The World Health Organization’s Caregiver Skills Training (CST) Programme targets caregivers who look after children with developmental disabilities and delays including autism. The programme aims to provide caregivers with tools to help their children grow by including them in daily activities and implementing techniques that enhance their communication skills development and reduce challenging behaviour. WHO’s CST was originally designed as a group-based intervention with nine group sessions for caregivers and three home visits conducted by trained non-specialist practitioners.

For those who welcome learning online, the World Health Organization (WHO) has made CST a free self-directed training course to empower parents and families, or anyone who comes into contact with children with autism.

“WHO, with support from Autism Speaks and technical assistance from SystemsSeed, has begun the process of converting current WHO’s CST strategies and resources so that caregivers can access them directly online. The prototypes of online learning modules are currently being reviewed by international experts, service providers and users especially caregivers and family advocates. The programme adopts a family-centred approach and is designed to be delivered by non-specialist care providers (nurses, community-based workers or caregivers) as part of a network of health, education and social services for children and their families.

The online course focuses on training the caregiver on how to use every day play and home activities and routines as opportunities for enhanced interaction and participation, development and learning. The sessions specifically address communication, engagement, daily living skills, challenging behaviour and caregiver coping strategies.”- WHO

Separately, there are seven short, helpful videos developed by Autism Speaks based on the WHO CST training programme that can teach you some good tips.

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