Presenting Author: Liliana Mayo, Ph.D.
At ABAI's 20th Annual Autism Conference in January 2026, Dr. Liliana Mayo presented The Power of Two: How Families and Professionals in Peru Are Transforming the Future of Children With Autism. What if the key to unlocking a child’s potential wasn’t held by a single expert, but by the powerful alliance of two? At the Centro Ann Sullivan del Perú (CASP), we call this transformative partnership “The Power of Two”—a model where families and professionals are trained to work together as equal partners in a child’s education. With 46 years of experience, CASP has developed a family-centered approach that delivers lasting results. Each family receives between 64 and 102 hours of training annually, including large-group sessions, small-group practices, and in-home guidance. They are supported with a personalized, Parent Individual Educational Plan (IEP), helping them reinforce skills at home, school, and in the community. With a 93% annual participation rate in the School of Families, these families become empowered leaders—not only for their own children but also as trainers of other families across Peru and internationally. As a result, individuals with autism are working in real jobs and contributing economically to their families. This session will share practical strategies, measurable outcomes, and inspiring stories that demonstrate how “The Power of Two” is building a sustainable, replicable model of inclusive education across Latin America and beyond.
Instruction Level: Basic
Target Audience:
This session is intended for professionals, caregivers, and advocates involved in autism services who are interested in family-centered models of care. Behavior analysts, psychologists, educators, administrators, and service providers working in clinical, educational, or community settings will benefit from learning about practical strategies to strengthen family-professional partnerships. This presentation is also valuable for those working in global or cross-cultural contexts, or those seeking replicable, sustainable approaches to inclusive education and community integration for individuals with autism.
Learning Objectives:
1. Explain the key components of the “Power of Two” model used at the Centro Ann Sullivan del Perú (CASP), including the roles of families and professionals as equal partners in education.
2. Analyze how individualized family training and the School of Families contribute to skill generalization and long-term inclusion for children with autism.
3. Evaluate the impact of empowering families as trainers—both locally and internationally—as a sustainable and replicable approach to inclusive education in diverse cultural contexts.