Parents of children with autism

Abstract

This is an exploratory study into parents’ experiences of educational approaches for their children with autism. Fourteen interviews took place, seven with parents whose children were attending a school which provided Early Intensive Behavioural Intervention (EIBI) and seven with parents whose children were receiving typical statutory education provision in a special class for children with autism attached to a mainstream school. In line with current Department of Education and Science guidelines, this class adopted an eclectic mix of approaches. Thematic analysis of responses from a 30-item interview generated six themes: availability of resources; assessment; communication; staff training and qualification; inclusion and mainstreaming; and parent experiences and roles. Responses pointed to a disparity in parental experiences regarding the provision of educational services between the ABA and non-ABA school with parents reporting greater overall satisfaction with the ABA school.