Practical Research On Group Work Involved In Parent Support Groups For Children With Autism

Autism is a widespread developmental disorder that can seriously endanger the physical and mental health of children.Most autistic patients are unable to carry out social interactions,have poor self-care ability or cannot take care of themselves,have difficulty integrating into normal social life,and need someone to accompany them for life.At present,my country’s social welfare system for autism is mainly limited to the assistance level within a small range,and a systematic assistance system has not yet been formed.Parents not only have to bear the high cost of rehabilitation,but also bear the responsibility of caring for their children throughout their lives.In the long-term care process,they are often under high pressure and face various challenges and demands.Therefore,supporting the parents of children with autism can effectively relieve their stress.From the perspective of social support theory,this article takes the author’s internship in Guiyang City H institution as an opportunity,uses qualitative research methods,adopts interview method and participant observation method to conduct interviews with parents of children with autism and special education teachers of institutions to collect data.At the same time,participate in daily rehabilitation training for children with autism,and observe and understand the challenges and needs faced by parents of children with autism in the institution.On this basis,six parents of autistic children in Guiyang City H Institution were used as research objects,and social work methods were used to design parent support group service plans based on relevant theories.This paper has carried out six group activities in total,with intervention from the three stages of the initial,middle and late stages of the group.The group aims to improve the ability of parents of autistic children to cope with problems and predicaments through group member interaction,parent emotional exchanges and sharing experiences under the guidance of group workers,and to help parents of autistic children support each other.Finally,through reflecting on the problems and deficiencies in the group practice process,and conceiving from the social work level and the government level,as a practical exploration attempt on how to use group work to intervene in the support of parents of autistic children.Through research,it can be found that group work,as one of the three major methods of social work,has applicability in relieving the pressure on parents of children with autism.Parents can learn the experience and skills of taking care of their children and releasing stress in group activities,and help and support each other through group members’ mutual experience sharing,thereby alleviating stress.