Well Girls

for girls aged 8-12 with autism, neurodivergence and disabilities.

Being Boys

for boys aged 8-12 with autism, neurodivergence and disabilities.

Puberty Plus Gender Inclusive

for young people aged 8-12 with autism, neurodivergence and disabilities.

Initial Training

The initial training day will cover the following topics:

• History of the puberty plus program and development
• Impact of autism and disability on puberty
• Gender diversity and puberty
• Overview of the puberty plus foundations program, and coverage of extension programs, including next level, social club and move.
• Practical group program delivery skills
• Coverage of practical activities from the course
• Practical administration considerations for puberty plus delivery
• Please note the full training day MUST be attended in full, as this will NOT be recorded and is not available to view at a later date

Embedding Program

The embedding program is a pre-recorded series of six comprehensive webinars focused on a detailed review of the content of each program module. 

• A recap of running group programs
• A deep-dive into each session
• Recommendations on how to run each session
• Includes our hints and tips for delivery of each module 

Online Membership Program (12 months)

The 12 month online membership program will include:

• A video library of program hints and tips,
• Resource and download library of resources and important documents (including data collection sheets, parent handouts, session note templates, etc)

• A member community to obtain support from Bloom Wellbeing staff and other Puberty Plus facilitators (ongoing membership/registration fees detailed below)

Sarah Hausler

• Bloom Wellbeing Director and Principal Occupational Therapist
• Graduated from University of South Australia with a Bachelor of Applied Science in Occupational Therapy, in 1999
• Also holds Graduate Certificate in Soft Tissue Injury Management, and a Graduate Diploma in Journalism
• Original developer of the Well Girls and Puberty Plus programs, and associated resources
• Author of Piper Gets Her Period and Puberty Plus Handbook
• Lecturer in Occupational Therapy at the University of Adelaide
• Administrator of the Women's Health Occupational Therapy Facebook page and monthly interest group

When asked what her favourite session is, this is what Sarah had to say:

"It's pretty hard to choose just one, but if I had to, I'd say my favourite session of the Puberty Plus program is the final farewell session. It's so exciting to see how much growth and development occurs within these young people throughout the term long program. Seeing how the participants engage excitedly and interact with each other socially in this final session, compared to their generally shy and nervous presentation in the first session, is just so affirming that this program has had a positive impact on them. Over the years we've seen so many young people grow in confidence, as well as many new friendships blossom between participants and their families." 

Kate Sargeant

• Bloom Wellbeing Senior Occupational Therapist
• Graduated from University of South Australia in 2019 with a Bachelor of  Occupational Therapy with First Class Research Honours after completing a thesis on 'The effect of the loss or potential loss of an autism assistance animal'. 
• Employed by Bloom Wellbeing and assisting or running Puberty Plus programs since early 2020
• Runs Well Girls Foundations program, Next Level Program, Social Club and intensive programs
• Leading the development of Puberty Plus Facilitator Manual
• Collaborator on Being Boys program development, Puberty Plus online program development, Puberty Plus Handbook redevelopment, and development of Practitioner Training program

When asked what her favourite session is, this is what Kate had to say:

"My favourite session to run is module five of Well Girls - Managing your period. Allowing the participants to open, touch and feel the period products, gives them an opportunity for exploration that they might not get to do anywhere else. Seeing their faces move from fear and trepidation to acceptance and interest in the topic is amazing. Using demonstrations with 'blood' (coloured water) provides a factual yet fun opportunity to understand the difference of each product. I never thought my OT role would see me with an extra pair of underwear around my ankles, demonstrating how to put a pad on! But it's the perfect example of how Occupational Therapists can us practical teaching to help girls learn this essential skill." 

Sam Betts

• Bloom Wellbeing Senior Occupational Therapist
• Graduated from University of South Australia in 2019 with a Bachelor of  Occupational Therapy
• Employed by Bloom Wellbeing and assisting or running Puberty Plus programs since mid 2019
• Runs Well Girls Foundations program and Social Club
• Creating and running additional intensive programs focusing on the importance of both physical and mental wellbeing
• Collaborator on the  Puberty Plus Handbook redevelopment and development of Practitioner Training program

When asked what her favourite session is, this is what Sam had to say:

"My favourite session is learning about ‘All About Hygiene – Keeping It Clean’, which provides the participants with information and tips for how to manage their hygiene, and the importance of this during puberty. The practical activity of making the bath salts is always popular with participants, and provides them with something they can begin to use at home straight away to support their hygiene.
I love the Puberty Plus programs that we offer, and being a part of the Bloom Team that focuses on providing participants with a fun and accepting environment to learn about their bodies and the changes they will experience during puberty."