Introducing:
The Experiences of Domestic Abuse Survivors –
Parental Blame and the PDA Profile of Autism
For those parent-carers who have been in abusive, intimate relationships, navigating systems of SEND can bring about particular challenges. Encountering blame as a parent-carer whilst advocating the needs of autistic children can be uniquely impactful for those parent-carers who have also experienced domestic abuse.
For example, it is often practice for professionals to obtain the views and opinions of both parent-carers when assessing the needs of autistic children. This may bring separated parent-carers into closer contact with one another again, which may place those parent-carers who have experienced domestic abuse via an ex-partner in a vulnerable and unsafe position.
In 2022, Danielle Jata-Hall (PDA Parenting) and myself collated data from 1016 parent-carers of autistic-PDA children – 88% of whom stated they had experienced receiving blame for their children’s autistic presentations by Send professionals. (Parental Blame and the PDA Profile of Autism)
In this survey we didn’t ask respondents to share experiences of being subjected to domestic abuse by the other parent but many respondents chose to share these experiences with us. It became clear that for these parent-carers, experiencing blame from SEND professionals and experiencing intimate partner violence were inter-connected.
Some parent-carers felt that navigating the SEND system and being blamed by those involved professionals were very similar experiences to being abused by their ex-partners.
Other parent-carers felt that their experiences of domestic abuse were used by professionals to obstruct access to assessments and support for their children.
There were also parent-carers who shared how their ex-partners were able to harness parts of the SEND system to continue in their perpetration of abuse towards them.
It is important that we hear the voices of these parent-carers for they have experienced multiple levels of blame. Not only are they blamed for the autistic presentations of their children by involved professionals, but they are also blamed by the other parent. The emotional harm that this can cause autistic families is significant – systems of SEND and involved professionals have a responsibility to safeguard our children and in order to do so effectively they must listen to the voices of parent-carers who have experienced domestic abuse.
‘Parental Blame and the PDA Profile of Autism. The Experiences of Domestic Abuse Survivors’ presents the voices and experiences of several parent-carers (of autistic-PDA children) who have also experienced domestic abuse.
Professionals working with autistic families should recognise the specific vulnerabilities of parent-carers who have been subjected to domestic abuse and ensure that SEND systems provide safe and accessible routes to accessing support for their children.
Available at www.alicerunningwriter.com
30.10.2023
The-Aut-Vocate 