Siblings having fun at One Child’s Kids’ Night program. Kids’ Night is a monthly program where families can bring their children including siblings for a night of fun, while the parents get a night out.
There is a saying in the autism community, “if you’ve met one child with autism, you’ve met one child with autism.” One local organization, One Child Center for Autism (One Child) is committed to helping children and families affected by Autism and other developmental differences on their individual journeys, and to help each family celebrate the importance of their stories.
A One Child Story
“Our daughter was repeatedly suspended from her daycare at age one because she was biting the other children,” a One Child parent shares. “She was completely unresponsive to any reaction and in addition, her speech was delayed, and her social skills were not progressing normally. I reached out to [One Child Center for Autism] to see what sort of therapies were offered and whether an autism spectrum diagnosis was a prerequisite.” (It’s not). Upon meeting with One Child staff, their daughter was enrolled in Play Pals, One Child’s social skills playgroup.
Children in the Play Pals program playing together.
“Play Pals has been incredibly helpful in teaching our daughter how to communicate in appropriate ways, teaching her how to share and include others, and how to regulate her behavior,” her parents shared.
The child’s parents also made the decision for their daughter to receive Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy. “The [ABA] therapy has taught my husband and I how to be a team when working with our daughter and gave us new tools for managing her behavior. Without a doubt, the services that our daughter has received through One Child Center for Autism have made an incredible difference in our daughter and our family’s quality of life.”
“Her progress has been incredible, it seems hard to believe that we have come so far in such little time. Our daughter is a happy, healthy 4-year-old girl who now enjoys playing with friends, is quick to share, and very rarely resorts to violence” said the child’s parent. This family’s story is just one example of the work that One Child is doing to partner with families to provide tailored services and support unique to their journey.
One Child’s Vision
Founded by two mothers whose sons have autism, there is a unique perspective that permeates through One Child. A perspective that champions creating a space where comprehensive support – physical, emotional, and financial – can be provided, in order that the entire family can thrive.
It is this perspective that guided the cofounders to create a multidisciplinary collaborative approach to care, which not only includes professionals in the fields of speech-language pathology, psychology, applied behavior analysis, and occupational therapy but also a commitment to making these therapies and other programs financially accessible through scholarships and reduced fees.
As One Child has grown so too has its mission, expanding to include services and support to children and families affected by a wide range of diagnoses and developmental differences. Ultimately, One Child’s role is to be a partner with each family on their journey, to be a place where every child is celebrated no matter their diagnosis.
One Child Center for Autism is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit providing services and support to children and families affected by autism and other developmental differences in the Greater Williamsburg area. For more information or to contact One Child Center for Autism please visit OneChildCenterforAutism.org.