Autism Connect Early (ACE) Programme has been in development for a year now. 

Our partnership with The University of New England is one that will have a practical implication for early intervention programmes and will bring about societal change.

The ACE Programme is focused on using the research evidence to develop innovative educational approaches for children with autism. To achieve this, we have partnered with The University of New England to embed continued review and evaluation across ACE activities so that we obtain an objective measure of how children are developing and growing. This partnership will allow ongoing research to be undertaken in an early childhood environment.

The ACE Programme will be implemented into early learning centres all over Australia. The first centre to implement the programme has been operating for six months on the Gold Coast. Our aim is to be able to reach as many autistic children as possible and be able to provide them with affordable early intervention that has proven positive outcomes. Our journey has given us an increasing awareness of the struggles and the impediments faced by families who are anxious to provide for their children with effective education and therapeutic therapy, but whose efforts are being thwarted by confusion regarding best practice and financial restraints and a lack of facilities available to these children. My husband and I are compelled to do something that will give these children a chance to find their place in this world.

Our early learning environments will have access to all the necessary therapies* required for successful early intervention.

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*Therapies – services that focus on supporting the child to acquire or enhance functional skills aimed at developing and maintaining their learning, participation, and wellbeing in the community.