Mohammed

Meet Mohammed, a new member of Centre 404, who has transitioned smoothly from day care to overnight stays. Mohammed has Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and is a kind, gentle, and caring individual. However, he often lacks confidence and finds it challenging to be independent away from his family. One major concern was his separation anxiety when staying in a new place without his parents’ day-to-day support. 

To help him overcome this, Mohammed’s support worker created a story about Centre 404, and he and his parents were invited to visit regularly. He also attended after-school clubs and weekend day care until he felt ready for overnight stays.

In April 2023, Mohammed had his first full week of overnight stays. During this time, he enjoyed wall climbing, trips to the local park, cinema outings, and indoor activities. He settled in well and showed no signs of distress or homesickness. The staff continues to support him in building his self-confidence, expressing himself, and making choices.

One notable progress is Mohammed’s ability to confidently say ‘yes’ and ‘no’, helping him protect his safety, dignity, and respect. For instance, we supported him in comfortably saying ‘no’ when he didn’t want to give someone a high-five.

According to his parents’ feedback, Mohammed had a wonderful first overnight experience and was thrilled to share his activities with them. His dad is eager for him to stay over more often, something they had never done before, and he shared this happy news with the social worker. Dad also praised the staff member who dropped off and picked up Mohammed, describing them as patient and supportive. Mohammed’s journey exemplifies the positive impact of our support and nurturing environment. He is developing valuable social and communication skills while gaining independence. We are excited to see his continued progress and look forward to supporting him every step of the way.