ACES is excited to announce a unique sibling program now being offered in the Orange County clinic. Open ACES blends siblings of clients, typical peer model volunteers, and clients with autism into small groups to learn from one another. Clients and siblings of all ages are welcome to join. Trained and caring behavior interventionists work diligently to help all siblings, volunteers, and clients with autism feel important and included.
Open ACES strives to create an environment where everyone is learning and gaining self-confidence along the way. Activities are designed to highlight cooperation among the group, target individualized goals, and most importantly be fun and child-like. According to one study, typical peers who participate as a peer model in a social program were more likely to be connected with children with autism than children who do not participate as a peer model (Locke, Fuller, Kasari, 2014).