Module 7: Family- Living with Autism: Impact on Family and Siblings

Description of Family's Well-Being:
Cindy lives alone with her mother. Her father was granted supervised visitation rights but after two meetings with Cindy, made no further attempts to visit her. Cindy's mother has a history of depression and suicidal attempts. She has few friends and of the two she has spoken of, both have ended up in an intimate relationship with Cindy's father. She has a sister who babysits for Cindy periodically but who reportedly, demonstrates minimal patience. Cindy's grandparents do not offer a great deal of support. Her grandfather will occasionally stay with Cindy and her mom when he has been out late and doesn't want to drive home. Cindy's mother tends to share much of her personal concerns and joys with Cindy's therapists, who tend to be her primary support system at this time.

Cindy's mother was working outside the home when services were first initiated. She appeared to demonstrate pride in her work with reports of a possible promotion. Cindy's mother had, and continues to have, difficulty managing life responsibilities . This consequently, caused her to lose her job. Her car was "falling apart", it was not licensed, and it was not insured. Cindy's mother was stopped by the police and the car was impounded. With no transportation to work, Cindy's mother was forced to quit her job and apply for social services. Because of the time lapse between government aid and her last pay check, Cindy and her mom ate very scarcely for a few weeks and received eviction notices in their door. They have since worked out a payment plan with the landlord and are receiving food stamps and WIC. They are also in the process of applying for SSI for Cindy.

Strategy to Improve Family Lifestyle and Communication Dynamics:
Considering Cindy's mother history of depression and her lack of social supports, I think a local autism support group would be very beneficial. This would allow Cindy's mother to share and explore solutions with other families who share similar difficulties. It would give Cindy's mother a place to go to develop friendships and it provide a place where Cindy would fit in despite any unusual behaviors. Hopefully, the acceptance Cindy's mom would receive from this group would help to build her self esteem and empower her to advocate for Cindy in the future.