Autism-Friendly Camps Guide: How To Pick Neurodivergent-Affirming Camps Your Kid Will Love

This is for parents and caregivers who ache for an Autistic-affirming or ND identity-affirming camp experience for their kids and loved ones, but aren't sure how to tell which camps will live up to the hype, if they're actually affirming or just using the new buzz words.

This guide offers practical tips and guidance on how to screen out problematic camps, how to spot ABA in disguise, what red, yellow, and green flags to look out for (with real examples from the websites of real summer camps), and more.

Save time, frustration, and overwhelm by knowing what to look for, how to quickly and easily rule out red flag programs, and make a decision with confidence that you know what you're doing, and not just guessing and hoping for the best.

THIS IS FOR YOU IF:

• You're against ABA and want autism-identity-affirming experiences.
• You're looking for an inclusive environment and people.
• You aren't sure how to sort the marketing hype from real intentions.
• You want to save dozens of hours crawling through website after website, trying to find any camps you feel comfortable entrusting your precious kiddo to, confused and overwhelmed by all the options that are starting to blur together, with no useful way to choose.

THIS WON'T BE YOUR CUP OF TEA IF:

• You support ABA and other primarily behavioral-led "therapies."

TOPICS INCLUDE:

• The big picture
• What to look for
• Red flags - what to look for
• Red flags - real examples
• Yellow flags - what to look for
• Yellow flags - real examples
• Green flags - what to look for
• Green flags - real examples
• List of US summer camps with green flags
• What else to look for in a camp
• Vetting your top choice camps
• A Narrowing it down worksheet
• Tips for covering camp costs
• Preparing for transition to camp
• Additional resources on Neurodiversity

By the way, this isn't just for summer camps. The principles here apply to any and every kind of activity, after school program, treatment group, therapeutic provider, caretaker for hire, event, group, etc. 

In fact, I use these principles to pick out groups that I want to be a part of, and people I want to work with.

It's really about how to tell if someone or some group is actually accepting or if they just say that they are.

WHAT ELSE WILL THIS DO FOR ME?

This info is going to save you dozens of hours in the research rabbit hole. How would you like to spend that time? On the computer reading website after website, or taking care of your kid?

Plus, this isn't just for summer camps. The principles here apply to every activity, group, and provider that you will ever look for to take care of, or work with, your kid.

It also includes a list of US summer camps with green flags, further saving you time, stress, and overwhelm. (BTW, half of these didn't come up in the first 20 pages of regular Internet searches, but by word of mouth recommendations, so they are harder to find by just Googling.)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Hi! I'm Heather. I’m Autistic and ADHD, disabled, and building a life I love. I coach Autistics, most of whom figured out they were Autistic after childhood, to break through a lifetime of neurotypical expectations to make a life that truly works for their individual ways of being in the world.

I started writing this by helping the mom of an Autistic teen I care about look for summer camps, and realized that it would be useful for her to know how I'm searching, and what I'm looking for, not just whether a particular camp looked good to me or not. I hope to also share these easy-once-you-know-them tips with you.

You can find more about me and my other services at: https://www.autismchrysalis.com/

HOW DO YOU GET THE EBOOK?

After purchasing your digital product, you will get a link to download the PDF. View it on your laptop, tablet or smartphone, or print if desired.

PRODUCT SPECS

File type: PDF

File size: 3.4MB

26 pages

ADA Accessible Formatting