Abstract
Equal access for autism services remains suboptimal for diverse groups. In Canada, little is known about the barriers immigrant mothers face accessing services and support for their children with developmental disabilities. In this qualitative study, 21 immigrant mothers of children with Autism, from a diverse ethno cultural background, were interviewed in Toronto, Canada. We apply House’s (1981) four domains of social support to analyze findings. Structural support challenges, such as delays in diagnosis, fragmented and dispersed services were common, followed by instrumental challenges due to loss of social ties and stigma. Lack of expected support from partners, and negative perceptions of services, were identified as emotional and perceptive challenges. Focused attention is required to address inequalities within the context of current access pathways for autism.
Highlights
Equal access for autism services remains suboptimal for diverse groups
This paper presents findings from a larger study, Mothers Project, which explored the perspectives of mothers and service providers regarding social support needs, challenges and experiences of immigrant mothers of children with disabilities in Toronto, Canada
Of the 30 immigrant mothers who participated in the larger study (Mothers Project), 21 mothers identified having one or more children with ASD
Summary
In Canada, little is known about the barriers immigrant mothers face accessing services and support for their children with developmental disabilities. Mothers of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) require timely access to effective supports across service sectors, yet face many access barriers Among immigrant families this may be further compounded due to acculturation stressors and learning to navigate new education, social and health sectors. If timely diagnosis and optimal intervention effectiveness partly depend on social support, the clinical access pathway to services for ASD needs to consider the flow of support to parents through interaction with people and organizations Communities such as immigrant mothers with diverse levels of social support and access to services may differ in their tendency to facilitate or delay diagnosis and intervention. About 49% of Toronto’s population identify themselves as immigrants, one third being newcomers, having arrived in Canada between
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