University of Tasmania
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Helping Children with Autism package: parents' perspectives

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posted on 2023-05-27, 07:50 authored by Wilson, KD
The aim of this research was to evaluate the Helping Children with Autism Package (HCW A) from the perspectives of a sample of participating parents with a child with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). The evaluation focused on parental self-efficacy and indirectly on parental stress and the parents' reported child outcomes. To date in Australia there is little descriptive data on parents' perceptions of the HCWA package or its effectiveness to help ameliorate negative factors associated with parenting a child with ASD. The HCWA funding package is an early intervention program designed to provide suppmi, programs, and interventions to children with Autism Spectrum Disorders ASD under the age of seven and their parents. A 43 item questionnaire entitled Parents Perceptions Questionnaire (Wilson & Hay 2011) was developed to gather the data. This instrument included both open ended questions and Likert scale questions. The sample comprised 20 participants, all of whom were parents who had accessed the HCW A package. Overall, the parents repmied positive outcomes associated with their participating in programs linked to the HCW A package. In particular they reported improved educational outcomes for their child and higher levels of suppmi and self-confidence as a parent. The parents valued the oppmiunity to have both choice and greater access to intervention services and repmied a strong desire for the continuation of the HCWA package after their child turned seven years of age. The findings support the notion that access to early intervention programs improves the developmental outcomes for the child and compliments and supports families in their care-giving role.

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