The needs of parents and carers of children on the autism spectrum are not met by conventional parenting strategies. This resource for trainers and facilitators offers the best available knowledge and theories to help them develop an understanding of how their child perceives the world and ultimately improve their family life. The manual is divided into ten sessions that introduce a topic related to autism and Asperger Syndrome, for example, 'mindblindness' and the social world, and strategies to manage individual behaviour. During each session parents are introduced to a new topic and are invited to participate in exercises and group discussions that serve to reinforce the key messages discussed earlier. Each session closes with recommended reading and 'homework'. This manual is a valuable resource for professionals working with parents of children and young people with autism and Asperger Syndrome and is an effective complement to How to Live with Autism and Asperger Syndrome: Practical Strategies for Parents and Professionals published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers, which is referenced throughout the resource.

Decades of research have demonstrated that the parent-child dyad and the environment of the familyâ€"which includes all primary caregiversâ€"are at the foundation of children's well- being and healthy development. From birth, children are learning and rely on parents and the other caregivers in their lives to protect and care for them. The impact of parents may never be greater than during the earliest years of life, when a child's brain is rapidly developing and when nearly all of her or his experiences are created and shaped by parents and the family environment. Parents help children build and refine their knowledge and skills, charting a trajectory for their health and well-being during childhood and beyond. The experience of parenting also impacts parents themselves. For instance, parenting can enrich and give focus to parents' lives; generate stress or calm; and create any number of emotions, including feelings of happiness, sadness, fulfillment, and anger. Parenting of young children today takes place in the context of significant ongoing developments. These include: a rapidly growing body of science on early childhood, increases in funding for programs and services for families, changing demographics of the U.S. population, and greater diversity of family structure. Additionally, parenting is increasingly being shaped by technology and increased access to information about parenting. Parenting Matters identifies parenting knowledge, attitudes, and practices associated with positive developmental outcomes in children ages 0-8; universal/preventive and targeted strategies used in a variety of settings that have been effective with parents of young children and that support the identified knowledge, attitudes, and practices; and barriers to and facilitators for parents' use of practices that lead to healthy child outcomes as well as their participation in effective programs and services. This report makes recommendations directed at an array of stakeholders, for promoting the wide-scale adoption of effective programs and services for parents and on areas that warrant further research to inform policy and practice. It is meant to serve as a roadmap for the future of parenting policy, research, and practice in the United States.

This book focuses on appreciating the different language and communication style of autistic youngsters and discusses how therapists can respond to and support this to get the best out of their practice. Each chapter begins with a summary of key points and areas to focus on, includes ‘what to do’ ideas and mini case-studies to illustrate points, as well as signposting further reading. The book draws on relevant theory and offers practical insights to allow the therapist to develop confidence, knowledge and skills. Topics covered include: identifying effective support, emotional regulation, working with technology, specific groups such as girls with autism. Linking theory and practice in an engaging and easy-to-follow format, The book provides practical ideas that are immediately helpful for busy professionals to guide clinical decision making and intervention. It is an invaluable addition to the tool kit of any speech and language therapist, as well as other professionals wanting an overview of how to work with autistic children and young people in our neurodiverse society.

This book will allow anyone who lives or works with children with Autism to see the world as they do, and develop strategies for managing and understanding it effectively. It peers through the "Autism lens", allowing us to effect change in terms of the way we deal with autism as a society and in education. It delivers evidence-based support and strategies that enable us to develop young people's abilities to interact with the social world, removing much of the anxiety that often accompanies it.

This book presents emerging research on the effectiveness of mindfulness methods in reducing behavior problems associated with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in children. The volume synthesizes current research and theories on the therapeutic uses of mindfulness, specifically for people living with developmental disabilities. In addition, it examines a promising new study in which mothers of children with ASD learn mindfulness techniques for their own use and are then trained to teach the methods to their children. The book concludes with a report of poststudy findings and a discussion of practical and methodological issues regarding mindfulness interventions for ASD. Featured topics include: A genealogy of mindfulness, from original Buddhist texts to modern health applications. Implications for further research and advancement. Appendices of basic mindfulness exercises and activities. A Mindfulness Intervention for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders is a concise resource for researchers, clinicians and other scientist-practitioners, and graduate students in developmental psychology, social work, education, and related disciplines.

An accessible guide to the most recent information about autism The revised and updated second edition of A Practical Guide to Autism offers an authoritative guide to the diagnosis, assessment, and treatment of Autism/Autism Spectrum Disorder. Written by two highly regarded medical professionals, the book offers parents, family memberts, and teachers a useful review of the concept of autism, its diagnosis, and the most current treatments available. This comprehensive resource covers the range of the condition in infants, young, and school age children, adolescents, and adults. The authors explore evidence-based treatments and review of some of the alternative and complementary treatments proposed for autism. Information on educational programs and entitlement services are also provided. In addition, the book contains information on issues, such as medical care, medication use, safety, behavioral, and mental health problems. The book covers the range of ages and entire spectrum of autism and provides an introduction to the diagnostic concept. With the expanding number of treatments and interventions this book is a useful guide for all those involved in caring for individuals on the autism spectrum. This important guide: Offers lists of resources for parents and professionals compiled by experts in the field and reviewed by parents. Includes updated research that adheres to DSM-5 standards. Provides an accessible resource with succinct content delivery Contains new discussions on modern treatments that have been identified since the publication of the first edition. Written for parents, teachers, and caregivers, A Practical Guide to Autism, Second Edition offers an updated and expanded edition to the practical guide to autism.

Antisocial behaviour and conduct disorders are the most common reason for referral to child and adolescent mental health services and have a significant impact on the quality of life of children and young people and their parents and carers. Rates of other mental health problems (including antisocial personality disorder) are considerably increased for adults who had a conduct disorder in childhood. This new NICE guideline seeks to address these problems by offering advice on prevention strategies and a range of psychosocial interventions.It reviews the evidence across the care pathway, encompassing access to and delivery of services, experience of care, selective prevention interventions, case identification and assessment, psychological and psychosocial indicated prevention and treatment interventions, and pharmacological and physical interventions.Readership: Intended for healthcare professionals in CAMHS, but this will also be useful to professionals in primary care (as there is much emphasis on recognition).

We all have a picture in our heads of what life will be like as a parent. But what happens when it isn’t like that? This is the gut-wrenching reality for many parents of children diagnosed with, or awaiting a diagnosis of, autism. In It Takes a Village, Lhara writes honestly and openly about her extensive experience as a parent of three amazing autistic children. Sheconsiders the practical difficulties and emotional challenges many parents of autistic children struggle with, and also shares some of the joys of life with a neurodiverse child, presenting a raw insight into her reality as a parent navigating the world of autism with her three children. This book blends Lhara’s family’s experiences with expert research and literature, to offer realistic and practical ideas and solutions for helping your child and your family. More than anything, It Takes a Village offers reassurance that you’re not alone on your journey through autism as a parent. Lhara shares her experiences of assessment and diagnosis, along with parenting her children through issues such as peer rejection in school, challenging behaviour and managing changes and transitions. She also offers her candid experiences of times when she felt she couldn’t cope, and discusses coping when you’re not coping. It Takes a Village provides invaluable advice and support to the parents of autistic children, but will also prove useful to teachers, psychologists and all those working with autistic children. It offers hope on the darkest days to parents who are feeling overwhelmed, and celebrates the wonders of neurodiversity.

The Handbook of Intellectual Disability and Clinical Psychology Practice will equip clinical psychologists in training with the skills necessary to complete a clinical placement in the field of intellectual disability. Building on the success of the previous edition this handbook has been extensively revised. Throughout, the text, references, and website addresses and have been updated to reflect important developments since the publication the first edition. Recent research findings on the epidemiology, aetiology, course, outcome, assessment and treatment of all psychological problems considered in the book have been incorporated into the text. Account has been taken of changes in the diagnosis and classification of intellectual disability and psychological problems reflected in the AAIDD-11 and the DSM-5. New chapters on the assessment of adaptive behaviour and support needs, person-centred active support, and the assessment of dementia in people with intellectual disability have been added. The book is divided into eight sections: Section 1: Covers general conceptual frameworks for practice - diagnosis, classification, epidemiology and lifespan development. Section 2: Focuses on assessment of intelligence, adaptive behaviour, support needs, quality of life, and the processes of interviewing and report writing. Section 3: Covers intervention frameworks, specifically active support, applied behavioural analysis and cognitive behaviour therapy. Section 4: Deals with supporting families of children with intellectual disability, genetic syndromes and autism spectrum disorders. Section 5: Covers issues associated with intellectual disability first evident or prevalent in middle childhood. Section 6: Deals with adolescent concerns including life skills training, relationships and sexuality. Section 7: Focuses on residential, vocational and family-related challenges of adulthood and aging. Section 8: Deals with professional issues and risk assessment. Chapters cover theoretical and empirical issues on the one hand and practice issues on the other. They close with summaries and suggestions for further reading for practitioners and families containing a member with an intellectual disability. Where appropriate, in many chapters, practice exercises to aid skills development have been included. The second edition of the Handbook of Intellectual Disability and Clinical Psychology Practice is one of a set of three volumes which cover the lion’s share of the curriculum for clinical psychologists in training in the UK and Ireland. The other two volumes are the Handbook of Child and Adolescent Clinical Psychology, Third Edition (by Alan Carr) and the Handbook of Adult Clinical Psychology Practice, Second Edition (edited by Alan Carr & Muireann McNulty).