PRACTICES AND CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES OF PROVIDING SOCIAL SKILLS TRAINING FOR CHILDREN WITH AUTISM IN BRIGHT CENTER HAWASSA CITY ADMINISTRATION

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to investigate the Practices, Challenges and Opportunities of Providing Social Skills Training for Children with Autism in Bright Center Hawassa town Administration. The study followed A qualitative approach and case study design for exploring and understanding the meaning individuals or groups ascribe to a social or human problem.The study involved administrators, program coordinator, teachers and parents as participants by using purposive sampling techniques.The data was collected through interviews, observation and document analysis. The finding of the study indicates that even though it faces many challenges, the practice of social skill training is on good way in Bright Center.The center provided various types of social skill training. However, several pitfalls hinder the intended social training for autistic children, such as poor awareness of parents about social skill training for finding a diagnosis and managing the behaviors of their autistic child, lack of trained personnel to improve the planned level of social skill, the restlessness of autistic children in the center and lack of adequate and constant resources of budget that may have triple impacts required resources, instruments and are counted as challenges of effective social skill training for children with autism in Hawassa bright autism. Deficits in social skills may negatively impact several essential domains including, academic achievement, interpersonal relationships, behavior, mental health, and adult life outcomehencethe study forwarded a recommendation to the town administration to recognize the provision of education in autism center and allocation of adequate budget for effectiveness autistic children, especially in social skill training.Administrative bodies in the centersshould make the link with a different governmental and non-governmental organization sto widen the level of services in the city as required. The program coordinator should also create awareness for the parents as they play central roles in social skill training at home and follow upon the parents’ role as well as the teachers. In doing so, they could monitor and see various gaps which should be corrected in time and take remedial actions.