This document aligns with the Professional Codes & Ethics of Consultancy Practice in British Columbia, Canada, and seeks to outline the Consultant’s educational and professional background, as well as the interplay between her personal and professional experiences.
Saima is a mother of an adult son on autism spectrum and has a medical and a special education degree. Navigating the unique challenges and needs of her son and family in the early 2000s significantly shaped her personal and professional paths. One avenue involved her working as an interventionist and later as a consultant for her son and then other children affected by severe autism. Another path led her to connect with organizations in BC which support families who have children with significant disabilities.
Saima has more than a decade of experience of developing and implementing Individualized Program Plans and training families and teams for steps implementation. She has primarily worked with sparingly communicative children on the spectrum who experience severe anxiety and challenging behaviors and has experienced moderate to significant progress across various learning domains, along with attaining emotional wellness and skill generalization. As a consultant, she employs tailored approaches to exploration and learning based on each child's sensory strengths and utilizes the AAPT framework to assess and customize the Program Plan.
Saima is dedicated to helping parents, professionals, and paraprofessionals understand the thinking and communication styles of their children, students, or clients, and then adapting their daily engagements accordingly for the routine activities, play, recreation, and teaching. For over 20 years, she has shared her insights and strategies through workshops, webinars, and discussion forums, both locally and internationally.
AAPT is a skill-tracking tool and a Curriculum Guide, specifically created for children with autism who experience significant challenges. It was approved and registered by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada in 2018, A Program Plan can be customized for each child, facilitating skill development across 26 Learning Domains. AAPT is available for parents’ review, if interested. The Program Plan, which includes measurable goals, can be easily incorporated into the child’s IEP at school.
What to Expect:
Invoicing:
The current fee for the Early Intervention Program Plan services for children under 6 years of age is $100/hr.
For children over 6 years and adults, the fee is $60.00/hr.
While an initial 6-month service contract is not mandatory, it is recommended to fully appreciate the process and measurable progress.
Clients and the consultant may choose monthly or quarterly meetings and invoicing, based on the plan's requirements, funding availability, and other factors.