Truro Mall to offer autism training to staff, store employees

A situation involving an autistic girl who went missing at the Truro Mall has prompted an autism-training course for mall staff. “The idea of this training was sparked from a missing child case in our shopping centre that was quickly defused,” said Marketing manager Jaclyn Johnson.

The incident occurred last fall when an autistic child wandered off after her mother’s attention was averted. A frantic search ensued.

The four-year-old was found in a stock room at the Rossi store by Courtney Mills. The former Rossi employee was working in the stock room and, coincidentally, has training with autistic children. Now, management has recruited Mills to conduct an autism training session for a number of mall staff, security and several store representatives.

“Our training will be focusing on how to react in an emergency or lost-child situation for an autistic child or person,” Johnson said. “She will also be teaching us tactical ways to work with and approach autistic people.” Kristine Millard, the child’s mother, said she would never have thought of such a program. But after her own experience, she thinks the concept is great. “It’s nice to see that the mall is supporting the community like that,” she said.

“I think it’s really important. My biggest fear at the time was that she might not know how to ask for help.”