Services
The Portia Learning Centre Inc. specializes in early intervention of children with Autism Disorders. We serve the Ottawa Carleton and Kingston regions.
One to One IBI Therapy
- Part-time and Full-time IBI programs based on Skinner's Analysis of Verbal Behaviour
- Home and Centre based programs
- Individual assessment using the Assessment of Basic Language and Learning Skills (ABLLS-R) and VB-MAPP to determine strengths, limitations, learning style
- Intervention in both structured and natural settings
- One-to-one and highly structured small group instruction
- Specific programs to promote verbal behaviour, social skills, academic skills, independence skills, gross motor, fine motor
- Regular assessments
- Regular meetings
- Systematic data analyses to track performance
- Highly qualified behaviour analyst to supervise learner program
- Intensive staff training and supervision to ensure the highest quality instruction
Our Centre-based program provides a stable learning environment where program supervisors are able to view the child's development on a daily basis as each child progresses through one-to-one therapy with the instructor therapist.
Home based programs : One-to-one intensive behaviour intervention in your home setting.
Ideal for very early learners. Typically this will be a combination of in home and in centre therapy.
One to one IBI rate is fully inclusive of; administrative, curriculum set-up, program materials, data taking by an ABA therapist, supervision hours by the senior therapist.
Consultative Services
Our Senior Therapists will consult to home (parent run) based programs. Please call for rates and availability.
The Portia Learning Centre offers an option to families who wish to run their own program. It consists of 2 distinct, but integrated sections; the first is to assess and create the custom program; the second is to provide ongoing support and maintenance ensuring program integrity and validity. In rare circumstances, it may be feasible to simply create the program and hand it off to the external service provider without ongoing support. Please note: The Portia Learning Centre Inc. retains this right at its sole discretion, and is under no obligation to do so.
Section 1. Initial consult and program design:
Five days, additional days may be suggested depending on behaviours. The rate is identical whether the time is incurred in centre, or in the client's home. All visits to the house are subject to travel reimbursements: travel and living where applicable.
The client's service provider will generally attend the last 2 days in order to become fully immersed in the program, and be ready to work with the child at hand over time.
Section 2. Ongoing Consultation / program maintenance 6 hours per month.
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Option a: May include; one video a month (20 min per therapist); phone consults; program review and maintenance. The child attends the centre once per quarter for 2 days.
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Option b: One 1 day (6 hour) visit per month to the child's home. All visits to the house are subject to travel reimbursements: travel and living where applicable.
Jumpstart Program
Ideal for those who live in remote areas with limited access to services.
The purpose of this service is to provide the family and teaching staff with an assessment of the learner's strengths and areas of need based upon direct observation and interaction with the child. Assessment of a range of skill domains, e.g. verbal behaviour, self care, socialization, problem behaviours, etc. will be assessed. Assessment tools may include but are not limited to: the ABLLS-R (Assessment of Basic Language and Learning Skills) and VB-MAPP. The assessment will also include a determination of the teaching methods which appear to facilitate the learner's acquisition of important skills. Through hands-on coaching, the child's therapists or parent(s) will be trained to implement the most effective teaching procedures.
Process: Your child will spend 30 sessions (each session is three hours in length) at The Portia Learning Centre Inc. Assessments, program design and deciphering optimal implementation procedures will be performed by one of our Senior Therapists and Instructor Therapists during the first 20 sessions.
The last ten sessions will include a teaching component in which our staff will train your child's therapist / the parent how to implement the program effectively.
The program is yours to take home and implement with your team.
Ongoing Consultative Services are available (see Consultative Services section 2)
Occupational Therapy
Assessments and consultative services available. Please call for more information.
Psychological Assessments
David Guth, Psychological Associate will provide a psychological assessment. The process including feeback session is typically completed within one week.
Supervised play dates
Socialization and homework program
After school ABA
Full Circle ABA
The Full circle program is designed for learners to expand their knowledge learned in their intensive teaching to group based settings. This program is designed to complement the intensive teaching program or can be used as a transition from intensive teaching to natural school setting. It will enhance and measure group learning skills and observational learning.
- Two-to-One Ratio teaching model for the majority of the day
- 0ne-to-one intensive teaching sessions for children who are not currently enrolled in the IBI program
- Develops responding within a controlled group situation
- Develop observational learning
- Multiple natural environment teaching blocks
- One-to-one intensive table time (1:1 is only during table sessions)
- Pre-writing block
- Pre-reading block
- Regular assessments of each student's readiness
- Highly structured group instruction with goals to measure learning capacity and style
- Enhanced social programming designed to emulate the school environment
- Designed to increase success for transition to school
- Written reports for public, catholic and private school staff
School-Age Program/Transition to school
Many children need additional support once attending a regular school setting. A 1:1 ratio designed to increase tolerance to group environments while continuing to work on ABLLS and VB-MAPP curriculum. Our school-age program is available to compliment children attending public, catholic or private school part-time. Our transition to school program offers a structured one-to-one learning setting to learn the skills necessary for the school environment.
- Part-time and Full-time transition to school program
- One-to-one teaching
- Learning how to deal with distraction
- Regular assessments of each student's skills
- Consultation and follow-up with the school to ensure collaborative efforts
- Highly structured group instruction with goals to measure learning capacity and style
- One-to-one instruction to teach individualized language and academic goals
- Enhanced social programming designed to emulate the school environment
- Individualized independence programs
- Written reports for public, catholic and private school staff
Inclusion Programs
Many children with autism benefit from learning alongside peers. When a child is involved in a preschool, daycare or private school setting, the educational facility may allow one of our highly skilled staff to provide support.
- Regular assessments of each student's readiness
- Training and support for teachers and classmates
- Therapist accompaniment to implement social, play and group goals
- On-site supervision of inclusion programming
- On-going follow-up and consultation
Social Skills Group
Social skills training provides children with autism the opportunity to learn and practice appropriate social skills in a structured, caring setting.
- Learning to initiate play, Learning to accept offers to play
- Sharing, Joining in play
- Tolerating peers, Conversational skills
Integrated Play Group
The integrated play group is designed to support children on the autism spectrum in play with their typical peers/siblings. An integrated playgroup is a group of children on the autism spectrum and their typically developing peers/siblings who regularly play together in a supportive environment under the supervision of a qualified adult facilitator.
- Advance a child's social interaction
- Enhance communication
- Advance play and imagination capabilities
- Teach typically developing peer groups to be more accepting, responsive, and inclusive towards children who relate and play in different ways
- Develop friendships
Family Training Program
As part of our IBI, inclusion, school readiness and school-age programs we strive to meet the needs of each child's family in the home environment. This helps ensure generalization of skills learned at home and school.
- Parent training workshops
- Goals to target in the home and natural environment
- As needed training visits to transfer skills to home and school
- Referrals to helpful community resources
Positive Behaviour Support
At The Portia Learning Centre we will work with each family to understand what maintains an individual's challenging behaviour.
- Discover the function of the inappropriate behaviour(s)
- Describes a behaviour
- Identify the contexts (events, times, and situation) that predict when behavior will and will not occur
- Identify consequences that maintain the behavior
- Summarizes and creates a hypothesis about the behavior
- Develop a support plan design
- Implementation and monitoring the support plans and work with each family to achieve success
Summer Camp
The Portia Learning Centre Summer program is designed to increase social and group skills in a fun environment.
- Ages 3-5, 6-8, 9-12 (Children will be grouped by age and skill level)
- Program designed and overseen by senior therapist > Theme days, Half-day and Full-day programs available
