ABSTRACT

This article explores the possibilities for systemic approaches in supporting a neurodiversity perspective, and how these lenses may improve social workers’ abilities to support autistic people. These ideas are rooted in an Action Research project I undertook, as an autistic practitioner-researcher, in a statutory children’s services department of a UK Local Authority. Social workers are very likely to encounter autism in their work. Autism is widely misunderstood, often misrepresented, and carries a persisting social stigma, but neurodiversity offers a new paradigm for appreciating and understanding autism as part of a person’s diversity, bringing strengths and challenges (Haney, pp. 63–64). Social workers are mandated to advocate for the rights of oppressed groups and promote diversity in all its forms. Therefore, reflecting on presumed knowledge and challenging deficit-driven dominant discourses about autism that currently govern practice should be part of all good social work practice. The findings of my project, and subsequent reflections call for UK social workers, local authorities and social work education programmes to embrace neurodiversity, which can be aided by systemic approaches and techniques.

摘要

本文探讨了支持神经多样性观点的系统方法的可能性，以及这些视角如何提高社会工作者支持自闭症患者的能力。这些想法源于我作为一名自闭症从业者研究员在英国地方当局的法定儿童服务部门开展的行动研究项目。社会工作者在工作中极有可能遇到自闭症。自闭症被广泛误解，经常被曲解，并带有持久的社会耻辱感，但神经多样性提供了一种新的范例，可以将自闭症视为一个人多样性的一部分，从而带来优势和挑战（Haney，第 63-64 页）。社会工作者的职责是倡导受压迫群体的权利并促进各种形式的多样性。所以，反思假定的知识并挑战目前支配实践的关于自闭症的缺陷驱动的主导话语应该成为所有良好社会工作实践的一部分。我的项目的发现和随后的反思呼吁英国社会工作者、地方当局和社会工作教育计划接受神经多样性，这可以通过系统的方法和技术来帮助。