Spectrum Connections

14/06/2026

Meet the Team

Hi everyone
Our team is growing and we’re thrilled to introduce ourselves to you

From right to left
MJ - GM with a Bachelors of Arts degree majoring in psychology and industrial psychology, certified in Prosci change management facilitation and coaching
Rachel - Ops manager with a degree in ECE and a diploma in disability sector leadership
Chanel - year 4 social work student almost fully qualified
Emma - founder of island of misfits and autism advocate
Dorothy- co founder of Asperger’s connections and incredible support to the team

Together we are committed to to help families in the Bay of Plenty with their neurodivergent journey by providing peer support, advocacy, family events, and care giver respite days.

We also partner with Diverse City, The Different OT and other professionals to bring caregivers affordable education in a non judgemental setting

Our team is able to offer one-on-one online consults to help you on a personal basis

We have recently launched webinars where you can access short 1 hour bite size chunks of education on topics relevant to you and have the opportunity to ask questions

The best part… no clinical service fees, as we are a charity, we only ask for a small koha…

Contact us by emailing [email protected]

We are here to help you connect…

12/06/2026

Register for free Incredible Years parent training through St Peters House. Ideal for parents with children 3 to 8 years old. To register go to www.stpetershouse.co.nz

12/06/2026

Autism is being overwhelmed by too much information. ADHD is searching for more stimulation. Having both can feel like pressing the accelerator and the brake simultaneously

AuDHD adult



An AuDHD person is autistic and also has ADHD. This quote captures the exhausting push-pull that many AuDHD people describe: needing stimulation, novelty, or movement, while also being more vulnerable to overload, fatigue, and shutdown.

Our course explores this overlap in more depth, including what current research says about autism and ADHD together, how this can affect executive functioning, learning, family life, medication decisions, and practical support for autistic and ADHD children, adolescents, and adults.

Course details and registration link are in the comments.

12/06/2026

Assessment of functioning for school-age autistic children

An autism diagnosis does not, on its own, explain how a child manages everyday skills, communication, learning, or daily support needs. Yet this information is often essential when planning supports and applying for services or funding.

An Australian study reviewed 13 functional assessment tools used with school-age autistic children and examined how useful and psychometrically sound they were.

▪️ No single assessment tool captured every important area of functioning.
▪️ The ABAS-3 had the strongest overall psychometric utility across the measures reviewed.
▪️ The Vineland-3 included a higher proportion of items considered especially relevant to autistic children.

The key message is that assessment needs to go beyond diagnosis alone. Clinicians need to choose tools carefully, based on the child’s strengths and support needs, the purpose of the assessment, and the information needed to guide meaningful support.

This is a central focus of Day 1 of our masterclass, Assessment Beyond Diagnosis for Autistic People with Minimal Speech.

Link to the masterclass is in the comments.

Reference
Hayden-Evans, M., Milbourn, B., D’Arcy, E., Chamberlain, A., Afsharnejad, B., Evans, K., et al. (2022). An evaluation of the overall utility of measures of functioning suitable for school-aged children on the autism spectrum: A scoping review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(21), 14114.

04/06/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1KodKA7DM1/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Kids aren’t small grown-ups.

Their bodies are growing, developing, and constantly changing, which means they need care that’s designed just for them.

We sometimes see tamariki who have already tried physio elsewhere, but haven’t quite gotten the results they were hoping for. It’s not that the care wasn’t good, it just wasn’t designed for a developing body.

That’s where paediatric physio comes in. It’s about understanding how kids grow and move, and tailoring treatment in a way that works for their bodies.

✨ The right care makes all the difference.

If something doesn’t feel quite right for your child, trust your gut. Getting the right support early can make a big difference.

04/06/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Kw8kaynNw/

25/05/2026

https://www3.parliament.nz/en/pb/sc/make-a-submission/document/54SCSSC_SCF_E6D8596D-C177-486B-CCF2-08DEB47E5457/disability-support-services-bill?fbclid=IwZnRzaASBj8VleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEeWavsKpK0LWR65Q6oB7ZxlXPhOSVjhPkd35MQRPQNlaB_2x_6cdm9x2nFeIg_aem_uCyZ79N368b66-x_tPhtkg

Public submissions are now being invited on this Bill

24/05/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1W8mucnqC3/?mibextid=wwXIfr