Parental experiences of raising an autistic child in Ireland: A qualitative thematic analysis.

Lay abstract: Parenting an autistic child can be a challenging experience. Parents of autistic children often require social and professional support to cope with the various stresses they encounter and to ensure their children achieve their optimal potential. Recently, the way professional supports are organised in Ireland has changed. Very little previous recent research has investigated parents' experiences of raising an autistic child in Ireland. This study interviewed six parents asking them about their challenges, stress levels, coping strategies and their perceptions regarding professional support services. The data from these interviews were organised into themes. A major finding was that parents felt the healthcare system was failing to provide help for their children, and that support services in Ireland can cause more parental distress than dealing with their child's difficulties. Other causes of parental stress included the child's behaviours that they found challenging, stigma, a lack of awareness about autism and isolation. This study shows that both autistic children and their parents are at increased risk of developing mental health problems due to a flawed healthcare system that requires improvement urgently.