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Role of Social Workers in Assisting BME Families With Autistic Children
Role of Social Workers in Assisting BME Families With Autistic Children
❏Introduction
❏Research Objectives
❏Study Motivation
❏Study Methodology
❏Study Findings
Introduction
❏one in every 160 children has
autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
❏autistic people can have co-existing
conditions including Attention Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD),
epilepsy, and mental health issues
❏autistic children from BME families
often have challenges accessing
education, social services, and
support
Research Objectives
❏To explore existing literature to identify the gap in
knowledge about the role of social workers in assisting
BME families with autistic children
❏To explore the barriers and opportunities that social
workers encounter in their work with BME families
with autistic children
❏To make recommendations about social workers’ role
in working with BME families with autistic children
Why BME families?
Roy, A. N., Buffin, J., Li, O. Is Information Enough? Focus group discussions The study provides
M., & Virgo, L. (2009) Exploring the information were conducted with information about the
priorities of families of Pakistani usefulness of providing
people with a learning family carers on issues information services for a
disability from Pakistani relating to BME population which
communities. information and other included families with
needs. autistic children
Fox, F., Aabe, N., Turner, K., “It was like walking without 15 in-depth interviews with The study assessed the
Redwood, S., & Rai, D. (2017). knowing where I was going”: parents affected by autism, needs of families affected by
A Qualitative Study of Autism which included being a autism and how health,
in a UK Somali Migrant parent to an autistic child education and social care
Community. services can support them.
The analysis focused on the
Study Findings
Need for social work services for BME families with autistic children
❏families of a child with autism often face obstacles in accessing timely and
effective services that meet their needs, including physical, psychological, and
social supports
❏An autism diagnosis has a negative impact on the parents and the whole family of the diagnosed
child
❏mothers of children with autism referred to the moment of diagnosis as “a crisis event”, which a
❏parents also reported having challenges with the diagnosis, including delays and getting the wrong
❏delays were often caused by schools not identifying the signs of autism and labelling it as a
behavioural issue.
Study Findings
Language issues and understanding about autism
❏BME children often use English as a second language and schools may mistake their
❏lack of understanding about autism, e.g. Somali parents in the study by Fox et al.,
(2017) reported that after hearing that their child had autism, they did not even
❏some East Asian populations in Glasgow were found to struggle to accept the long-term nature
of ASD, and always referred to “in the future when they’re normal”
❏these families viewed their child as experiencing a condition that could be treated and that they
❏Pakistani families blamed immunisation or themselves for the diagnosis (Roy et al., 2009)
❏e.g. some mothers struggled with guilt and blamed themselves for having done something
during their pregnancy that might have caused their child to have autism
❏financial struggles
❏the burden of practical and emotional care for autism often fell more heavily on
❏Psychosocial support
❏Advocacy
❏Chiri, G., & Warfield, M. E. (2012). Unmet need and problems accessing core health care services for
children with autism spectrum disorder. Maternal and child health journal, 16(5), 1081-1091.
❏Kent, W. (2020). Who supports the families of black and minority ethnic children with life-limiting
conditions?. Available from www.orca.cardiff.ac.uk. Accessed 18 March, 2022.
❏Lin, G. (2009). Higher Education Research Methodology-Literature Method. International Education Studies,
2(4), 179-181.
❏Roman-Urrestarazu, A., van Kessel, R., Allison, C., Matthews, F. E., Brayne, C., & Baron-Cohen, S. (2021).
Association of race/ethnicity and social disadvantage with autism prevalence in 7 million school children in
England. JAMA Paediatrics, 175(6), e210054-e210054.
❏Slade, G. (2014). Diverse perspectives: The challenges for families affected by autism from black, Asian and
Minority Ethnic communities. London: The National Autistic Society.