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Canada’s Premier National Provider of ASD Conferences In Partnership With 
 Learn practical skills that can be immediately implemented into existing curriculum and training programmes, at home or in school!
Ramada Hotel & Resort
Penns Lane, Walmley, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands
Birmingham, UK
Thursday, May 20
Marc Serruys
9:45 am—3:30 pm
Author of "Aan de rand in het midden" ("At the Edge in the Middle")
Autism and Vulnerability
David Ariss
3:30 pm—4:30 pm
My Life With Autism
Friday, May 21
Paula Aquilla
9:45 am—4:30 pm
Co-author of "Building Bridges Through Sensory Integration"
The Role of Sensory Processing in Learning, Behaviour and Activities of Daily Life
Who Should Attend?
- Educators
- Parents
- Speech/Language Therapists
- Consultants
- Occupational Therapists
- Others who live or work with children who have Autism Spectrum Disorders or other Developmental Disabilities.
- Psychologists
- Therapists
Conference Description
 Thursday, May 20
9:45 am— 3:30 pm
Marc Serruys
Autism and Vulnerability
Autism is a condition that affects life in a very pervasive way. It does not only affect the life of the person with a ASD but also the lives of those who are close to him or her, be it as a parent or professional . From both perspectives it is an ongoing exercise in understanding the differences. In a certain way people with autism are not fully ‘compatible’ with our ‘neurotypical’ society. But there is not much of a choice, is there?
Far better than in the past, we succeed in supporting and educating people with autism and their caretakers, taking into account all the differences among people. We have developed services and our knowledge on autism is getting better day by day…but still…in the atmosphere of all the ‘more or less’ success stories, it tends to be forgotten that the vulnerability of people with autism is as pervasive as the disorder itself.
Even if they have succeeded in finding the balance between their ‘own unique way of being’ and the expectations of the environment wanting them to be ‘like most of the people’, we must realize that this kind of balancing implies a high risk of falling. If the autism goes together with learning disability, the limited amount of coping strategies adds to this vulnerability and being ‘out of balance’ is a major characteristic for a lot of them. People with autism and a learning disability are at risk of ‘disappearing’ in a vast amount of lectures on Asperger syndrome or high functioning people in most conferences on autism.
This group needs ‘advocacy’ and that is why in this lecture we will mainly focus on them but not without making links to persons without a learning disability…really there’s not that much of a difference!
This lecture emphasizes the vulnerability and the long lasting effects of ‘losing the balance’. Even in a caring environment, persons with autism may get hurt in an (invisible) emotional way and in a sense that their understanding, their ‘meaning’ of the world seems to deteriorate.
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How can we detect the ‘scars’ of those people who are scared to go on?
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What kind of behavior may be a signal that someone is hurt?
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What are the basic principles in supporting and caring?
The fact that we are limited in our understanding of autism forces us to look in a very flexible way for answers to questions that are often hard to hear. Do we really see the effort of people on the spectrum trying to understand, trying to relate, trying to survive? Seeing this effort often is always the starting point of respectful care.
Note: This day will be particularly relevant with the Autism Bill recently being passed in Parliament and with the National Autism Strategy soon to be published in March 2010 as these will help meet the needs of this vulnerable group of people.
Marc Serruys studied psychology at the University of Louvain. He is a colleague of Theo Peeters at the ‘Opleidingscentrum Autisme Theo Peeters’ (Recently the name changed to Team Vlaanderen, a division of the Fontys University The Netherlands) in Belgium. He works as an autism consultant in a residential care center for children and adults with autism and a learning disability. For the past 15 years he has given lectures on different topics on autism in Belgium and abroad. Marc is the author of ‘Aan de rand in het midden’ (At the Edge in the Middle) on challenging behaviours in persons with autism.
Thursday, May 20
3:30 pm—4:30 pm
David ArissMy Life With Autism
David Ariss, a man in his early forties, was diagnosed as having an autistic spectrum disorder during his late teens. He currently resides in Coventry (although he would like to move to Birmingham) and has a support package that entitles him to one hour of support per day. Because of a lack of understanding of his condition within the community, he frequently gets into scrapes involving the local police force and on more than one occasion has spent time in either a holding cell or in an assessment unit. David has been known to self medicate through alcohol, which at times has had disastrous results. He has been known to self harm to such an extent that he requires hospitalisation. David will give a personal perspective which demonstrates the vulnerability of the autism spectrum.
 Friday, May 21
9:45 am—4:30 pm
Paula Aquilla
The Role of Sensory Processing in Learning, Behaviour and Activities of Daily Life
This course will provide participants with basic neurology to understand and appreciate the process of making sense of sensory information. Each sense will be discussed from the receptors to the central nervous system. Understanding the neurology behind sensory processing can support understanding of this process that we do every moment of every day.
Participants will learn how to identify the behavioural and autonomic nervous system signs of a nervous system in a regulated and deregulated state.
Sensory diets provide the right type and right amount of intensity and duration of sensory input to help maintain the nervous system in a calm, alert state. In the calm alert state, a person can function at their best. This course will outline how to create an environment, approach, and specific activities to help maintain the nervous system in a calm, alert state. We will learn how to create sensory diets and how to integrate them into a typical day. Information gathering techniques and assessments will be discussed.
Sensory diets provide the right type and right amount of intensity and duration of sensory input to help maintain the nervous system in a calm, alert state. In the calm alert state, a person can function at their best. This course will outline how to create an environment, approach, and specific activities to help maintain the nervous system in a calm, alert state. We will learn how to create sensory diets and how to integrate them into a typical day. Information gathering techniques and assessments will be discussed.
Questions are welcome!
Paula Aquilla is the mother of two teenagers and lives with her family in Toronto, Ontario. She is a graduate of the University of Toronto and has been practicing occupational therapy in community, clinic, school and home based settings for 22 years. Paula is a co-author of the book Building Bridges Through Sensory Integration and has contributed to several other publications. She teaches throughout North America. She is a thesis writer in the Canadian College of Osteopathy and hopes to complete her formal osteopathic studies in 2010. Paula brings warmth and enthusiasm in her work with children and their families.
Tentative Daily Schedule
Thursday, May 20
| Registration |
8:30 am - 9:30 am |
| Opening Remarks |
9:30 am - 9:45 am |
| Marc Serruys |
9:45 am - 11:00 pm |
| Refreshment Break |
11:00 pm - 11:30 pm |
| Marc Serruys |
11:30 pm - 12:30 pm |
| Lunch (Provided) |
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm |
| Marc Serruys |
1:30 pm - 2:45 pm |
| Refreshment Break |
3:00 pm - 3:30 pm |
| David Ariss |
3:30 pm - 4:30 pm |
Friday, May 21
| Registration |
8:30 am - 9:30 am |
| Opening Remarks |
9:30 am - 9:45 am |
| Paula Aquilla |
9:45 am - 11:00 pm |
| Refreshment Break |
11:00 pm - 11:30 pm |
| Paula Aquilla |
11:30 pm - 12:30 pm |
| Lunch (Provided) |
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm |
| Paula Aquilla |
1:30 pm - 2:45 pm |
| Refreshment Break |
3:00 pm - 3:15 pm |
| Paula Aquilla |
3:15 pm - 4:30 pm |
Registration
PARENT/PARA
PROFESSIONAL RATE |
BEFORE April 30, 2010
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After April 30, 2010 |
| 1 Day |
£125.00 + £21.88 VAT = £146.88 |
£150.00 + £26.25 VAT = £176.25 |
| 2 Day |
£175.00 + £30.63 VAT = =£205.63 |
£200.00 + £35.00 VAT = £235.00 |
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| PROFESSIONAL RATE |
Before April 30, 2010 |
After April 30, 2010 |
| 1 Day |
£180.00 + £31.50 VAT = £211.50 |
£200.00 + £35.00 VAT = £235.00 |
| 2 Day |
£265.00 + £46.38 VAT = £311.38 |
£300.00 + £52.50 VAT= £352.50 |
Registration Includes: Sessions, session materials, and refreshment breaks.
VAT Number: 875 2674 85
General InformationHotel Information
The Ramada Hotel & Resort is the host hotel for this event. The hotel is located at Penns Lane, Walmley, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands.
Telephone: 0121- 351-3111
Room Rates
£ 89.00 Taxes not included.
Rooms are subject to availability
Delegates are responsible for booking and paying for their own accommodation. Individual reservations can be made by contacting the hotel reservations department directly at:
Telephone: 0121- 351-3111
Callers must mention the group name Autism Awareness Centre Workshop to ensure they receive the appropriate rate and are included in the guest room block.
Dress Code
Dress is business casual. Delegates are reminded that the room may be chilly at times and are encouraged to wear a sweater.
Meals, Refreshment Breaks
Lunch will be provided both days. Refreshment breaks will be served in the morning and afternoon.
Cancellation Policy
Cancellations must be in writing and received prior to April 30, 2010. A £25.00 administration fee will be charged. From April 30 - May 10 half of the fee will be charged. May 12 or later the full fee will be charged. This policy will be enforced but you are encouraged to find a subsitute.
Autism Awareness Centre and autism.west midlands Working Together
The Autism Awareness Centre is pleased to once again have this opportunity to work in conjunction with autism.west midlands to provide those in the ASD community with two of the world’s top authors on ASD. The experiences of these two internationally known speakers will be invaluable to all who attend.
This will be the fifth annual conference that our two organizations have cooperatively worked together to bring relevant information to the autism community in England, and we believe this will be an extremely beneficial conference for all involved.
Our two organizations are committed to ensuring the best possible training for parents and professionals alike.
Canada’s National Provider of ASD Conferences Leading The Way For Change!
The Autism Awareness Centre believes that education is the key to success in assisting individuals who have autism, Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD), Asperger Syndrome and other disorders such as Tourette Syndrome, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). With numerous social, communication, and behavioral intervention methods and the more recent field of biomedical interventions, it is important to keep parents and professionals on the leading edge of new information. By hosting workshops across Canada and providing resource support both in Canada and abroad, the Autism Awareness Centre is committed to ensuring information reaches all communities. The Autism Awareness Centre is leading the way for change by providing conferences to all corners of Canada.
Maureen Bennie is a mother of two children ages 11 and 13 with autism. She has managed an at-home Intensive Behavioral Intervention Program for 8 years for her children. She is the author of over 100 articles and book reviews that have appeared in publications and on websites throughout North America.
Victoria Harris has over 25 years experience in business management and event planning. Her attention to detail ensures the atmosphere at every conference inspires learning.
autism.west midlands
autism.west midlands aims to improve the quality of life for people with autistic spectrum disorders and their families by raising awareness of the condition and making provision for the individual needs of people with autistic spectrum disorders.
We are the principal provider of autism-specific services for children and adults in the West Midlands region.
Our current services include a school for residential and day pupils, residential services for adults, supported living and employment support for adults with Asperger Syndrome, family support, an information help-line, and the provision of training for staff, parents and professionals.
We have established a large membership across the region since we opened our first residential service in 1988.
Contact Autism Awareness Centre Inc.
For more information about this conference, please contact:
Ian Carty - autism.west midlands:
Ph: 0121-450-7576 Fax: 0121-450-7581
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For more information on the Autism Awareness Centre, to register for upcoming conferences or to receive our Quarterly Newsletter, please contact us at:
Ph: 780-474-8355 or Toll Free: 1-866-724-2224
Email:
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For Books and Resources, please contact:
Maureen Bennie:
Phone: 403-640-2710
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To Display a Product or Service at an AACI Event, please contact:
Maureen Bennie:
Phone: 403-640-2710
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Download Birmingham Brochure
May 20 & 21, 2010 Birmingham, UK Brochure
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