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JumpStart Testimonials

What parents have to say about us...

JumpStart testimonials is the place where you find out what other parents who have done it, thought about the JumpStart program. We believe strongly in our approach and the benefits of the JumpStart program, but don't trust us listen to what other parents have to say about us.

A special thank you to those who have let us know what you have gained from the JumpStart program and for letting us share your stories with other parents.

JumpStart Testimonials - 1

Our daughter had just turned 2 when she got diagnosed. We had no idea about how to get started! The first person we got in touch with was Tali. And what a great decision that was!

Our daughter was non-verbal when we started and just within a few weeks Tali managed to get her to speak her first functional words purely by motivating her and while having fun.

It came to a point where our daughter would look forward to Tali's visits and would ask for her on other days.

Her play skills improved and sensory issues got so much better all thanks to Tali's Jumpstart Program.

We do owe Tali a lot and cannot thank her more for getting our daughter to where she is today.

Our daughter now uses some functional sentences and we now use Tali's ideas to motivate and get things done from our daughter and to get her to talk.

For anyone who is starting out on the 'autism' journey, We would highly recommend Tali. Tali is extremely professional, and at the same time very warm and gentle with kids! 

SG & AG East Malvern

JumpStart Testimonials - 2

My son was born with a rare metabolic condition which has caused him severe developmental delay. He had been attending speech therapy for about 12 months when I raised my concerns to his Speech Pathologist about the significant regression in his speech, social skills and behaviour. He was diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder at 3 years of age.

I felt overwhelmed to say the least. Every day it felt like he was getting a little harder to handle. Every day was a battle. I was anxious just taking him to the park or the supermarket.

His meltdowns were frequent and inevitable in public situations. He became frustrated at the simplest things which would cause him to hurt himself or whoever was closest to him by hitting, head banging and biting. I needed more help with him.

He was on a waiting list for an early intervention center but we were told that it could be 6-12 months before he would get a place. His speech pathologist told me about Tali and her JumpStart program and that she had seen wonderful improvements in one of her other clients who had seen her.

It is hard to express just how much Tali has helped us. Looking back I can't believe I coped as long as i did without all the skills that Tali has taught me to manage my son's behaviour. Some of these include...

- Subtle home improvements to prevent predictable tantrums

- New ideas for encouraging play development, speech, and fine and gross motor skills, all of which have improved

- How to integrate sensory input into our daily routine (which have proved to keep my son calmer and more regulated)

- Appropriate and effective behaviour management

- Methods for settling him when he is having a difficult meltdown

- How to write social stories to teach him what is expected of him in different situations

Since we started with Tali my son's speech, behaviour and comprehension have improved. His Speech Pathologist has reported him to be more engaging and focused, and his concentration span is so much better.

Personally I no longer wake up anxious in the morning, but rather confident in my new skills and tools to best help my son through every day's new challenges.

Tali is fun, creative, caring and a delight to be around. I am so grateful for all she has done for us and I couldn't recommend her more highly.

AO Doreen

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JumpStart Testimonials - 3

Our son was diagnosed with Aspergers syndrome 8 months ago at the age of 4 1/2 . As a medical doctor I heavily researched all I could about Aspergers and therapies that could be useful. A friend whose daughter has Aspergers told me about Tali however I initially felt that I didn't need any extra help as I was able to read the books and apply the information myself. However, 5 months after the diagnosis, the wheels fell off at home. My son's behaviour had deteriorated and I didn't know where to turn. My friend kept suggesting Tali. I was concerned that Tali would cover information that I had already learned myself and couldn't imagine what she would add.

I decided to go ahead a call Tali. She suggested we do a JumpStart program. She arrived the following week with boxes of activities for my two sons. She included my other son in everything she did and made the therapy great fun. I was able to learn from just watching her great skills in dealing with both of my children. Tali also spent a large amount of time with me explaining the sensory issues that are a part of autism and how they affect behaviour and how we can help our son cope with them.

Over the course of the program Tali managed to put the puzzle together for me that months of my own reading and research hadn't been able to do. I finally understood why I needed to incorporate sensory activities into our day. Tali gave me wonderful suggestions about how to change our usual routine to benefit my son without any radical changes or ridiculous ideas that are hard to implement. Everything she suggested was practical and easy to do. By having Tali come into our home environment each week, she was able to see how our family worked and how best to work with us. Each week she would review how the strategies had worked during the week and together we would work out how to modify them.

At the end of the program I am thrilled to say that our lives have changed for the better. My son still has Aspergers (and always will), but we now know how to help him with his behaviour. We still have bad days but now I know why and I feel in control and can put into place strategies that will calm him down. I can't recommend the JumpStart program highly enough for anyone with a child with any form of Autism. I only wish I had listened to my friend and called Tali earlier on our journey.

FC Hawthorn

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JumpStart Testimonials - 4

Although I expected the worst, finally having my son diagnosed with autism was devastating. What added to the pain was the great confusion that resulted from trying to find the right treatment for him to move forward.

All of a sudden it was a life of Speech Therapy, Ocuupational Therapy, Psychologists and Paediatricians as well as the continuous concerns about diet, exercise and behavioural issues. We had already met many therapists and while each has attempted to improve our son's prospects, the standout has clearly been Tali Joffe.

No therapist is a miracle worker, but on Tali's 1st visit she had my son doing things he had previously been unable to do. Like sitting patiently on the floor, following instructions for an activity, accepting when the activity was finished and then helping to pack the activity away.

Tali would spend the first hour exclusively with my son and then the second hour speaking with me. She would gradually give explanations as to why he behaved in the way that he did. The second hour also gave me a chance to raise any concerns I had during the week that had passed.

One of the great advantages of having Tali was that all sessions were conducted in our home at a time that suited us. although Tali is nominally an Occupational Therapist, I have found her to be more effective than most Speech therapists we have worked with in helping our son to improve his language skills.

Tali brings great energy to the sessions and is extremely well organised with a diverse range of activities.

The 10 sessions with Tali have concluded but already I look forward to the possibility of further sessions a little down the track. Tali helped my son a lot and at a very difficult time. I am very grateful and give her my highest recommendation.

AM Point Cook

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JumpStart Testimonials - 5

Our son MN was diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder a week before his 2nd birthday. It was a very difficult time for the whole family. MN was struggling with language development, play skills and furthermore had numerous sensory integration issues (Toe walking; mouthing all objects; sensitive to nail and hair cuts, noise and a whole lot more!).

We commenced at an Early Intervention centre around the time of his diagnosis, but I did not feel that the time we were there (in a group once a week for 1.5hours) was adequate enough to really bring about meaningful change in his development. I began to search for what else was out there – and was so delighted to have come across the JumpStart program!

Tali Joffe (OT) was a wonderful contact from day one of my enquiry. She gave me crucial advise on how to best access funding for her program which certainly came in very handy!

Tali’s program is a wonderfully structured play based program, which is also uniquely child centered. MN usually takes time to establish set routines, particularly in developing play skills – but I was pleasantly surprised (if not shocked!) to see that by week 2 of JumpStart he had remembered Tali’s structure and routine and was able to follow it through!

JumpStart taught MN so many skills that he was able to transfer to home and childcare. Following only a few sessions, he was able to make choices (using pictures and then language) on toys and games he wanted to play. Towards the end of the program he was even challenged in waiting for his favourite games. He was able to take turns with Tali and even request activities. To our delight, he even enjoyed packing away toys, using the “pack away song” that Tali taught us.

MN’s relationship with Tali blossomed over the program, and he anxiously waited for her to arrive in the driveway every Thursday, calling out for her “Hi Tali”! It was really beautiful to see. Tali was gentle, fun and caring with MN – and in addition to that had such an amazing selection of toys!

From a parents perspective, Tali had prepared a very organised folder for me, with a week by week of topics to cover. I learned more from Tali in a matter of weeks, than I did in a whole year of attending Early Intervention! I finally understood the lingo, as it was so simply explained to me. All the information Tali provided was indeed relevant, practical and useful.

We are very grateful to Tali and the JumpStart program for giving both MN and myself the skills to move forward with our journey.I would definitely recommend the JumpStart program to parents with children who have an autism diagnosis - there is so much to gain!

PN Forest Hill

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JumpStart Testimonials - 6

Our son was diagnosed with autism in February this year. We were so frustrated at not being able to get any help or strategies due to the long waiting lists. Our son was so frustrated from not being understood and not having his sensory needs met. He would constantly chew on everything and bang his head on the ground when he was frustrated.

Since we have completed the JumpStart program he is so settled, happy and relaxed. He self-regulates throughout the day using the equipment we now have available for him combined with the strategies Tali taught us. He still has his bad days but I am now so much more confident in dealing with them and have a much better understanding of our son.

Thank you Tali, I am so grateful for everything you have shown us and couldn't recommend you highly enough.

KD Point Cook

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JumpStart Testimonials - 7

Our son MB is 3 1/2 years old. He was formally diagnosed with Autistic Disorder 3 months before his 3rd birthday. He had been doing speech therapy since the age of 2 1/2 and was making good progress, but we wanted to take the next step.

When we discovered JumpStart we knew this program was more than OT and we were not disappointed. The holistic approach was indeed a crucial factor for deciding to go ahead with Tali's program.

It did not take long for MB to take a shine to Tali who knew exactly how to approach and deal with his challenging behaviour. MB was able to quickly engage with Tali and therefore improve his behaviour and play skills.

Tali is simply an ENCYCLOPEDIA of knowledge with an endless number of ideas which enabled us to create a suitable environment in our home for MB and to manage his behaviour in a positive manner.

Each 'play session' with the child was followed by a 'parent session' covering a new topic each week along with an opportunity to ask questions. At each session we were provided with information about a particular topic to be used as a reference for times ahead.

Tali observed many aspects of MB's behaviour and play and was able to identify his sensory needs. this allowed us to understand MB better as a person and take the appropriate steps when faced with challenging behaviour.

We have no qualms in recommending Tali and her program to anyone with a child on the autism spectrum. Everything from her manner, ability to relate to our child and educate parents is first class, hence the reason we have already undertaken 2 programs and are contemplating a third for 2011.

JB Bundoora

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JumpStart Testimonials - 8

Our son has not officially been diagnosed with autism but after consulting his pediatrician we decided to be pro-active in addressing his developmental delay. The pediatrician gave us a JumpStart pamphlet and after reading over it we felt that the program was well suited to our son’s needs.

We contacted Tali as soon as we arrived home to make an appointment. She was great right from the start. Our son responded very positively to her and thoroughly enjoyed each session. During the ten week JumpStart therapy program he made immense improvements.

I am extremely glad that we didn’t wait, and that our son was fortunate to get a head start in all our areas of concern. Not only did Tali understand the needs of our son but with detailed explanations and helpful strategies assisted us in understanding what was best for him.

We cannot thank JumpStart enough for giving us the resources that we needed to develop a better understanding of our son’s needs and would not hesitate to recommend JumpStart to any parent concerned about their child’s developmental progress. We also want to thank Tali for being so kind, easy going, approachable and professional.

AC Lysterfield

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JumpStart Testimonials - 9

I would like to share the benefits my 3 year old son with ASD received from the JumpStart program. The program taught us how to use fun ways to regulate his sensory input, resulting in much better sleep.

It helped us understand that his "bad behaviour" was actually a sensory issue and how to manage that in a positive way by using activities and toys that he liked.

The program helped him further develop his play skills and motor skills which will be invaluable for kindergarten next year. It gave us the tools to start toilet training.

JumpStart gave us practical advice and easy to follow notes that we can use as a future reference. I learned how to create a visual schedule for my son that helps him feel less anxious about his day and I can now write social stories that will continue to help him learn.

Tali Joffe created a program that was tailored to my son's requirements and he looked forward to participating each week. We would highly recommend this program to families with a young child with ASD.

JF Coburg

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JumpStart Testimonials - 10

My daughter was diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome when she was 3 years old. She was in speech therapy at the time and was making good progress with that but I was unsure what to do about her behavioural issues (such as tantrums if routines changed).

I was told about Tali and the JumpStart program, and not wanting to wait any longer than necessary to begin an intervention program, I began the 10 week program. Tali arrived at our home with two big boxes of toys so she was an immediate hit with my daughter. Her rapport with my daughter was great and I enjoyed watching the fun she had with Tali.

I learned so much from Tali and that knowledge changed our lives. Tali helped me understand my daughter so that I was able to give her what she needed. I found Tali to be very reassuring and a great support for me. From the base we got from Tali’s program my daughter has gone from strength to strength. I would highly recommend the JumpStart program.

JJ Hawthorn

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JumpStart Testimonials - 11

My daughter, IM was diagnosed on the Autism Spectrum in early 2007. I started to read all I could to try to understand the disorder and to find out how I could help her. I became immersed in a maze of different therapies with discordant philosophies and varied methods and soon became confused by the sheer number and despondent about the lack of certainty as to what the best treatments were. All that was certain was that early intervention was of vital importance.

I was on the waiting list for early intervention but would not be able to access this till 2008. I knew I would have to organize something myself in the meantime but didn’t know what. I spoke to someone at Autism Victoria about my dilemma and was referred to a couple of private therapists who Autism Victoria had experience with and highly recommended. One of these was JumpStart. When I read the information about JumpStart’s program I immediately knew I had found what I needed. Cost however was a stumbling block but I applied for a Flexible support package through the DHS and it was accepted.

The program has surpassed my expectations and I feel immensely grateful that IM and I have been given such a fantastic head start, such a strong base to build on. I now feel confident and excited about playing and communicating with my daughter whereas before I didn’t know where to start. Being able to simply observe Tali playing with my daughter over these 10 weeks has taught me so much about the best way to encourage, communicate with and motivate my daughter.

Over these past months IM has improved so quickly in terms of responsiveness, alertness, communication and reduced frustration and JumpStart is the primary factor in this improvement. She is even starting to verbalize more and attempts more words than she did before and her ability to relate to others has vastly improved. She now understands important concepts such as finish, wait, turn-taking and first we do this- then we can do that.

The structure of the program was perfect – the one-to-one time with IM was followed by a chance to talk about problems or air concerns. This was incredibly reassuring and productive. Tali always followed my lead and it just felt so dammed good to have the luxury of talking so honestly and comfortably with someone who had such an incredible grasp of all the complexities and myriad of issues involved in Autism Spectrum disorder.

Participating in the program over these 10 weeks has enabled me to set up so many different strategies to address IM’s needs. Starting off with the excellent visual aids that Tali supplied I have been encouraged to put a visual communication system (including a schedule of her day) in place which has given IM so much more control over her life. I have a much better grasp of IM’s sensory input issues and have been able to use various different means of ensuring that IM‘s frustration levels are greatly reduced. Through Tali and JumpStart I have gained a clear understanding of the reason for so much of IM’s behaviour and so no longer feel as frustrated or bewildered by why she suddenly reacts so strongly.

Look I could go on and on about how much I have gained from JumpStart. I really feel terribly privileged to have been able to access it. Tali Joffe is very professional – the information folder is a beautifully presented and very concise and valuable resource to refer back to. Yet at the same time, she is such an easy person to talk to. Her sense of humour and innate common sense; enthusiasm and a positive attitude; her uncanny ability to focus on the most useful strategies helped me through some very difficult moments in my life with IM. And given me hope for her future achievements.

As I write this the JumpStart program is coming to an end. I am sad about this because it was such a wonderful experience but I do not feel I need Tali anymore. In a relatively short time, JumpStart has given me a very thorough knowledge base, a treasure trove of skills (I can refer back to the manual) and a confidence and understanding of my child I had previously not thought possible. I really cannot recommend JumpStart highly enough.

LM Frankston

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