The Transition to Kindergarten for Hispanic and Latine Autistic Children: A Focus Group Study with Caregivers

Purpose: Past research highlights the different facilitators and barriers that caregivers of children on the autism spectrum experience during the transition to kindergarten and when navigating special education services. Caregivers who identify as Hispanic and/or Latine may face distinct challenges during this process, such as language differences, differences in understanding autism and special education, and barriers to advocating for their child. Hispanic and Latine caregivers also have strengths, resources, and strategies (i.e. cultural capital) that they use during this time. However, there is little research aimed at understanding the unique experiences of Hispanic and Latine caregivers of autistic children during their entry to kindergarten. Methods: To address this shortcoming, the current study used qualitative methods and thematic analysis to explore the transition to kindergarten experiences of four caregivers of autistic children. Results: This study identified strengths, supportive practices, and challenges that participants experienced fell under four major themes: importance of proactive and ongoing partnerships between caregivers and schools, navigating unfamiliar language and processes, the need for dissemination of information about autism to teachers and support from trusted systems. Themes highlighted challenges such as communication differences, unfamiliar school processes, community and teacher misconceptions about autism. Facilitators the transition included proactive communication, shared goals and partnerships with school. Yosso's Community Cultural Wealth Framework is integrated into the discussion of themes and the forms of cultural capital participants used to support their child. Conclusion: Recommendations for practice and research to support Hispanic and Latine autistic children during the kindergarten transition are provided.