"Cooking club helps autistic children build life skills"
The class is part of a program organized by KidsAhead Consulting & Center for Development, which works with autistic children and their families to foster emotional development and basic life skills. KidsAhead offers consultations and parent education, with supplemental summer programs such as the cooking club, a crafts club, and a summer camp.
Read the complete story in the Philadelphia Inquirer.
"Tell me and I'll forget;
show me and I may
remember;
involve me and I'll understand."
-Chinese Proverb
Parent Testimonial
"Our son has had a wonderful experience with the Craft Club. This was his first social skills group experience that was truly meaningful for him. I liked that the group was small and supported by the RDI staff. The activities were terrific and the children were encouraged to be spontaneous, play and interact without prompting---truly great!" -Donna C., NJ
Founded in 2003, KidsAhead consists of a team of highly trained consultants and support staff that are dedicated to working with families impacted by autism, Asperger's Syndrome, PDD/NOS, and related disorders.
The KidsAhead staff primarily uses the Relationship Development Intervention (RDI®) treatment program. RDI® is specifically designed to empower parents as it helps them resume their natural roles as primary "guides" to their child. Through "guided participation", RDI® strives to develop dynamic intelligence in children and adults with Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD) so that they may be better able to obtain a quality of life as independent, emotionally connected, responsible adults. It is a continually evolving methodology and is rooted in cognitive and developmental psychology.
KidsAhead offers two branches of service:
RDI® Consulting Services - We offer comprehensive consulting for those families ready to commit to the RDI® treatment program. Our consultants provide assessments, treatment, and ongoing support to parents as they navigate through this innovative research-based program. We are contracted by numerous school districts and private families in the Delaware Valley. All KidsAhead consultants are fully certified as RDI® Program Certified Consultants or are approved RDI® Program Consultants-In-Training.
Some of our services include:
• Parent Readiness Phase, which includes education and coaching on understanding the core deficits of autism.
• Relationship Development Intervention (RDI®) and Assessment (RDA™).
For more information on RDI® and events such as workshops and parent training, please visit
www.rdiconnect.com.
• Knowledge of Applied Behavior Analysis/Verbal Behavior (ABA/VB) and techniques used when needed
• IEP development
• Parent consultations
Please see the Sample Services page for more examples.
Center for Development - We are now reaching out to even more families dealing with ASD and other special needs. Utilizing "Guided Participation" as our driving force, we offer a variety of effective peer programs for the children, including:
• Summer camps
• Craft Clubs
• Cooking Clubs
• Mommy and Me
special needs playgroup
Please see the Announcements page for further details and to register for programs.
Please e-mail or call our office at debbie@kidsahead.net or (609)654-KIDS(5437) to inquire about current and upcoming programs. Additionally, the website is updated regularly with information regarding these programs, so check back regularly.
