Guidance counsellor Yücel Şahbaz has turned his experience raising an autistic child into a volunteer programme using a 48-question assessment and individual education plans to support families in İznik.
Yücel Şahbaz, a guidance counsellor in İznik, Bursa, has turned his personal experience of raising a child with autism into volunteer support for other families facing similar challenges. According to the report from Son Dakika and local coverage in Bursa, the 43-year-old began looking more closely at autism after noticing developmental differences in one of his three-year-old triplets, and he has since combined family observation with academic research to guide his work.
Şahbaz, who has spent about 20 years in guidance counselling, said he first identified signs of autism spectrum disorder when his daughter was 2.5 years old while he was working in Kırşehir. He later moved with his family to İznik and began sharing what he had learned with parents there. At the İznik Guidance and Research Centre, he developed a 48-question assessment designed to identify the areas in which a child may need support. On the basis of those results, he draws up individual education plans and follows the progress of 40 families, referring children to a psychiatrist when further evaluation is needed.
In comments to Anadolu Agency, Şahbaz said he based the form on both his own observations and scientific articles. He also stressed that families discuss their concerns in detail before he uses the assessment, and that children who have already received a diagnosis are helped by identifying the specific areas in which they need support. His approach reflects a wider shift in autism support towards early identification, tailored intervention and closer co-operation between families and specialists.
Şahbaz said his own daughter had difficulties with following instructions, making eye contact, speaking and responding to her name when she was younger. He described taking her to parks, lakeside areas and wooded spaces, and said he believed exposure to different settings helped her development. He has been careful, however, not to present this as a universal solution, stressing that each child follows a different path and that parents’ experiences are also folded into the work.
Families involved in the project say they have seen practical benefits. Gülcan Demir, whose 17-year-old son takes part, said he has made progress in education and social life, now attends school, works during the summer and is interested in music. Ayşe Yıldırım said she and her family have tried different approaches and found it helpful to exchange experiences after contacting Şahbaz. Özgür Keskin said time outdoors and in varied surroundings remains an important part of his five-year-old child’s routine.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
