Ghana Mission, Hopeworks
2023
In 2023, our team returned to Accra, Ghana in partnership with HopeWorks Ghana and the International Council on Development and Learning. The purpose of this project was to provide DIR-Floortime training to professionals who support autistic children, offering an alternative approach to traditional therapies such as ABA. Our workshop brought together over 150 professionals, including speech therapists, special education teachers, mental health practitioners, and physicians. The goal was to show that there are multiple ways to support autistic children’s development through connection, understanding, and relationship-based interventions.
During the trip, we also visited homes across the capital area, meeting families from all walks of life. Some families faced extreme poverty, without running water or access to medical care. Others were more privileged, living in large homes with swimming pools. Despite these differences, every family shared a common goal. They wanted to connect with their child, understand them, and learn how to support their growth. In each home, we provided developmental evaluations, set up sensory play areas, and coached parents on strategies to foster meaningful engagement and emotional connection with their children.
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We also continued our advocacy work by visiting churches, helping leaders understand how to create inclusive environments for autistic children and their families, and offering guidance on how to minister to and support these families within their congregations.
Although this trip was shorter than our previous visits, its impact was profound. Following the training, we selected three professionals, two teachers and one speech therapist, to receive ongoing mentorship in DIR-Floortime. We continue to stay in contact and support these professionals to this day as they implement the approach in Ghana, reaching more children and families and expanding the impact of the work.
This journey reminded us once again that regardless of background or resources, every family desires the same thing: connection with their child. Witnessing their dedication and resilience reinforced why our mission, to ensure every autistic child experiences connection, remains at the heart of everything we do.
