Autism SA parents graduates with skills for children with autism
Parents of children with autism, developmental delays and other disabilities graduated with Autism SA, urging for community support for the parents.
Caregivers in Tsakani, Brakpan and Duduza have gained new skills to support children with autism, developmental delays and other disabilities following a landmark training initiative.
The 25 participants completed the caregiver skills training programme, held in Gauteng for the first time, and culminated in a graduation ceremony at Faranani Multipurpose Centre in Tsakani on September 3.
Autism South Africa Gauteng regional officer Elizabeth Mosehla said the programme aims to strengthen the relationship between parents and children with special needs.
Mosehla said the programme was particularly important because some parents struggle to understand their children’s conditions and how best to communicate with them.
For Mosehla, the graduation marked an important milestone, particularly because it was the first time the programme had been conducted in Gauteng.
“The relationship between the parents and the children, especially special needs children, is that they do not get a lot of support or understanding from the parents,” she shared. “So this programme is about connecting with the kids.”
Participants learned communication skills, how to understand challenging behaviour, and ways to teach children important everyday skills.
Mosehla said the training also addressed conditions such as Down syndrome and helped parents understand what may cause challenging behaviour.
She stressed that parents need to teach their children practical skills from an early age because they will not always be there to assist them.
Mosehla said the programme also highlighted the importance of early intervention for children with autism and developmental delays.
She explained that some children may rely on alternative forms of communication, including exchanging pictures and using sign language, making early intervention important in developing communication skills.
Mosehla said families continue to face challenges, including a lack of support and judgement from relatives, spouses and communities.
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“Our communities are judgemental, and there is no support from their family, from the community, or from their spouse,” she said.
She called for greater understanding and acceptance of people with disabilities, particularly within communities.
One parent who completed the programme, Lungile Janarosi, told the publication that she joined to gain knowledge she could share with other parents.
“It inspired me because I want to know more so that I can also pass the information to other parents who need to learn more,” she said.
Janarosi said the course taught her the importance of patience, attentiveness and listening when dealing with children with special needs.
She shared that children need more patience and parents need to be more vigilant. She said the training also changed her understanding of different disabilities, including conditions she previously knew little about.
“It’s really made a lot of difference because I learned about other disabilities that I didn’t even know about,” Janarosi said.
She added that the programme taught her not to make decisions for children unnecessarily but to give them choices and listen to what they want to communicate.
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Janarosi, whose son has ADHD and an intellectual developmental disability, said the course provided an opportunity to learn more about autism.
She believes more parents should have access to similar programmes because they provide knowledge that can improve how families support children with disabilities.
“I would say, as parents of special needs, let us focus more on our kids and let us want to know more. Let us also be united to help each other to see a way forward and to teach people more about our kids for acceptance and understanding,” she said.
She plans to use the skills she gained to establish an NGO that will support parents.
“My plans with the skills are that I want to start an NGO where I’ll be able to help other parents to know more and learn more and support each other,” she said.
Janarosi shared that families raising children with special needs need people they can talk to and rely on for assistance and understanding.
She added that she also intends to keep learning and share what she has learned with other parents.
“I want to pass it to other people who want to know more and learn,” she concluded.
