Over two days on Saturday and Sunday (13–14 December 2025), the Research and Training Centre for Community Development (RTCCD), in collaboration with Thuy An Rehabilitation Centre for Persons with Disabilities, with the support of SPOON Foundation and International Social Service (ISS), organized a training course for 28 families of children with autism currently attending Thuy An Centre.
This activity was conducted within the framework of the global initiative “Supporting Families of Children with Disabilities to Care for Their Children at Home [1]”, initiated by International Social Service (ISS).
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The training aimed to strengthen families’ capacity to care for, nurture, and support the education and rehabilitation of children with disabilities within the home environment. The program was designed by combining foundational knowledge with practical skills, including:
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The importance of home-based care for children’s development and the role of parents
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An overview of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
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Supporting the development of communication, interaction, social-emotional skills, and behavior management for children with autism
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Effective communication skills between parents and children
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Safe caregiving and feeding skills
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Injury prevention skills, including choking first aid, electrical shock response, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
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Emotional support and stress reduction for parents
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The rights of children with disabilities
A key highlight of the training was its hands-on, “learning by doing” approach, directly addressing the real-life needs of each child. Trainers provided direct guidance and demonstrations, inviting mothers and grandmothers to practice on situations specific to their own children or grandchildren. This approach helped parents better understand, remember, and immediately apply the skills in daily home-based care.
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The training was conducted in an open, positive, and dynamic atmosphere, with enthusiastic participation from families throughout the two days. Many parents shared that this was the most beneficial training they had ever attended, offering practical and relevant knowledge that helped them better understand their children and feel more confident in supporting their development. Below are reflections from two participating parents:
“I am truly happy because before this course, I was struggling to find ways to reduce my own stress. After these two days of training, my stress has faded away. Here, I learned valuable knowledge that I had never been taught before. I was able to share, to feel understood, and I no longer felt alone.”
“Honestly, it was only after attending this course that I realized I had not been caring for my child in the right way before—I was mostly relying on instinct. Since yesterday, I have been telling other parents how wonderful and truly useful this course is. The trainer delivered the lessons with great empathy, especially the real-life examples that matched my situation and emotions. She also provided solutions that are easy to apply and very necessary. If I had learned this knowledge earlier, I could have taken better care of my child. I am deeply grateful to the trainers.”
Through this activity, RTCCD aims to continue accompanying and supporting families of children with disabilities in creating a safe and positive home environment, contributing to the development of children with special needs.
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In the coming period, three additional training courses will be organized, including:
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Supporting families of children with physical disabilities at home
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Supporting families of developmentally delayed children at home
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Sign language classes for families of deaf or hard-of-hearing children