SparkED - Joyfully Parenting on the Spectrum

Parents of children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder face challenges in meeting their children's developmental and social requirements, particularly in low-resource settings like Mongolia. In such environments, there is a lack of professional intervention, educational services, and support for parents. Despite the entitlement to free secondary education for all children in Mongolia, those with ASD are often left behind due to their underdeveloped language and social skills. Many parents express that assisting their children in communication and social adaptation is crucial for their enrollment in secondary schools and meeting their educational needs.
SparkED was developed to address the struggles of parents supporting children with ASD by offering accessible, flexible, and community-based training, along with a parent-to-parent support system. The tool comprises three main components: the platform, incoming parents, and more experienced parents (facilitators). The platform allows incoming parents to join small group training tailored to their specific challenges, with experienced parents facilitating training, guiding discussions, and offering support throughout the process.
SparkED training focuses on empowering parents to support their children's social and communication skills while understanding their unique strengths. The tool's prototype has undergone development and testing with seven research participants, revealing its efficacy in meeting parents' needs, providing crucial support and training, and enhancing their sense of parental self-efficacy.