Course Title: Professional Doctorate in Public Administration (Research)

Thesis Title: Mother's Perspective on Service Delivery for Autistic Children in Indonesia 

Supervisors: Dr Anni Dugdale (Chair), University of Canberra, Assoc. Prof. Phil Larkin, London, UK and Dr Dugald Monro, University of Canberra

Abstract

The aim of this study is to explore the provision of services for Autistic children in Indonesia, to describe the perspective of mother of autistic children about the service delivery and to examine the lesson from the mother’s perspective for improving service implementation. The data will be gathered by studying the service delivery for autistic children and by conducting interviews and focus groups with mothers who are members of parenting groups.

This is a qualitative research aimed at building a complex, holistic picture of the lives of autistic children and the support and care they receive. The analysis will bring to the foreground the words and detailed views of mother and other key informants involved in services for autistic children in Indonesia. In the field of disability research, qualitative methodologies are well recognized as important tools in understanding the complexity of disability in its social context (Benderix et al. 2006, Bumiller 2008). Qualitative research can help us to understand better the lives of the people with disabilities by accessing their unique knowledge at first-hand. We need to know the complexity of their lived experiences in their own voice.

Semi-structured interview and focus group discussions will be used to gain knowledge about the service delivery system for autistic children from mothers of children with autism who play the primary care role in Indonesia. Also this study will draw on mother's perception about the kinds of service delivered, the needs of their children, and the support needs for children's their carers, and their families Potential Implication for Policy Reform or Management Practices:

This study will make a conceptual contribution to the development of an evaluative framework to examine service delivery for disabled children in general and particularly for autistic children through the view of mother of autistic children. This will fill a research gap in the literature review regarding how the government and the non-government organizations should provide the service delivery for autistic children. This research aims to enrich the knowledge of the adequacy of the service delivery system for autistic children in Indonesia and to provide directions for policy improvements.

Short Bio:

BA in Public Administration at University of Brawijaya, Indonesia; Master of Social Sciences in Political Sociology at University of Airlangga, Indonesia; Professional Doctorate in Public Administration, Faculty of Business and Government University of Canberra, ACT, Australia. Currently, Wike works in University of Brawijaya – Indonesia (2002 – present) as lecturer as well as researcher. Before that, Wike worked as researcher at the Centre of Participatory Planning – Indonesia for couple years. Her research interests include Social Policies (Health and Education) in Indonesia, Gender and Disability, and Policy Evaluation.

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study is to explore the provision of services for Autistic children in Indonesia, to describe the perspective of mother of autistic children about the service delivery and to examine the lesson from the mother’s perspective for improving service implementation. The data will be gathered by studying the service delivery for autistic children and by conducting interviews and focus groups with mothers who are members of parenting groups.

This is a qualitative research aimed at building a complex, holistic picture of the lives of autistic children and the support and care they receive. The analysis will bring to the foreground the words and detailed views of mother and other key informants involved in services for autistic children in Indonesia. In the field of disability research, qualitative methodologies are well recognized as important tools in understanding the complexity of disability in its social context (Benderix et al. 2006, Bumiller 2008). Qualitative research can help us to understand better the lives of the people with disabilities by accessing their unique knowledge at first-hand. We need to know the complexity of their lived experiences in their own voice.

Semi-structured interview and focus group discussions will be used to gain knowledge about the service delivery system for autistic children from mothers of children with autism who play the primary care role in Indonesia. Also this study will draw on mother's perception about the kinds of service delivered, the needs of their children, and the support needs for children's their carers, and their families.