Looking to the future

Inspirational. Intense. Forward-thinking

Lauren Moore’s world was turned upside down when a paediatrician gave her eighteen-month old son an autism diagnosis and said he would never speak or have meaningful relationships.

The only advice offered was to find good respite services.

Lauren had never heard of autism and had to look it up in the dictionary.

Then she researched how to give Billy the best chance she could.

She discovered ABA (Applied Behaviour Analysis) therapy and started using the method at home with Billy.

Other parents were impressed with his progress and asked Lauren to help their children.

Lauren started the non-profit Abacus Learning Centre ten years ago and has helped more than 200 families.

“We work with students from the age of two to twenty-six years old and also provide practical support to educators to allow our students to succeed in their mainstream educational settings,” she says.

“We work on developing skills that enable our students to participate in their community, develop relationships and pursue preferred activities.”

Billy is now twenty-one and Lauren still feels the stares when he has a meltdown in the supermarket.

“But I also celebrate when he does his volunteer work at the botanical gardens or joins me at the local to watch a band,” Lauren says.

Abacus Learning Centre will use the grant to subsidise fees for clients who do not have access to government funding such as the NDIS.

__For further information on the Westfield Local Heroes program, click here. __