In my opinion, this book deserves a wide audience; it is not only beneficial for parents struggling with attachment or behavioural issues, but can also be very helpful to special needs teachers such as myself, and other professionals working with children.
Although the notion of full inclusion is widely accepted in the Italian school system, there is very little empirical evidence of its results, especially if it relates to children with autism. Too much is still asked of the sole special education teacher, whose actions – if performed in isolation – are often ineffective.
Teachers are often unfamiliar with the needs of autistic children and struggle to teach them effectively. They expect the child to behave like everyone else, which of course is impossible. Very few schools have a resource base for children on the autistic spectrum, and there is a fundamental lack of understanding of the condition (usually due to the fact that teachers don’t have the right training).
This is why I see this book as a precious resource, as it’s based on practical experience, and it provides detailed and practical techniques parents and teachers can use with autistic children in different situations (i.e. when invited to special occasions, with children, at home, at school), guiding them on how to react and become aware of social behaviour while responding to their needs in a loving manner. It also helps parents to handle stressful moments within the context of real-life situations.
Teachers and not only parents will definitely benefit from the recommendations in this book!