Supporting Autistic Children in the Child Welfare System

• By: Judith A. Lucas, MD, MJ Albany Medical Center
• September 15th, 2025
• caregiver maltreatment, child welfare system, communication challenges, Fall 2025 Issue, family stress, foster care placement, professional training, trauma-informed support
• 695    0

Child welfare system (CWS) involvement is extremely stressful for families, particularly those with autistic children. Research has shown that substantially higher numbers of children with autism are reported to and investigated by child protective services. Some evidence suggests that autistic...