Counselling for the family

A child with autism often has a great impact on the family. In addition, families with young children are brought out of balance more quickly than families with slightly older children. This is because a small child requires more care and attention.

Situations can then arise, where extra help is needed. For example:

• Parents have parenting questions.For example, when they experience that what works with their other child does not work with their child with autism.
• Ouders raken overbelast of krijgen psychische problemen, omdat ze hun kind moeilijk kunnen aansturen. Soms is het dan nodig om eerst aandacht te hebben voor die overbelasting. Bijvoorbeeld door opvang te regelen in de directe omgeving of gespecialiseerde opvang voor het kind met autisme. Wat hiervoor de mogelijkheden zijn is sterk wisselend per gemeente. Het advies is om via een buurt of sociaal team binnen je gemeente, te onderzoeken wat de mogelijkheden zijn.
• Siblings are affected by the behavioural problems of the child with autism.They may then also need help.
• Parents have developed relationship problems and that requires attention.

The following treatment or counselling is available:

• Parent-child treatment. This focuses on improving the interaction between you and your child. Sometimes, you and your child get stuck in a negative spiral. A professional can help you build a healthy parent-child relationship. The professional can also give advice. For example, about structuring and setting boundaries in your child's behaviour.
• Parental counselling. These are conversations in which you as a parent, together with the professional, try to find out where certain behaviour of your child is coming from. Together, you explore how things could maybe go better.
• Systemic family counsellingThis counselling may be necessary if the relationships within the family have become disrupted. This can concern the relationship between parents, between parent and child or between siblings. If several family members have characteristics of autism (or other developmental problems), it is important to take this into account.
• Sometimes, you can receive hometraining. The professional then comes to you. You can also work with video footage. This will give you a better understanding of behavioural patterns and the interplay between you and your child.