Ben Truter

About Ben Truter

The Neurodiversity Centre provides a comprehensive range of services to children and adults with ESSENCE. With over 15 years of international experience in the field of paediatric neurodevelopment and the overlapping nature of neurodevelopmental differences, Ben and his colleagues established the NDC to provide team-based ESSENCE services for children and families. At the same time, the Neurodiversity Foundation was founded, in order to work towards service access and resource development for the majority of families in South Africa who cannot access private healthcare. Contributing to the development of the knowledge base around neurodevelopmental problems amongst Southern African children lies close to Ben’s vision to responsibly support thought, learning, access and resource-development for all.   Ben works clinically most days of the week and in his role as Clinical Director of the NDC, he collaborates with a large team of clinicians and professionals within the fields of Psychology, Psychiatry, Developmental Paediatrics, Paediatric Neurology, Occupational and Speech and Language therapy, and Education - across our centres in Paarl, Durbanville, Rondebosch, Stellenbosch, Somerset West, Table View, Hermanus, Matzikama and KwaZulu-Natal. An additional site is developed in Namibia, outside the borders of South Africa. The Neurodiversity Centre offers assessment and diagnostic services, individual family-based intervention, support- as well as intervention groups, school outreach, and training for staff, individuals and workplaces. All of NDC's work is guided by a close attention to rigorous evidence-based practice; and the embedded collaboration of the NDC with the GNC is a fundamental pillar of this vision.

Currently, the flagship work of the NDF is based in the De Doorns valley of the Breede Valley; where an outreach and embedded community screening, assessment and intervention programme currently works with around 200 families.

Research interests

Ben is a current PhD candidate in the Department of Physiology and Neuroscience at Sahlgrenska Academy for his study "ESSENCE in the Breede Valley of South Africa: Towards a Feasible Neurodevelopmental Screen for South African Children". In partnership with the Neurodiversity Foundation (NDF) and the rural, Worcester campus of Stellenbosch University. Ben's study – under the support and leadership of Prof. Eva Billstedt, Dr Amy Slogrove, Prof Christopher Gillberg and Dr Lucy Thompson,  seeks to establish a validated, early neurodevelopmental screening tool and screening model for children in under-resourced, rural communities. This is one initial step in the knowledge creation process – specifically to beginning to understand and investigate the prevalence of ESSENCE in South Africa, as part of the international Gothenburg Autism Project (GAP) directed by Christopher Gillberg. Currently, this is the first stage in an extended program of work in South Africa, led by Christopher. More information about this coming soon!

Ben is an avid succulent collector and wannabe botanist, who often trips over himself in strange, remote places whilst looking for ancient plants; and a father who dearly loves his family.

Funding

Ben’s work was initially self-funded, with additional support from a private citizen with the NDC community, who sought to contribute to knowledge development that would support South African children with ESSENCE; and then sustained support for the programme from Allan and Gill Gray Philanthropies

Publications

Contact information