Core Components

The Cool Kids Autism Spectrum programme is for children of primary school age (6 – 12 years old) with a diagnosis of autism and the Chilled Autism programme targets teenagers (13 – 18 years old) with a diagnosis of autism. Cool Kids and Chilled Autism focus on supporting those who exhibit general worry, separation anxiety, social anxiety, specific fears or panic (the programme is not suitable for children / teens who are suicidal or self-harming). The programme is delivered over 10 group sessions, across a 12-to-14-week period for approximately 1.5 hours. The programme can also be delivered as an individual therapy if determined more appropriate.

Cool Kids and Chilled Autism is one programme in a suite of Cool Kids programmes. It aims to provide children/teens and parents with knowledge and practical skills to help them overcome and manage their anxiety using Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) techniques, providing effective tools and strategies. The programme focuses on anxiety in everyday situations, including Recognising anxiety; Relaxation; Parenting strategies that encourage brave behaviour; Identifying and using helpful (realistic) thoughts, and Facing fears, building independence, and increasing confidence through stepladders (gradual exposure). During each session, families receive information on the topic being covered and are offered the chance to engage in discussion, games and role play to learn new skills and then to use their skills in real life situations. Practice tasks are an important part of the programme and are given following every session.

Groups of 4-8 parents and children/teens are led by a Clinical Psychologist who is experienced in working with children and teens who have been diagnosed with autism, who is also supported by an additional co-therapist/psychologist and 1-2 assistants are present to assist with the children when the psychologist are working with parents.   

Cool Kids and Chilled Autism are clearly operationalised with a programme kit and practitioner manual.

Fidelity

Fidelity of Cool Kids and Chilled Autism programme is maintained through standardised training, supervision, accreditation, a practitioner toolkit & worksheets and a professional manual.

Modifiable Components 

Cool Kids Chilled Autism is a modified version of the original Cool Kids Programme with presentation of the skills adapted to better suit the learning and thinking styles that are common for autistic children.

Cool Kids Professional manuals have been translated into Turkish, Swedish, Icelandic, Korean and Danish.

Support for Organisation / Practice

Cool Kids and Chilled Autism in delivered in the Centre for Emotional Health Clinic (CEHC), Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia.

Implementation Support

CEHC provides support with practitioner training and accreditation. CEHC also provide online access to purchase therapist manuals and participant workbooks.

Licence Requirements

A licence is required to deliver this programme.

Start-up Costs

• Cool Kids and Chilled Autism registration, which includes eTraining and one year extension to Cool Kids License Accreditation (obtain upon completing Cool Kids Anxiety Programme which is a pre-requisite) - $49.95.
• Cool Kids and Chilled Autism Course Materials - $44.95.
• Cool Kids and Chilled Autism Manual required for each family - $24.95 (discount available for bulk quantities)

Building Staff Competency

Qualifications Required

Any professional wishing to run the Cool Kids Autism or Chilled Autism programme must have a 4-year undergraduate or 2-year postgraduate degree in health education (psychology, counselling, social work or occupational therapy). Additional training in cognitive-behavioural therapy is also required along with experience of working with children/teens on the autism spectrum.

A pre-requisite for acceptance to the Cool Kids Autism or Chilled Autism e-training is successful completion of the Cool Kids Anxiety Programme obtaining certification as a Cool Kids Accredited Provider. 

Training Requirements

Practitioners must be certified in Cool Kids Anxiety prior to engaging in the Cool Kids and Chilled Autism self-paced eTraining. The training takes approximately 1.5 hours to complete, and once enrolled participants have 90 days to complete the course modules and accreditation assessment tasks. Upon completion of the final quiz, participants receive a certificate of achievement and an extension to their existing Cool Kids license to practice for one further year.

Supervision Requirements

Participants will receive a 30-minute supervision session to review specific feedback on their first set of case studies (2) and a second set of case studies (2).

In addition, CEHC provide face to face and online professional development workshops and external presenters to (1 hour session typically).  Fees to be discussed with Developer.

Theory of Change

The Cool Kids programmes are based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) with a focus on teaching practical skills. The programme is founded on the basis that whilst some shyness in preschool years can be a normal part of development, excessive shyness in children can lead to the development of more serious problems later in life such as anxiety disorders.

Values

Cool Kids and Chilled Autism programmes focus on helping anxious autistic children/teenagers overcome and manage their anxiety using Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) techniques, recognising that excessive shyness, separation anxiety and lack of confidence, if not managed, can lead to the development of more serious problems later in life such as anxiety disorders. 

• Does this approach align with the key values of your organisation?

Priorities

The programme focuses on providing autistic children, teenagers and their parents with knowledge and practical skills to help them overcome and manage their anxiety using Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) techniques giving them effective tools and strategies.

• Is helping children/teenagers with Autism to understand and manage their anxiety a priority for your organisation?
• Is providing an early intervention for anxiety in autist children and adolescents a priority for your organisation?

Existing Initiatives

• Does your service already provide an early intervention approach which aims to enable children/teenagers with Autism to manage their anxiety?
• Are existing initiatives effective and acceptable to families?
• Are there components in the Cool Kids and Chilled Autism programme that are not met by existing interventions or approaches?

Workforce

To implement Cool Kids and Chilled Autism requires a trained professional in health education (psychology, counselling, social work or occupational therapy) who has undergone additional training in cognitive-behavioural therapy and who has experience in working with children/teen with autism.   These professionals must complete a self-paced eTraining which takes approximately 1.5 hours over a period of up to 90 days including accreditation assessment tasks. 

Additional support from assistants is required for supporting the children / teenages while the psychologist works with the parents.

• Do you have practitioners with the appropriate qualification, experience, interest and time to form TFCO-P teams and deliver the programme?
• Can your organisation protect time needed for training, certification, and supervision of these practitioners’?

Technology Support

To participate in on-line training requires access to technology that can enable online training sessions to take place e.g.  Wi-Fi enabled tablet, computer or phone.

• Do your practitioners have the required technology to access the training platform, supervision, training and delivery of the approach?

Administrative Support

• Do you have the administrative support and systems to manage referrals?

Financial Support

The eTraining for Cool Kids Autism programmes costs $49.95, the purchase of the Cool Kids and Chilled Autism Course material at $44.95 & Parents Manual for each family at $24.95. This is in addition to the cost involved in becoming a Cool Kids certified practitioner (a pre-requisite to training).

• Does your service have the finances to support either the funding of individual training, or a wider role out of the intervention?

Comparable Population

Cool Kids and Chilled Autism is delivered face to face to parents and children/teens.

• Do you have sufficient demand to provide parents and children/teens with autism with support to help reduce their anxiety?

Desired Outcome

Cool Kids and Chilled Autism seeks to improve young autistic children and teens fears and anxiety in everyday situations, and to build independence and increasing confidence through stepladders (gradual exposure).

• Are these priority outcomes for your organisation?
• Do you have other existing initiatives that would be supportive of addressing this need and achieving these outcomes?