A family’s journey to find evidencebased early intervention for their son An empowering move:

There is nothing a caring parent wouldn’t do for their child – even if that means relocating your family. This is the choice Adam and Toni Empringham made for their son Caelen to ensure he was able to access life-changing autism early intervention.

With no available spots at their nearest Brisbane AEIOU Foundation centre in 2017, the Empringham family moved to the Sunshine Coast. Caelan attended AEIOU Foundation’s Sippy Downs centre from age three and graduated with skills to navigate the next stage of his learning journey.

Looking back at the days when Caelen attended AEIOU, Toni Empringham reflected on the impact of AEIOU’s leading autismspecific support on her son.

A martial arts education offers children much more than just the basics. It provides a comprehensive approach to physical fitness, self-defence skills, and life skills development. With the Karate Academy of Power, children can find a community that supports their growth and empowers them for life.

Meet Sensei Luke at Stand 51 personally to discuss their programs. And don’t miss their ‘Come & Try’ session at 12.30 pm on the Demonstration Court!

“At first, we started noticing the little things that marked the early start of Caelan gaining his independence skills, which was thrilling for us,” Toni said.

“But without a doubt, the biggest achievement for us was hearing Caelan’s voice. It was so hard to think you may never hear the words ‘mummy’ or ‘daddy’, when all your friends hear them every day. Humorously, Caelan’s first word was ‘ice cream’, because of course, he had his priorities in order!

“Learning how to express himself has given Caelan such confidence. He is no longer scared of everyone he meets, not worried to play around other children, less frustrated and so eager to learn now that he has been shown how.”

AEIOU’s program integrates specialist therapy, education and care to help children like Caelan build confidence and independence to express their unique selves, connect with others, and prepare for the next step of the education ladder.