MoSAIC workshop - autism early identification
For health and education professionals wanting to build their expertise in autism identification.
What is the MoSAIC autism early identification workshop?
The Monitoring of Social Attention, Interaction and Communication (MoSAIC) - Social Attention and Communication Surveillance-Revised (SACS-r +PR) workshop will equip all professionals working with infants, toddlers, and pre-schoolers (11-60-months-old) with the necessary skills to effectively identify autistic tamariki, discuss their findings with whānau as part of routine care, and provide a streamlined referral pathway for whānau.
Times and Dates
Date: 29 and 30 May 2023
Times: 9:00am-12:00pm
This workshop is held online via zoom across two half day sessions.
Your MoSAIC trainer
Lee Patrick has worked at Autism New Zealand since 2020. She is autistic and uses her lived experience as well as her academic background in psychology, education and child development in her roles at Autism New Zealand as an educator and research and advocacy advisor. Lee is an accredited trainer of MoSAIC - SACS-r + PR training.
Whaikaha Registration Fee Sponsorship
Whaikaha has set aside some funding to support access to these workshops for professionals working in the public sector who are actively involved in autism diagnoses. If this applies to you, when completing your registration please tick the box to invoice Whaikaha. Note: You will also be emailed an invoice, which you can disregard.
If you have any other enquiries email: diagnosis@autismnz.org.nz
More information about the MoSAIC workshop
Autism New Zealand are an accredited trainer of MoSAIC - SACS-r + PR workshop, developed by Associate Professor Josephine Barbaro, Principal Research Fellow at the Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre (OTARC), La Trobe University Melbourne. Associate Professor Barbaro has been working on the early signs of autism/takiwātanga in babies and toddlers for more than 15 years. The method developed in the MoSAIC – SACS-r +PR identified a set of behaviours or 'early markers' that are characteristic of autistic tamariki, from as young as 12 months old.
Originally implemented in Maternal and Child Health services in Victoria, the SACS method is now used across more than 11 countries. The SACS-r +PR is the most accurate and sensitive early detection method for autism available (Barbaro et al., 2022; Barbaro & Dissanayake, 2010; 2013; Mozolic-Staunton et al., 2020; 83% Positive Predictive Value; 96% sensitivity to preschool age).
The SACS is observationally based, requires training of child-health and education professionals, and works best when implemented in a setting that routinely monitors tamaiti development. MoSAIC - SACS-R + PR (11-60 months-old) training will equip all professionals with the necessary skills to effectively identify autistic tamariki, discuss their findings with families/whānau as part of routine care, and provide a streamlined referral pathway for families/whānau. Autism New Zealand have worked with Associate Professor Barbaro to adapt the training to the Aotearoa New Zealand context.
Learning outcomes:
- Professionals will have an understanding of autism/takiwātanga and early childhood development
- Professionals who see infants and toddlers will have the required knowledge and tools to identify early signs of autism/takiwātanga
- Professionals will be confident in using the MoSAIC - SACS-R + PR tool to determine whether the tamariki that present to their services demonstrate typical or atypical social attention and communication behaviours, relative to their developmental level
- Professionals will be able to sensitively discuss the results of the MoSAIC - SACS-R + PR tool with parents/carers and refer tamariki with a high likelihood of autism/takiwātanga for further diagnostic assessment and supports and services. This will be possible because of:
- Confidence in the specificity, sensitivity and other psychometric properties of MoSAIC - SACS-R + PR checklists,
- group work and role play on raising concerns with parents/carers and addressing parents’/carers' queries and concerns,
- knowledge of the necessary referral pathways following a positive MoSAIC - SACS-R + PR result, and understanding of the importance of proactive referral and supports to maximise the developmental outcomes for autistic tamariki.
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