Autism NI has a number of ongoing specialist training projects that we are pioneering and developing in partnership with a range of organisations:

• Training in Early Years (Keyhole Pre-school Training Package)
• Connecting with Autism (CWA) through Play
• Criminal Justice System (Autism Awareness to Aid First Response)
• Growing Up (Health Awareness & ASD)
• Social Skills Awareness

Training in Early Years

The Keyhole Early Intervention Project

The Keyhole Early Project was a pilot research project originally designed and implemented in a partnership which includes Autism NI, The University of Ulster, Down and Lisburn HSS Trust, South and East Belfast HSS Trust, Belfast Education and Library Board, South Eastern Education and Library Board, Barnardos and the Northern Ireland Pre-School Playgroups Association.

The aim of the project was to design and evaluate an holistic approach in intervention with the very young child (aged two and a half years to three and a half years) with an Autism Spectrum Disorder in order to nurture and enhance his/her development from as early as possible.

The project identified three areas which need to be addressed:

• Home visiting
• Parent and professional training
• Parent workshops

This training pack has been prepared for use with preschool personnel to address the second area addressed above. It consists of various teaching methods using power points slides, DVD illustrations, tutor notes, handouts (additional reading materials) examples of visual communication and detailed outlines of each training session.

This 12½ hour course (divided into five sessions) is aimed at anyone working with young children, in an early year group to enhance participant’s knowledge about Autism and of intervention strategies that are effective in assisting young children to communicate and interact with others.

Click here to download The Jigsaw of Early Intervention Leaflet 

The course aims to enhance knowledge about Autism and the intervention strategies which are effective assisting young children achieve their full potential

Keyhole® is a recognised AQA qualification Level 2 – 5 Unit Award

Target Audience: Anyone working with pre-school children with an ASD in an Early Years setting i.e. all playgroups, parent toddler groups, crèche, nursery school or classroom and private day care staff.

To book a place on this course click on attachment at bottom of page.

Connecting with Autism (CWA) through Play 

A Positive Start for Life

The connecting with Autism project, produced the Rainbow Resource Kit and is Autism NI’s unique response to the question “What can I do for my child?”After an extremely successful CWA pilot programme with a group of Early Years Autism professionals, the Rainbow Resource Kit was introduced an implemented with families across Northern Ireland. The CWA project continues through training of early years’ professionals as CWA practitioner and the utilisation of the Rainbow Resource Kit within their daily work. This training aims to provide early years workers with an understanding of connecting through the medium of play with the young child with Autism.

Connecting with Autism is a recognised AQA Unit Award qualification Level 3

To book a place on this course click on attachment at bottom of page.

Professionals will gain an understanding of how to incorporate the contents of the Rainbow Resource Kit into their everyday work.

The Rainbow Resource Kit will enhance professional’s intervention with young children with Autism.

The Rainbow Kit consists of a series of booklets, play and activity materials: 

• A positive start for life
• Parent to parent
• Play
• Communication and socialization
• Making sense of sensory