Abstract
Family-centered early intervention has been considered by researchers as the current paradigm for childcare. This article aims to present and discuss perceptions of family members about early intervention practices and active family participation, carried out by the team of a Specialized Rehabilitation Center (CER) in the care of children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Nine family members of children with ASD, from zero to four years and 11 months, included in the service, participated in the research. Interviews were conducted with the participants to investigate the families’ knowledge and their expectations about participating in the interventions, and after data collection, thematic content analysis was performed. The practice of the team at this service is not exclusively related to a single model of support for families, with family participation being, for the most part, aligned with the support model focused on the family. It is hoped that this study can contribute and encourage discussions about early intervention, family support models, and especially children with ASD.
Keywords:
Autism Spectrum Disorders; Early Intervention; Family; Rehabilitation Center