Beyond awareness: Action for autism

In support of the care and development of families within the autism community, the Sandals Foundation has partnered with Autism Speaks, The Bob and Rita Marley Foundation, and The Color of Autism Foundation to host a series of trainings under the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Caregiver Skills Training (CST) programme.

In collaboration with The MICO University College, which will evaluate the educational component of the programme, 10 master trainers were engaged to educate parents and caregivers of children with autism and other developmental support needs at Sandals Resorts Ocho Rios and the St Ann’s Bay Regional Hospital September 8 - 12. In addition to the trainers, six families also participated in the sessions.

The Caregiver Skills Training programme is a globally recognised initiative informed by evidence, expert feedback, and worldwide field testing to create a pathway for a more informed approach to care. By helping parents and caregivers develop key skills for improved behaviour, interactions, communication, and problem-solving skills, the programme fosters an enhancement in the quality of life.

As part of its mandate to empower Caribbean families through education and access to care, the Sandals Foundation has joined the three-year partnership to train and certify 10 master trainers annually. These master trainers will then lead capacity-building sessions for trained and supervised non-specialists, social service workers, nurses, early childhood educational facilitators, teachers, and experienced caregivers, creating a sustainable, community-led training pipeline across Jamaica.

“The significance of parent training lies in empowering parents with the essential tools to effectively support their child’s journey,” said Camille Proctor, executive director at the Color of Autism Foundation.

PROGRAMME’S AIM

“The programme aims to address the significant challenges in supporting children with developmental delays and disorders, particularly in underserved communities here in Jamaica,” continued Proctor. “It will empower parents and caregivers to support their children through early, routine-based interventions while building a network of trained caregivers, fostering an inclusive and supportive community.”

“The beauty of this Caregiver Skills Training Programme is its adaptability to low-resource settings,” said Dr Pamela Dixon, senior director, clinical services and inclusion at Autism Speaks.

“It can be integrated into existing services to support caregivers in defining specific goals needed for the training course best suited for each family. It includes self-directed e-learning with eight hours of self-paced courses, utilising low bandwidth, making it accessible even on mobile devices,” said Dixon.

Since 2016, more than 35 caregiver skills training sites have been implemented worldwide, certifying more than 250 master trainers, with language translations under way to include 10 additional languages.

The Sandals Foundation and Sandals Resorts have committed to cash and in-kind support of US$162,000 covering the costs of online training, technical support, trainee stipends, printed training materials, on-the-ground transportation, airfare, accommodation, and in-person capacity-building sessions throughout the entire three-year programme.

Heidi Clarke, executive director at the Sandals Foundation, said: “This programme is critical in ensuring the expansion of qualified individuals who are able to educate others on providing quality care to children with developmental needs. Together we can ensure that no child is left behind.”

For Alicia Williams, foundation manager of the Bob and Rita Marley Foundation: “The initiative speaks to our mission of uplifting communities through social welfare, education, health,sports and culture. Supporting families and caregivers of children with autism is an important step in breaking barriers and ensuring every child has the chance to grow, learn, and thrive.”