PARENTAL ADVICE
Choosing The Right Childcare
For Your Autistic Child
By Jackie EDWARDS
Leaving your child in someone else’s hands can be a nerve-wracking experience for
any parent. You may ask yourself, will your child be properly cared for? Will the carer
have the same child-focused ethos as you? Will your child enjoy the new experience
or have separation anxiety? Of course, as the parent of a child with autism, these
worries are often multiplied tenfold, with many more added: Will the carer cope with
the child’s short attention span? How will he/she deal with any meltdowns? Will he/
she be sensitive to a ny sensory issues? Childcare spans the gauntlet from an in-home
nanny to daycare centers, with many other options in between, so how do you know
what will work best for your child?
16 | Autism Parenting Magazine | Issue 68