Ancora Salvarii

Therapy centre Ancora in Iași for children and youngsters with autism

In the autumn of 2003, we started with activities for children and youngsters with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The need for activities for these people came up during a meeting with the child welfare office of Iaşi. The city did not yet offer them assistance.

Goals:

• Stimulating and supporting optimal development of participants of the Foundation.
• Encouraging social and professional integration of participants and improving their environment.
• Support for families of participants.

Services offered:

1. Therapy aimed at children and youngers with autism (group therapy as well as individual sessions)

• Activities to teach them skills and to stimulation their cognition.
• Speech therapy, stimulating verbal and non-verbal communication.
• Educational activities.

2. Movement Therapy 

• Activities to encourage sensory integration, knowing one’s own body, and to learn motor skills.
• Physiotherapy based on Sherborne Developmental Movement.

3. Other therapies

• Activities aiming to increase the ability to do things independently (ADL: activities of daily living), occupational therapy.
• Educational and labour activities.
• Creative therapy.
• Play therapy.

4. Social and recreational activities

• Participating in events, markets, and exhibitions.
• Visiting the city together, trips like visiting museums.
• Feasts on special days: 2 April (World Autism Awareness Day), 1 June (International Children’s Day), Christmas, Easter, birthdays, and national holidays.

5. Individual help and support group for parents

• Monthly meetings of the parents’ group.
• Individual help on the parent’s request.

6. Information activities on autism spectrum disorders (ASD)

• Professional support at home of in institutions.
• Workshops and courses.

The team of Ancora is a young one, consisting of motivated people experienced in offering therapy to children and adolescents with ASD.

Below are several of the courses successfully completed by our staff members: Sherborne Developmental Movement, Sensory integration for people with ASD, Cognitive therapy for children, adolescents, and adults with neuropsychological behavioural disorders – Elements from the Educational Programme TEACCH, Support and coaching in the field of autism, Basic course The Essential 5 (author: Colette de Bruin), international conference Understanding autism! Sensory perception, communication and language – techniques and treatments (speaker: Olga Bogdashina), Professional course to specialize in autism (by specialists from LunetZorg, a Dutch organization supporting disabled people in the Dutch province of Brabant), Activity leader. Specialists from the Netherlands, Belgium, Great Britain, the United States of America, and Romania were involved with these courses.