Autism Partnership Foundation
Charitable Organization
Charitable Organization
Together We Create a Better World for People with Autism
Hong Kong organisation Autism Partnership Foundation (APF) interviewed the parents of autistic children in the city over the months of February and March, asking them about their worries about their children.
Over 40 percent of respondents said that their children's treatment expenses account for 26 percent to 50 percent of their monthly household income, while a quarter said they accounted for over half.
Parents rated their children's education and future prospects as the biggest source of stress out of five categories, with the other four being their children's social skills, their "behaviours and emotions", their daily lives, and "other people's reactions" towards them.
When surveyed about their child’s future, 70 percent of parents said it was stressful, with some respondents saying it was so "stressful they sometimes feel they cannot cope".
Over 90 percent of interviewees also believed free evidence-based treatment, increased support in schools, and increased choices in schooling would reduce stress. More than 90 percent also believed that a better understanding of autism among the public would also help alleviate the stress.
Compared to similar surveys conduced on parents of autistic children in Western nations, Hong Kong parents were more concerned with their children’s future employment, social acceptance and future independence, while Western parents were more worried about their children's language abilities, social development skills and self-care.
Danny Lam, a researcher who studies Chinese parenting, said that these differences reflect the continuing prejudices against autistic individuals in Chinese society, as well the importance placed on planning your child’s future as per age-old traditions.
This year, APF will be providing free support services such as one-month intensive Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) treatment (considered one of the most effective approaches), parents' talks and training sessions, and marriage and family counselling. To improve public awareness, APF will also organise free talks at local schools to increase their understanding of the condition.
According to the Education Bureau, the number of cases of autism in Hong Kong has more than doubled over the past four years, with around 4,907 cases recorded from 2014 to 2015, compared to 2,050 cases from 2009 to 2010.
