Autism Awareness Month

Rocky Bay is delighted to be a recipient of funding from Telethon to once again provide AusSwim for children living with autism. April is Autism Awareness Month, so let’s take a look at some of the other services available for people living with autism.

Here at Rocky Bay, autism is the most common diagnosis among our customers. We have many programs, therapies and services available to people with autism of all ages.

Note: Not all services available at all times

Building Buddies

This program uses LEGO® to help children work together to achieve a common goal.
Building Buddies is about using role play to reinforce tools that help your child in social situations.

Building Buddies Therapy can be an effective tool to develop verbal and non-verbal communication, sharing, turn-taking and a number of other positive social and communication outcomes.

Hydrotherapy For Autism

Rocky Bay’s Hydrotherapy for Autism is a research-based one on one physiotherapy program designed to improve the water confidence of anyone aged six and over living with ASD.

In a low sensory, fully accessible swimming pool with wheelchair and hoist access, a highly trained physiotherapist will help you:

• Build confidence and safety awareness around water
• Build strength and fitness
• Improve gross motor skills

Social Skills Fun Day

Social Skills Fun Day is a day full of possibilities; to learn new skills, make new friends, and generally have a great time in a controlled and safe environment.

Aimed at children aged 7 – 11 years with Autism, the day is facilitated by an experienced Occupational Therapist and Speech Pathologist.

The fun day offers a small group the chance to practice learned skills with peers, develop new skills under the guidance of therapists as well as experience a taste of the various Rocky Bay groups. 

Gaming Group

Gaming Group is about learning to communicate, be self-aware, control your emotions and plan with others, using the sandbox computer game Minecraft™. Build your communication and problem solving skills, while having a lot of fun and making friends at the same time.

The aim of this therapy group is to aid children to apply this logic to real-world situations, as well as:

• Improve their ability to collaborate and solve problems with others
• Adapt to situational changes and expectations
• Improve social communication skills
• Build on their strengths and interests
• Foster positive social interaction with peers.

Milo Social Skills

Milo, the humanoid therapist and the evidence-based curriculum behind him, is perfect for children living with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), or any diagnosis that impacts their social skills.

Milo provides the consistency that children with ASD crave. Even the most poker-faced human therapist can have an off day. Milo however:

• Never gets tired
• Never gets frustrated
• Uses consistent tone and volume
• Helps children learn to navigate awkward interactions
• Expresses a full range of emotion for learning.

Mindful Movers

Rocky Bay’s Mindful Movers programs are evidence based, age appropriate workshops that use movement to teach children with ASD how to understand, regulate and express their emotions in a mindful, fun and safe learning environment.

There are four programs for children of different ages, where they will learn:

• Calming movement sequences
• Deep breathing games
• Positive self-talk activities and games
• Mindful movements and sequences that will support emotional regulation
• Self-awareness and regulation through breathing and mindfulness activities
• Further tips and techniques for managing anxiety and other difficult emotions.