Publicação
Inclusão Social E Neurodiversidade: O Papel Das Políticas Públicas Na Vida De Famílias Com Crianças Com Perturbação Do Espetro Do Autismo
| Resumo: | This dissertation examines how disability policies impact the lives of young children (0 to 6 years old) with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and their families. It offers a sociological perspective based on the neurodiversity paradigm (Singer, 1999) and on the concept of independent living (Barnes & Mercer, 2006).Using a qualitative and exploratory approach, the study applied an online survey to 21 families living in different regions of Portugal. The findings show that, although the country has a comprehensive legislative and policy framework, significant gaps remain in the specificity of measures targeting ASD, with territorial inequalities in access to services, insufficient financial and therapeutic support, and weak intersectoral coordination between health, education, and social protection.Families value the existing support, but report that it does not fully cover the costs of therapies and specialized care, often requiring reliance on informal support networks. The absence of ASD-specific policies leads to generic responses that do not fully address the diversity within the spectrum.The study concludes that achieving effective inclusion requires implementing targeted measures, harmonizing service provision across regions, strengthening professional training, simplifying administrative processes, and promoting public awareness campaigns to value neurodiversity. The research highlights the need for an emancipatory welfare state that actively involves families and people with disabilities in policy-making, ensuring the conditions for full social participation and independent living. |
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| Autores principais: | Cunha, Maria Esperança Maia Tubarão |
| Assunto: | Autism Spectrum Disorder Neurodiversity Public Policies Independent Living Social Inclusion Perturbação do Espetro do Autismo Neurodiversidade Políticas Públicas Vida Independente Inclusão Social |
| Ano: | 2025 |
| País: | Portugal |
| Tipo de documento: | dissertação de mestrado |
| Tipo de acesso: | acesso aberto |
| Instituição associada: | Universidade de Coimbra |
| Idioma: | português |
| Origem: | Estudo Geral - Universidade de Coimbra |
| Resumo: | This dissertation examines how disability policies impact the lives of young children (0 to 6 years old) with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and their families. It offers a sociological perspective based on the neurodiversity paradigm (Singer, 1999) and on the concept of independent living (Barnes & Mercer, 2006).Using a qualitative and exploratory approach, the study applied an online survey to 21 families living in different regions of Portugal. The findings show that, although the country has a comprehensive legislative and policy framework, significant gaps remain in the specificity of measures targeting ASD, with territorial inequalities in access to services, insufficient financial and therapeutic support, and weak intersectoral coordination between health, education, and social protection.Families value the existing support, but report that it does not fully cover the costs of therapies and specialized care, often requiring reliance on informal support networks. The absence of ASD-specific policies leads to generic responses that do not fully address the diversity within the spectrum.The study concludes that achieving effective inclusion requires implementing targeted measures, harmonizing service provision across regions, strengthening professional training, simplifying administrative processes, and promoting public awareness campaigns to value neurodiversity. The research highlights the need for an emancipatory welfare state that actively involves families and people with disabilities in policy-making, ensuring the conditions for full social participation and independent living. |
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