On the first of may 1974, we started in Oosterbeek a small residential home for older autistic boys and girls (14-21 years old). In this home we try to give children a more specific treatment for four or five years. The treatment can be devided in two parts: the treatment in our home and the treatment by others, outside our institute. In our home the treatment takes place in the living unit and is carried out by the four groupleaders, who are responsible for that special unit. This we think is the best way to integrate treatment, training, education, therapy, teaching and so on. To attain all this, much time has to be given to the coaching of the groupleaders, by the psychologist, psychiatrist, agogue, orthopedagogue and all others who are as experts directly connected to our home.
For us, treatment means: giving structure, because we think that autism is fundamentally an integration disorder. Therefore we see the therapeutical climate as a condensed trainingsituation, where optimal possibilities are offered, helping the child to develop in a more adequate way. For each pupil a complete plan of treatment is made. This is discussed with and then given to the parents as a plan of action. This plan is evaluated with the parents once every 6 weeks in the home situation. The government has recognised our residential home as a psychiatric tentre.