Barriers to Professional Intervention by Social Workers Working with Children with Autism in Libyan Society – An Applied Study of Social Workers at the National Centre for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Children with Autism, Tripoli

Abstract

The twentieth century saw a marked increase in interest in developmental disorders affecting children, particularly at pre-school age, which attracted the attention of many researchers and care providers, as this stage forms the core and foundation upon which all subsequent stages of development are built. Autism spectrum disorder is one of the complex developmental disorders affecting children in early childhood. The present study aims to achieve its main objective, which is: to identify the barriers to professional intervention faced by social workers working with children with autism at the National Centre for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Children with Autism. The intervention by social workers in social care institutions forms the cornerstone of the work carried out by these institutions, as they bear numerous professional responsibilities and roles designed to achieve the institution’s therapeutic, developmental and preventive objectives. Among the most important findings of this study are the obstacles related to the specialist’s academic training: lack of familiarity with methods and means of family counselling, and a lack of knowledge and information regarding modern therapeutic models, which limits the professional capabilities of social workers working with children with autism. Among the most important recommendations are: Developing university curricula to include specialised courses on autism spectrum disorder and modern intervention methods.