Developing a family support package for parents

The overall objective of this project was to develop and test a family support package to help with resolution with an autism diagnosis, to enhance parental wellbeing, and to increase their sense of competence and family coherence during and after the diagnostic process.

The first aim of the research was to investigate whether parental education and support including counselling (i.e., grief therapy and cognitive behavioural therapy) during the period immediately following a child’s autism diagnosis improves parental resolution, decreases parental grief/stress, increases a sense of competence and/or contributes to family coherence.

The further aim of the research was to investigate whether children’s outcomes are improved as a result of their parent’s access to the family support package and related to the ensuing outcomes for the parents.

The family support package materials developed for families and practitioners as a result of this project have provided foundational information for other resources.