Thomas Ryan's 10th birthday is just around the corner, and his mother Claire is growing worried.
"The guest list keeps growing," she said with a laugh.
But really, it is anything but a concern.
In fact, it is more than Claire could ever have imagined.
For most of his life, her son has struggled to regulate his emotions and connect with other children.
But a statewide transition program operated out of the regional town of Mansfield, in the foothills of the Victorian Alps, has changed everything.
In just two years, Thomas has integrated full-time into a mainstream primary school, and he is surrounded by a growing group of friends.
Reflecting on the past, and comparing it to the present, still brings Claire to tears.
"They're happy tears," she said.
'He would come home really angry'
Claire and Thomas moved their family from Geelong to Mansfield, at the foothills of the Victorian Alps, in October 2020.
Before that, Thomas had struggled in school — socially, academically and mentally.
"He would come home really angry," Claire said.
It was a daily battle that impacted the entire family.
But on moving to Mansfield they were instantly connected into a transition program run by Mansfield Autism Statewide Services.
The program collaborates with families — and increasingly with schools — to help children integrate and thrive in mainstream school environments.
Small classes of six students allow teachers to give focused attention to each child, imparting strategies to handle the academic and social demands of a mainstream classroom.
Gradual transition to mainstream
Once a child is ready, the final stage of the transition begins.
But this does not happen overnight.
For Thomas, it started with a video call to his future classmates.
"That way he could see visually who they would be and get an idea of what he'd be stepping into," Mansfield Autism transition lead teacher Jack Finegan said.
From there they visited the school for a tour before returning several times to play in the playground.
Soon, Thomas was ready to be at the school by himself — initially a few days a week before he eventually settled in full time.
Mr Finegan said it was always a bittersweet moment when the transition was complete.
Overwhelming demand for service
Mansfield Autism was established 50 years ago by local Dr Joan Curtis in response to the lack of services provided for children with autism.
Today the statewide service runs family camps, day school, therapeutic term school, respite and crisis care, as well as residential care, in-home teaching, outreach, and school holiday activities.
Chief executive Simone Reeves said early intervention is crucial, but skyrocketing demand across the state meant they were "bursting at the seams" with lengthy waitlists for all programs.
But a $40 million expansion of the organisation aims to address this.
Mansfield Autism is developing a 40-hectare therapeutic care farm which will feature family cabins, student residences, and a new school campus.
'He's able to be a happy kid'
Ms Reeves said thousands of children had come through the service to date, but she emphasised families did not need to move to Mansfield to be supported.
"But children can come here if they need more intensive intervention, for a nine-week therapeutic placement."
For countless parents like Claire, the journey through Mansfield Autism has shown the power and importance of early intervention.
"Thomas is able to learn, he's able to concentrate," she said.
"He's making friends. He can sit down and have a conversation with another kid and he's not struggling with it.
