Art-ism: Inclusion Through Theatre is an innovative programme designed to support children with autism and their families through creative arts, theatre-based activities, and parent support interventions. The programme combines child-centered development activities with caregiver education and empowerment, creating a holistic approach to inclusion, emotional wellbeing, and family resilience. The 2026 evaluation demonstrates meaningful improvements in children's emotional regulation, social communication, and parental confidence, while highlighting opportunities to strengthen volunteer training and programme delivery.
The programme engaged children, volunteers, and matched parents/caregivers in a structured series of activities and support sessions. Findings show that children experienced the greatest growth in emotional regulation (86%) and social communication (71%), with volunteers reporting increased peer interaction, stronger self-regulation skills, and greater confidence among participants over time. Sensory-based activities such as hand painting, sand play, building blocks, bubbles, and colouring proved particularly effective in promoting engagement.
Parents also demonstrated measurable improvements. Average knowledge scores increased from 81.5% to 87.0%, while confidence in identifying emotional triggers rose significantly. The programme's most notable outcome was a dramatic increase in parents' belief that Caribbean cultural values, family, faith, and community are sources of strength, increasing from 2.2 to 4.6 on a 5-point scale.
Overall, the evaluation confirms that Art-ism successfully promotes inclusion, social development, family empowerment, and emotional wellbeing. The findings suggest that enhanced autism-specific volunteer training could further strengthen programme outcomes and expand its long-term impact.
Key Data Points
Child Development Outcomes
- 86% showed improved emotional regulation.
- 71% demonstrated growth in social communication.
- 71% showed increased unprompted peer interaction.
- Sensory environment rating averaged 3.11/5.
Parent Outcomes
- Knowledge scores increased from 81.5% to 87.0%.
- Confidence identifying emotional triggers increased from 1.83 to 2.5 on a 3-point scale.
- Family strength through cultural values increased from 2.2 to 4.6 on a 5-point scale.
Volunteer Findings
- 100% of volunteers showed interest in additional autism-specific training.