Free Resources

The PoDDSS team in Townsville has accumulated a wealth of resources over the years. Here you can find free resources covering social stories, positive reinforcements and daily living skills. Also find links to our events page, PoDDSS News and more!

Explore our resources today and discover practical tools to support everyday life.

Social stories are a social learning tool that support the safe and meaningful exchange of information between parents, professionals, and people with autism or other disabilities, regardless of age. The individuals who develop social stories are known as authors, and they work on behalf of a child, adolescent, or adult with autism — the audience.



Authors follow a defined process that begins with gathering information, identifying a topic that suits the audience, and developing personalised text and illustrations. While most commonly associated with short, simple stories, there are also social articles designed for older or more advanced individuals.

Positive behaviour support often includes positive reinforcement schedules. These are used to encourage the absence of behaviours of concern and are usually paired with learning a new skill, reducing the need to display the challenging behaviour. There are several forms these schedules can take, and it's best to discuss the most suitable option with your behaviour specialist.

There are three key rules when using reinforcement schedules:

1. The reward must be something the person really wants (motivation).
2. You must be consistent in delivering reinforcement tokens (trust).
3. Never remove tokens from a chart — this goes against the principles of positive reinforcement.
   

We know that many people are best supported by visual resources because, as Temple Grandin puts it, “they think in pictures.”



Our goal is always to build independence and improve quality of life by fostering self-worth, self-respect and self-confidence. Joyce-Lyn has a passion for working with people with complex needs, knowing she can make a positive difference and help improve the lives of people with disabilities.