Westmead Feelings Programme
For children with autism spectrum disorder, it can be challenging to navigate everyday scenarios within social interactions at school and at home. Children may become easily overwhelmed or stressed, and find it difficult to know how to manage their emotions in healthy ways, and parents may find it difficult to know the best way to support their child.
This is where the Westmead Feelings Programme offers an excellent and scientifically-proven tool to improve the lives of children with autism, as well as their families, at school and at home.
“When I started working with Mathew, a five-year-old autistic child, he was about to start school. He could not sit with other children at storytime because he felt crowded in, and was too anxious. Mathew did not know what to say to other children or how they felt and would get frustrated and angry as a result and run out of the classroom. Over time, I worked with Mathew, his family and school to develop his emotional skills. I saw Mathew in 2021 for our annual review. He is now 25 years old, is about to graduate from postgraduate studies at university, has a full-time job in finance, and has his first girlfriend.”
- Michelle Wong, Clinical Psychologist and Founder of the Westmead Feelings Programme.
What Is The Westmead Feelings Programme?
The Westmead Feelings Programme is a 15-month programme split into three modules, that works alongside children and their parents and teacher, to help autistic children to understand emotions, become more socially aware, problem-solve, and manage their feelings in everyday settings. It also helps parents and teachers to learn practical ways that they can support their children’s emotion management skills.
The WFP recognises that each child’s experience of autism is unique, so it consists of a wide range of learning approaches to target the individual needs of each child. It may include workbooks, games, low-sensory areas, videos, whiteboards, rewards and visual support. It also has a clear structure to allow autistic children to feel as comfortable as possible, with predictability and consistency.
What Concepts And Skills Does The Programme Cover?
Concepts covered for children include topics such as:
- How to recognise happy, sad, worried and angry facial features, body language and voices
- Developing an understanding of the wide range of different emotions
- Perspective taking, or how different people can have different feelings in the same situation
- A range of strategies for dealing with difficult or unpleasant emotions
- How to react more appropriately and in more socially positive ways
Concepts covered for parents include topics such as:
- The emotional and social challenges for children on the autism spectrum
- How to be an emotion coach
- How to use visual cueing and a communications book
- How to solve problems, using structured visual tools
- How to use the Feelings Control Kit strategies
- Effective use and promotion of emotion regulation skills
What Is The Research Evidence Behind The Westmead Feelings Programme?
The Westmead Feelings Program has a strong research basis and has been studied in more than eight research studies over more than ten years. Studies have shown that it improves the skills of children with autism spectrum disorder in many ways:
- 87% of children who participated in the programme improved their skills in understanding and managing their emotions, understanding the perspectives of others, and problem solving
- 78% of children who participated in the programme improved their social skills
- The programme has been shown to improve the mental health of children with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder
- Parents have reported that the programme has improved their emotional competence and mental health
What Age Is The Westmead Feelings Programme Suitable For?
The Westmead Feelings Program 1 is designed to meet the learning needs of children:
- Aged 8-12 years with autism spectrum disorder and mild intellectual disability
- Aged 6-8 years with autism spectrum disorder and no intellectual disability
Westmead Feelings Program 2 is designed to meet the learning needs of children:
- Aged 8 to 14 years old with autism spectrum disorder without intellectual impairment
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