JASPER

JASPER (Joint Attention, Symbolic Play, Engagement, and Regulation) is a play-based intervention that teaches social communication skills to young children with autism.

JASPER is successful in helping both verbal and minimally verbal children learn core social communication and play skills within a state of regulation and joint engagement.Â JASPER is a caregiver mediated service meaning parents/caregivers are taught by developmental health professionals how to support their child’s skill development.

Program Details:

In-Person, virtual, or hybrid
Group session and 1-to-1 coaching
12-Weeks
- Bi-weekly 1-to-1 coaching
- Bi-weekly group workshops with other caregivers
1 hour/session

Eligibility:

Your child is between 12-48 months
Your child has a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
Your child is in the Ontario Autism Program (OAP)
You have received a letter of invitation to participate in the program from the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services (MCCSS)

What You will Learn:

Gestures for joint attention and requesting (such as pointing, coordinated looks between objects and people, and showing)
Play diversity and complexity (such as using objects to represent something else in play)
Social engagement (such as improving the child’s engagement with others)
Behaviour regulation (such as using strategies to handle behaviours that interfere with learning and engagement)
Verbal communication (such as building on the child’s existing language, while also teaching them new words)

Registration:

This program is made possible through the Early Connections Autism Services partnership, which is comprised of AlphaBee and the SAAAC Autism Centre. Click on the Register Now button below to be directed to the JASPER registration portal.