Centre for Autism Rijeka is an autonomous institution founded on the 1st of January 2018 by the City of Rijeka.
Up to that time, it was a part of Centre for Autism Zagreb since 1996. Basic function of institution is education,
rehabilitation, qualification and care of children and adults with autism. Centre is under authority of the Ministry
of Science and Education. Today Centre for Autism Rijeka has thirty-five users. We have twenty-four children
from 7 years and up to 21 year, and eleven adults older than 21 years.
Education and rehabilitation programs are organized in two classes, six educational groups and two groups of
adult users. Programs are held in two shifts, the morning shift has more educational content and the afternoon
shift consist of therapies (speech therapy, art therapy, kinesitherapy, music therapy and psychology). The
education and rehabilitation of our students are conducted with expert knowledge and confirmed methods of
working with persons with the Autism spectrum disorder by a team of 20 highly educated professionals, with
different professional profiles comprised of educational rehabilitators, speech therapists, psychologists, social
educators, kinesiologists, art and music therapists, religious teachers, as well as 4 nurses/medical technicians.
The Centre for autism Rijeka is equipped with contemporary didactic materials and sensory-motoric devices,
has a sensory room, a room for relaxation, as well as a sensory park. In cooperation with the Agency for
Upbringing and Education, the Centre formed a Mobile team of experts to support the educators, expert
associates and parents of students on the autism spectrum who attend regular preschool institutions and
schools. Programs in Centre for Autism Rijeka are aware of the way of transmitting and presenting contents to
students, giving instructions, setting up tasks and of choosing means and forms of work.
SPORT PROGRAMS: Sport programs in our Centre are adapted P.E., kinesitherapy, swimming, walking tours
and horse riding. Program runs kinesitherapist in a team (special education teacher and physiotherapist
(assistant). So far, we evaluate and monitor them through some test on national level but they were not specific
for ASD population and we have to have description of the progress. Every year some of the enthusiastic
volunteers are participating.