STAAR is a new community-developed intervention program made to support autistic children ages 2–5 and their families in managing big emotions.
It will give parents and early intervention providers practical, everyday tools for supporting autistic children in managing big emotions, and will be designed to fit into the early intervention services families already receive.
STAAR focuses on three areas:
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Understanding feelings. Noticing what triggers big feelings, spotting early signs, and finding ways to communicate about emotions.
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What works for this child. Finding calming and coping strategies that fit each child's sensory needs, interests, and communication style.
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Support for parents. Helping parents manage their own stress in hard moments and feel confident supporting their child.
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Built with families, not just for them
We are creating STAAR together with parents of autistic children, early intervention clinicians, and other community partners. Their experiences will shape every part of the program, from which tools are included to how they look and feel in real life.
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Why is this important?
Many parents of young autistic children tell us that meltdowns and intense emotional moments are one of the hardest parts of daily life.
Learning to manage big emotions, called emotion regulation, is a skill that grows over time. Young children learn it mostly through everyday moments with the adults who care for them, but children with autism might need extra support.
Right now, there are no programs made specifically to help autistic children under age 5 build these skills. We want to change that.
We are creating STAAR together with parents of autistic children, early intervention clinicians, and other community partners. Their experiences will shape every part of the program, from which tools are included to how they look and feel in real life.