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PACT Therapy

PACT Therapy is a partnership between professionals and you as the parent/carer and is a scientifically evidenced early intervention for Neurodiversity and Autism with proven improved child communication and social engagement sustained long-term into middle childhood.

PACT draws on your individual positive attributes and builds on your connection with your child. This leads to a better understanding of your child and enhances your ability to accommodate and adapt to their individual differences. In the PACT Therapy process, your child will learn to initiate communication on many more occasions, which has a positive effect on their overall ability to interact, meet their needs, and self-advocate.

The PACT therapist uses specific video feedback techniques to help you as parents/carers recognise, respond to, and enhance your child’s communication.

Why PACT Therapy?

PACT is currently the only robustly evidenced intervention that enhances sustained social communication skills in autistic children. Large clinical trials have demonstrated enhanced social communication skills and a reduction in distress-related difficulties, that were sustained into middle childhood, six years after the end of intervention.

PACT is suitable for children showing early signs of autism or children with a diagnosis of autism up to 11 years of age.

Where is PACT delivered?

PACT is delivered online. PACT sessions will last around 1 hour, and you will see your PACT therapist for 12 sessions. The short video recording/s are made by you and sent to the therapist in advance.

What is the time commitment?

You will be asked to practise the PACT strategies for 30 minutes every day between the sessions, during play or interaction in daily activities with your child. After the PACT intervention you may be offered further optional maintenance PACT sessions to continue generalising the communication techniques in daily routines, and can continue with support and care from health, education, and other services.

How is PACT therapy delivered?

Before starting PACT, the therapist will offer an initial meeting to discuss your child’s development and current strengths and needs. They will also ask about your experience as a family. You will meet your therapist online for each session.

Within each PACT therapy session, a short video (around 10 minutes) is reviewed of you and your child interacting or playing together. Your child does not attend the sessions. The short video recording/s are made by you and sent to the therapist in advance.

You and the therapist select video clips and discuss the best individual communication strategies for your child. The therapist will support you to identify positive moments and together discover what is likely to work best for your child.

The video below gives you an insight into some of the PACT strategies we may cover in your sessions.

Start your journey

To discover more about our Therapy Services and to find out how we can help you today, get in touch with The Owl Centre.