Consent for Registration
This Parent Workshop is a knowledge and skill-based support group that integrates information about the autistic brain, skills from various modalities, and collaborative problem solving to provide a place for peer support among parents of neurodivergent children.
The facilitator's role is to guide discussions, ensure a safe environment, and provide information, in accordance with standards of their regulatory college where applicable.
Please read the following description and the service terms to ensure you are signing up with a good understanding of the service.
Service Objectives
The goals of this group are to:
- Support parents who would like to help their autistic child cope with current mental health difficulties and/or take a preventive approach to mental health.
- Teach therapeutic skills to parents so they can better support their autistic child with regulating emotions and making behavioural changes connected to improved mental health.
- Empower parents to respond with confidence and skill to their child’s emotional and functional difficulties including, for example, challenges with school attendance, emotional outbursts, withdrawal, intense emotions like despair and suicidality, and difficulties with socialization, hygiene, and participation in family life or leisure activities.
- Develop peer support within the safety of a small group setting.
Confidentiality
Confidentiality is a priority at all times. All of the information we collect from you will be kept in a secure, web-based practice management system. This includes scheduling information, your contact details, invoices/ receipts, session notes, etc. The system used is encrypted and governed by a strict confidentiality policy. Information will not be shared with any others without your written informed consent.
Exceptions to confidentiality include the legal obligation to:
- Inform a potential victim of violence of a client’s intention to inflict harm
- Contact appropriate authorities if a client is in danger of seriously hurting themselves or someone else
- Release a client’s file if it is subpoenaed by a court of law
- Inform the Children’s Aid Society if a client under the age of 18 discloses ongoing physical, emotional, and/or sexual abuse or neglect of a child or risk of such abuse
- Inform a healthcare provider’s professional association if a client discloses sexual abuse of a patient by a health care professional (disclosure of the client’s identity is not necessary)
- While these events are rare, we would like to help you become aware that these possibilities do exist.
Confidentiality Between Group Members
We strongly encourage confidentiality to be practiced and maintained among members of this group as a norm. During group discussions, we encourage individuals to share examples from their lives and to try and avoid disclosing additional personal details about their children that are not necessary to the process. The group aims to protect the privacy of family members as much as possible, while sharing enough information that you can receive helpful support and advice. As facilitators, we will support you with this process.
Facilitators
Our group facilitators are registered with their associated regulatory bodies (Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers and College of Psychologists and Behavior Analysts of Ontario) with the ability to deliver psychotherapy to parents.
We are accountable to these regulatory bodies that are administered by the Provincial Government to regulate the practice of Social Work and Psychology in Ontario and to ensure that all registered members are competent and that they abide by a code of ethics and standards of practice set out by the regulatory body.
For more information about the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (or the College of Psychologists on Ontario, visit their website at OCSWSSW.org or CPBAO.ca
Trainees: There may be an additional co-facilitator supporting or observing the group for training purposes.
Risks and Benefits
There are risks and benefits to participating in any treatment or therapy, including groups. The program may involve remembering unpleasant events or emotions which can lead to uncomfortable feelings. It is possible you will not feel you gained what you hoped for.
The benefits of participation will hopefully be an increased sense of community and confidence in meeting your child’s emotional needs. We will do our best to help you experience positive benefits. We encourage you to discuss any questions or concerns with us at any point.
Your Commitment
Consistent attendance is important for success.
There are no refunds for missed or cancelled sessions after the registration deadline, but we will provide slides and course materials. If you are going to be absent, please contact Julia Ryan Psychology by phone or email:
CONSENT
By signing below, you:
- Agree to our facilitators collecting, using and disclosing personal information about me as described above.
- Understand and consent to our facilitators discussing amongst themselves observations about my participation and progress in order to best support me and to navigate suggestions for next steps. Similarly, if you/your child are a current client of one of the facilitators, you understand that information about you and those services may be shared amongst the facilitators for the purpose of coordinating supports and ensuring a beneficial experience.
- Agree to participate in the services described here and I understand that I can withdraw my consent for these services at any time.