SECRET AGENT SOCIETY (SAS) SMALL GROUP PROGRAM
FOR CHILDREN WITH FASD
As part of a Charles Darwin University research study, and in collaboration with Social Science Translated, children aged 8-12 with a diagnosis of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and their caregivers have the chance to receive specialised supports to build skills for life. Children can participate in Secret Agent Society (SAS) Small Group Program in early 2025 while contributing to much needed research on how to support children with FASD to thrive. SAS Providers who work with (or would like to work with) this population are invited to collaborate through data sharing with the research team. Some families and services may be eligible for FULLY FUNDED access to the SAS program thanks to funding awarded to Autism CRC through a Commonwealth Department of Social Services Information, Linkages and Capacity-Building grant.
Reach out to find out more today!
SAS is suitable for families with children between 8 and 12 to empower:
- Emotion Recognition (in other people and self);
- Emotion Regulation (particularly anxiety and anger);
- Social Skills (for friendship, team work and getting along with others!); and
- Problem Solving (as an individual and in a group).
The aims of the research study will be to investigate the improvement in these areas in children with FASD; and the experiences of facilitators delivering the program.
SAS PROVIDER Time Commitments:
- A pilot of the study found the groups may work best with longer sessions twice weekly (2x 60mins) and a smaller ratio of facilitator to child (1-2:3).
- Facilitators will be required to collect some additional session rating scales and complete a short post-program interview via zoom to share their experiences of delivering the program to this cohort. The other data is collected through standard program delivery (therefore not requiring extra effort).
CHILD/FAMILY Time Commitments:
- 18 x 60 min child sessions “Club Meetings” held twice a week over a 9 week period
- 4 x 120min parent sessions spaced throughout the 9 week period
- There will also be a number of short online assessments pre-, during and post-program to gather data for the research study.
What to do next:
- Services new to SAS can contact the Social Science Translated team via sas@sst-insitute.net to receive further information, and visit www.secretagentsociety.com.
- SAS Providers currently offering (or able to offer) the SAS Small Group Program to children with FASD can contact CDU researchers via Rowena.Friend@cdu.edu.au to receive further information on research participation.