Learn about autism in 5 steps – training for families of children on the autistic spectrum

Children with developmental disorders can throw the family off balance, resulting in emotional, existential and societal burdens. Instinctive parenting strategies often fail when confronted by the autistic behavior and... [ view full abstract ]

Children with developmental disorders can throw the family off balance, resulting in emotional, existential and societal burdens. Instinctive parenting strategies often fail when confronted by the autistic behavior and thinking of the child. Studies have shown that trainings for parents of children with autism support coping, help parents feel more competent in their roles, and facilitate the parent-child relationship.
We have developed a 5-day-long group training programme for parents. We aim at helping the family in the period following the diagnosis. Main themes of the training are: understanding the child’s autism and behaviour; practical strategies to improve interaction, reciprocal communication; visual structure for better understanding; effective parent lobby.
The 5-day-long training is led by two trainers: one professional and one parent. Methodology of the training is based on experiential learning that allow participants to acquire knowledge through direct experiences. The group members get along in their individual speed, using their own experiences and using the power of learning together and from each other. The trainers’ work and the participants are supported by a training book and a variety of tools. We also developed a training for trainers.
We have held four pilot trainings to validate our programme. Participants have found the trainings useful, felt important that they could learn from and together with other groupmembers, and reported about enhanced confidence, more patience with their child and more awareness about issues specific to autism. Many participants stayed in touch with each other after the training, opening the door for more peer-learning.