Autistic Children and Group Homes

A Personal Testimony

Authors

  • Stephen Bedard Independent Researcher

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15173/cjae.v4i1.5680

Keywords:

Autism, Group Homes, Housing, Parenting, Elopement

Abstract

There is no guaranteed outcome for an autistic person when it comes to housing. It can range from complete independent living to living with family to being placed in a group home. In this personal account, the story of one family with two autistic children with high needs is shared. Placing a child in a group home is difficult for any parent. The emotional cost is great enough but there are additional challenges that can add to the pain of the situation. What is shared is not meant to generalize to the experience of all autistic people, not even all autistic people who are placed in group homes. This account is a snapshot of one family’s experience that may highlight some of the problems with the system and potentially point to areas for improvement.

References

Bedard, Stephen J. (2023). “Caregiving That Does Not Feel Like Caregiving: When Things Do Not Work Out the Way You Want.” The Canadian Journal of Theolog, Mental Health, and Disability, 70-73. https://jps.library.utoronto.ca/index.php/cjtmhd/article/view/40824.

Viau, J. (2019). “'It scares me:' Adults with disabilities still waiting decades for supportive housing.” CBC News. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/supportive-housing-delays-continue-1.5241574.

Artwork by Samantha Toh titled "Hiraeth". Surrounded by a yellow border with the CJAE logo, a list of author's names and April 2024 Volume 4 Issue 1.

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Published

2024-05-01

How to Cite

Bedard, S. (2024). Autistic Children and Group Homes: A Personal Testimony. Canadian Journal of Autism Equity, 4(1), 18–22. https://doi.org/10.15173/cjae.v4i1.5680

Issue

Vol. 4 No. 1 (2024): Autistics and Housing

Section

Experiential Commentary

License

Copyright (c) 2024 Stephen Bedard

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