Who We Are

Tenth revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) (1992, p. 20) defines autism as “a disorder of psychological development, characterized by a qualitative decline of mutual social interactions, methods of communication, as well as a limited, and repetitive number of activities.”

Autism is a pervasive developmental disorder (when using the word “autism” we are actually referring to only subtype of the disorder from the autistic spectrum, which signifies that the entire personality is affected). The term pervasive signifies that it is this aspect of their personality in particular that sets this disorder apart from other disorders which affect all facets of personality. The effect of autism is mainly qualitative as opposed to quantitative, which characterizes learning disability (formerly known as mental retardation). That explains the difficulty associated with defining autism as a form of learning disability. The provision of care for people with autism requires different specificities as opposed to people with a learning disability or other disorders.

A summary of the specificities when caring for someone with autism:

  • From a lifelong perspective autistic people require continuous specialized educational approaches.
  • Educational methods based on group-work are ineffective when working with people with autism.
  • The mental-health decline in adolescence and puberty can present as severe conduct disorders (caused by communication deficits).
  • Continuing challenges to the integration of people with autism into mainstream society results in the need acquire practical social skills by training individual situations (caused by social deficits).
  • Psychopharmalogical treatment as well as specialized diets are repeatedly applied, but usually with only partial success in a few individuals.
  • Speech disorders are often left undiagnosed due to a lack of specific diagnostic instruments as well as other comorbidities related to conduct disorders, which leads to a decline in life satisfaction for autistic individuals.

    • Only some children with autism are able to live independently following intensive therapy. The success rates are directly associated with the severity of autism as well as other comorbidities as well as the intensity and early timing of therapy. Nonetheless, the prognosis remains uncertain in terms of the need for lifelong specialized care.

    Even though the care for people with autism was established in Slovakia in 1995, there is little inter-regional cooperation happening, in most regains there is a complete absence of experts in this field.

    In terms of Bratislava region there are a number of centres, which provide expert care for people with autism and their families. Sadly, they are all located within one region. Only the Autistic centre Andreas®, n.o. strives to establish inter-regional cooperation among all organizations that are concerned with autism in Slovakia.

    Aims

    The main aim of our centre is to:

  • Ensure the provision of lifelong accommodation as well as lifelong access to care and services.
  • The creation of an institutional model that will be adequate for the needs of the autistic population and which will uphold dignity and personal development.
  • The currently non-existent integration of governmental inter-departmental cooperation namely in the fields of healthcare- diagnosis, early intervention; education- pre-school development, mandatory school attendance, extracurricular activities, social counselling and the prevention of causes of disability.
  • The establishment of sheltered workspaces and sheltered housing for people with autism.
  • The introduction of the Autism charter of human rights, published by Autism Europe in 1992, into real life.

    • The purpose and motivation behind providing social care:

  • The demand for these services – which is a direct reflection of the need of families with autistic children.
  • Existing counselling and expert potential for the specialized field of autism that resides in Andreas®, n.o.
  • The demand to solve challenging and complex situations in individual families in a way that is comprehensive and enduring.
  • The provision of support for clients the integration of whom is challenging due to their highly specific needs.
  • The establishment of a model institution can set the trend for the creation of optimal guidelines in the care for clients living with a disability.

    • Purpose

    The Autistic centre Andreas®, n.o. is a non-governmental organization which has activities in entire Slovakia. It was established in 2001 for the purpose of providing generally-beneficial services in the area of social aid and humanitarian care exclusively for populations that have the autistic syndrome.
    The centre offers its services by conducting social prevention, provision of social counselling, educational activities at a specialized primary school and nursery and the organization of continuous development for experts. (Andreas ®, n.o. received an accreditation from the Ministry of Education SR for education in the sense of legislation no. 386/1997 § 3 letter c) interest education: General education in the topic of autism and Specific education in the topic of autism.) Last, but not least, Andreas®, n.o. is the regional centre for autism for the Bratislava region.
    The type of generally beneficial services:

    1. In the sense of § 2 of par. 2 law e. 213/1997 collection of law in the meaning of latter directives about the provision of social help. The non-profit organization provides generally beneficial services in the area of social aid and humanitarian care for the population that has the autistic syndrome according to the law of the National Assembly of the Slovak Republic e. 195/ 1988 collection of law concerning social aid in the meaning of latter directives. The non-profit organization provides generally beneficial services by carrying out social prevention programmes, as well as social counselling, the provision of care in the rehabilitation centre and supplementary education that includes physical education.

    2. In terms of its activities, the organization mainly offers the following generally beneficial services to its clients:

  • Conducting social prevention programmes for socially disadvantaged citizens that have families with an autistic member, in order to prevent the development of disorders associated with psychology and social relations in all members of the family: by seeking, readjustment, rehabilitation and resocialization and organization of educationally-recreational camps (in accordance with law e. 195/1998 collection of law).
  • Provision of social counselling and continuous social prevention directly in families, alternatively in the places of social integration of a citizen with autism and their family.
  • Necessary care related to activities of daily living; such as eating, accommodation, and care in a resocialization centre.
  • Supplementary education over and above the extent provided by classrooms with autistic children.
  • Supplementary education by additional means, methods, and tools specifically tailored to the needs of the individual.
  • The organization of special physical education classes whilst maintaining the rules of visualization, structuring, and the individual approach alongside special compensatory aids.
  • Professional consultations and education of experts in the field of autism.