both held in Romania.We contacted and motivated parents of children with ASD to participate in the demonstrations and the exposure exercise, we established collaborations with other organizations in this field from our communities that supported us punctually in carrying out some activities, we studied specialized literature, we adapted the games to the specifics of autism spectrum disorders and tested them, we prepared the plans and support documents for each activity. We created the project website, we ensured the management of the activities and the promotion and dissemination of the results.<< Results >>As a result of participating in the project activities, 33 parents of children with ASD from Cluj County, Romania, and Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén County, Hungary, gained the necessary knowledge on how to use the alternative/additional methods represented by 4 Childhood Games (Pétanque, Hopscotch, Ducks and Hunters, Target Throwing with Sensory Bags) and became more aware of the importance of movement and physical activities for their children's recovery and integration.The lessons learned during the implementation have been materialized in the ""Childhood Games - Alternative/Additional Method of Therapy for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Booklet for Parents,"" developed in digital format in 3 languages: English, Romanian, and Hungarian. This document is a practical and useful tool that allows parents to independently recreate the games at home.At the opening and closing conferences, 81 guests from outside our organizations learned about alternative methods for the therapy of children with ASD, the tool created within the project, and how they can get involved in helping these families. The project also facilitated the exchange of experiences, knowledge, and ideas, as well as the establishment of new communication channels."
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"<< Background >>Parents of children with ASD play an essential role in their recovery and integration process, ensuring continuity of interventions, personalizing therapeutic strategies, and providing emotional support, guidance, and gradual exposure to social environments. In Cluj, parents of children with autism, whom the founders of the TCADE association met during their son’s therapies, confessed that they feel overwhelmed by the lack of support from the state, due to difficult access to expensive therapies and the lack of free training courses for parents. Furthermore, mainstream schools accept these children only if they reach a certain level of development.In HU, the Szimbiózis Foundation has established a sports club for people with disabilities, including autism, which offers accessible activities such as football and pétanque to show the benefits of team games as a developmental opportunity that can be practiced in free time, free of charge and without professional assistance. Although there are many projects dedicated to autism, many parents are still reluctant to expose their children to public spaces, which makes support and awareness vital to preparing children for integration into the school environment and to face its challenges.<< Objectives >>The project aimed to raise awareness among parents of children with ASD about the importance of movement and physical activities for their recovery and integration into school groups and the community. To achieve this goal, two objectives were established:1.Raising awareness among parents of children with ASD from our communities about the existence of alternative/additional (easily accessible) therapy methods for the integration and recovery of children with ASD.2.Initiating 30 parents of children with ASD from Cluj County, Romania, and Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén County, Hungary, on how to use the alternative/additional methods represented by Childhood Games.We aimed, through the involvement of parents, to encourage the participation of children with ASD in age-appropriate games as early as possible, with beneficial consequences for their social and motor skills development, as well as to help parents overcome their reluctance to expose their children in public.<< Implementation >>During the implementation of the project, we realized: 6 Practical Demonstrations (3 in Romania and 3 in Hungary) on how to play 4 Childhood Games and adapt these to the needs of autistic children (the games Pétanque, Hopscotch, Ducks and Hunters, Target Throwing with Sensory Bags), 2 Job Shadowing activities (1 in Romania and 1 in Hungary), a children’s exposure exercise in public playgrounds in Romania, the elaboration of the ""Booklet for Parents,"" 2 Transnational Project Meetings (1 in Romania, 1 in Hungary), and the Opening and Closing Conferences, both held in Romania.We contacted and motivated parents of children with ASD to participate in the demonstrations and the exposure exercise, we established collaborations with other organizations in this field from our communities that supported us punctually in carrying out some activities, we studied specialized literature, we adapted the games to the specifics of autism spectrum disorders and tested them, we prepared the plans and support documents for each activity. We created the project website, we ensured the management of the activities and the promotion and dissemination of the results.<< Results >>As a result of participating in the project activities, 33 parents of children with ASD from Cluj County, Romania, and Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén County, Hungary, gained the necessary knowledge on how to use the alternative/additional methods represented by 4 Childhood Games (Pétanque, Hopscotch, Ducks and Hunters, Target Throwing with Sensory Bags) and became more aware of the importance of movement and physical activities for their children's recovery and integration.The lessons learned during the implementation have been materialized in the ""Childhood Games - Alternative/Additional Method of Therapy for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Booklet for Parents,"" developed in digital format in 3 languages: English, Romanian, and Hungarian. This document is a practical and useful tool that allows parents to independently recreate the games at home.At the opening and closing conferences, 81 guests from outside our organizations learned about alternative methods for the therapy of children with ASD, the tool created within the project, and how they can get involved in helping these families. The project also facilitated the exchange of experiences, knowledge, and ideas, as well as the establishment of new communication channels."
