LEVCHYK SPECTRUM HUB: A centre to support children with autism spectrum disorders opened in Mykolaiv

On 10 November, the LEVCHYK SPECTRUM HUB, a free support centre for families raising children with autism spectrum disorders, was officially opened in Mykolaiv.

A correspondent of NikVesti visited the centre.

What is LEVCHYK SPECTRUM HUB?

According to Olha Hliuza, Head of Projects and Programmes of the «Help for Children» area of the Future for Ukraine (FFU) Foundation, the LEVCHYK SPECTRUM HUB is still at the initial stage. It has already worked for two weeks. The Hub's specialists used this time to get to know the families, build trust and a comfortable atmosphere with the children, identify their needs and develop individual programmes for the development of important life skills.

The main programme will last for six months: after the first three months, the teachers will monitor the dynamics of changes and adapt the approach according to the needs and preferences of the child. Parents can join the classes to integrate into the learning process.

In total, the Centre has 4 rooms where psychologists provide ABA therapy services. ABA-therapy is one of the methods of behavioural correction for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) who have severe speech and psychomotor development delays. This method is based on the principles of changing a child's behaviour when a specialist uses positive encouragement instead of coercion and pressure. This approach helps teach children to respond appropriately to external stimuli. The Hub is also equipped with a sensory integration rehabilitation room and a separate speech therapy room. All classes, including the help of specialists in the space, are completely free of charge.

The LEVCHYK SPECTRUM HUB provides services to children aged 2 to 12, although the most common age group so far has been 3 to 10 years old. The selection of families is currently underway: 36 of the planned 50 children are already attending the centre.

You can enrol in the Centre either by phone or in person by submitting an application. To become a beneficiary, you must provide a doctor's certificate confirming that your child has autism and fill out the necessary documents giving your parents' consent to attend classes. A certificate of internally displaced person status is not required.

According to Olha Hliuza, the Hub has developed basic algorithms for various emergencies, taking into account the current challenges of war. It has a shelter not far from the hub and is equipped with Eco Flow in case of power outages.

Svitlana Tkachenko, a mother of a child who is already using the centre's services, shared her positive impressions:

«My child attends this centre for three hours, because it is difficult for him at the kindergarten. He likes everything. I recommend it, because, for example, in kindergarten, there are no specialists who know how to deal with such children, how to keep them busy. And here, the specialists know everything, they have been specially trained. I am very glad that such an institution exists. Moreover, everything is free of charge,» she said.

At the same time, the woman noted that the state is only beginning to develop a systematic approach to working with children on the autism spectrum. Therefore, such centres need to be developed, as the number of children with such needs is growing.

Why Mykolaiv and what are your future development plans?

LEVCHYK SPECTRUM HUB in Mykolaiv is the second such centre in Ukraine. The first Hub was opened in Lviv back in 2023 with the support of the Future for Ukraine Foundation to support IDP families with children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders and provide free remedial classes.

Now the same centre has been opened in Mykolaiv, thanks to the joint efforts of FFU, the Mykolaiv City Council and the partner support of Nova Ukraine.

Deputy Mayor Anatolii Petrov said that the opening of the centre in our city was made possible thanks to a unique agreement between the community and the foundation:

«This project was very unique, because not a single community took the steps we did. We signed a memorandum with the Future for Ukraine Foundation and promised that we would provide premises, make repairs, pay for utilities, set up a rehabilitation centre for children with disabilities, and the foundation would pay salaries for its employees,» he said.

The opening was also attended by Oksana Yelchiieva, Director of the Social Protection Department of the Mykolaiv Regional State Administration, who stressed the importance of creating such institutions in the region.

«Such centres must work. The services provided to children here are unique — there are no such services in Mykolaiv, even in the city centre. This hub is the first and only one. I hope that this will be a network of such centres in the city and in the region, because there are enough children who need such support today,» Oksana Yelchiieva emphasised.

Anna Kovaliova, Director General of the Future for Ukraine Foundation, added that the centre is also developing a support programme for parents and will continue to train specialists, improve their skills and further expand the centre's activities.

As reported earlier, NikVesti wrote that the Mykolaiv Regional Council would appeal to the Cabinet of Ministers to return children from the Mykolaiv Centre for Social and Psychological Rehabilitation to their home in Mykolaiv. Currently, the children are temporarily living in the Antonivka Art Lyceum, where they were evacuated at the beginning of the full-scale invasion.