Families with children with autism are in a very vulnerable situation. Each child is in need of a specialised approach and parents are indispensably in need of help because they have a daily struggle to deal with. Our awareness and sensitivity on this subject has driven us in continuous relevant actions.

KEPAKY initiated the programme on autism with the organisation of two seminars: First with Dr. Cem Kinachi, for the Method of the Hyperbaric Chamber on July 2009 and then with the organisation of aSeminar on Sensory Integration with Mrs. Anna Sampsonidou and Mrs. Despoina Kaimi, on the 15th and 16th of May, 2010.

In addition to these, KEPAKY Foundation proceeded with the development and the equipment of the «Model Centre for Occupation, Care and Treatment» in Limassol, which offers, among others, specifically designed equipment of sensory integration methods for benefiting people with autism, people with cerebral palsy and premature infants. Since October 2010, the management of the Center has been bestowed on the Cyprus Association for Individuals with Autism by Kepaky, albeit the support towards the Centre and the families of children with autism continues.

The Center has two specially equipped rooms. The first room, the Sensory Integration Room, works as a playing and activities’ room, through which the occupational therapist can evaluate the child, their symptoms, reactions and the way they collect information, while also being able to improve the processing of their emotions.

The second room, the Multi-Sensory Room, is also managing sensory techniques, but it also works as an anxiety regulation room. A multisensory environment is designed to stimulate the primitive senses of touch, taste, sight, hearing and smell, without the need for mental activity.

The other rooms of the Center house the offices and the rooms of the other specialists (one for Speech Therapy and/or Special Education and one for Music Therapy), all equipped with the necessary tools for the sessions.

Click here to see the brochure of the Centre.

Through the prementioned actions, we realised that there is a huge information gap in Cyprus in terms of policies, therapies and rights of people with autism. Thus, in 2011 KEPAKY decided to take the initiative and develop an Information Guide for People with Autism. The Guide contains general information regarding the Autism Spectrum Disorder and useful information on treatments, services, legislation, European Union documents, benefits and subsidies, the rights of these individuals and description of the required procedures to claim their benefits. The Guide is being regularly updated (2013, 2018) and access to the guide is open to everyone through our website. Furthermore, the Guide has been translated in English and in Russian (2013).

Last, but not least, within KEPAKY’s actions on autism, the Foundation is regularly organising a programme of group psychological support for parents of people with autism at the premises of the Cyprus Association for Individuals with Autism in Limassol and Nicosia. For further information on the psychological support programme, you can contact KEPAKY offices or the Cyprus Association for Individuals with Autism.