Home>About Sibylle

Sibylle Janert, MA

A Psychologist and Autism Specialist, with extensive practical, academic & research experience of working ‘on her hands and knees’ with children on the autistic spectrum, using a child-centered approach with a focus on communication based on a wide range of methods and ideas. She works at the Bethany Project, East London, as a Child Development Mentor with parents of an autistic child at the family’s home as well as offering training and consultations at the child’s school.

She is a licensed early autism intervention 'NAS EarlyBird' Trainer and is the author of a practical parent-book ‘Reaching the Young Autistic Child’ (FAB, 2000).

Sibylle understands autism not as a ‘thing’ or defect a child ‘has’, but as an early developmental disorder with much potential for change (regardless of etiology), the earlier the better: ‘the brain doesn’t wait’.

Her psycho-educational approach has similarities with Greenspan’s ‘Floortime’, and focuses on helping parents, as the most important people in every child’s life, to encourage communication and the relationship- building with their child, to understand what the puzzling autistic behaviours are about, and how to support the child to make the most of his/her developmental potential.

Sibylle has over 15 years of hands-on experience with children with autistic behaviours and their parents/carers, with schools and other organisations.

She provides regular consultations and training sessions and has given talks and advice in England, Scotland, Germany, Swaziland/Africa, Calcutta/India, Dhaka/Bangladesh.

Sibylle's work with babies and 'treasurebaskets' can be seen at www.treasurebasket.org.uk