Unmet Needs

This monograph is the most comprehensive study of child care for families of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in the United States. It shows that families with children with ASD are very much like other families but have much higher levels of unmet needs. The study describes how the lack of trained supply of child care providers results in severe impacts on parental employment and high levels of child care related stress both at home and at work. The study explores child care policy making in the context of the US liberal welfare state model and calls for a fuller implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act on behalf of children with ASD in all child care environments.