31st IACAPAP Lunch & Learn Webinar

^{Note: This webinar has been scheduled to accommodate the time zone of the Africa's region.}

Families of children with autism and other developmental disabilities living in low-income contexts experience severe challenges, including stigma and discrimination, poverty and a lack of access to formal support and education. In this talk I will share insights from the SPARK project, an international research collaboration aiming to improve support for children with developmental disabilities in Ethiopia and Kenya.  
 
In close collaboration with stakeholders, the SPARK team developed a Community Identification of Developmental Disabilities (CIDD) tool to improve detection of children with developmental disabilities and promote referral for further assessment and support. Families of children identified with the CIDD were subsequently invited to participate in a cluster randomised controlled trial testing the effectiveness of the Caregiver Skills Training programme, a low intensity intervention developed by the World Health Organization. I will share findings from research underpinning the SPARK project and emerging findings from the SPARK project itself. 

Rosa Hoekstra is Professor of Developmental Disabilities at King's College London's Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience. After finishing her PhD at the VU University in Amsterdam, she continued her autism research through a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Cambridge in the UK. Since 2009 she combines her research with teaching in the field of Psychology, first at The Open University (2009-2015) and now at King's College London (2015-present). 

She aims to conduct high quality research that makes a difference to children with autism and other developmental disabilities and their families worldwide, paying particular attention to the world’s most vulnerable and underserved communities. 
 
Together with Prof Amina Abubakar (Aga Khan University, Kenya) she co-leads the large SPARK project, aiming to improve support for children with developmental disabilities and their families in Ethiopia and Kenya. She will be sharing insights form this project in this talk. 

Important Note

1. The IACAPAP webinar will be held at different times to accommodate attendees and members from various regions. The 31st IACAPAP Lunch & Learn Webinar is scheduled to accommodate the Africa time zone. 

2. The webinar is open to the members of IACAPAP (Individual Members and Individuals within IACAPAP Full Member organisations and Affiliate Member organisations).  

3. This webinar will be conducted virtually via Zoom. There is no cost to attend, but registration is required in advance. Seats are limited, and it's based on a first-come, first served. 

4. The E-certificate of participation will be provided to those IACAPAP members who have attended the webinar online and completed the survey at the end of the webinar. The survey will be displayed in the browser ONLY after the webinar has ended.