If you are a parent of an adult with autism, and are aged 60 years or above, you are invited to participate in a research project about the impact on families of caring for an adult with autism.

The purpose of the study is to find out about the experiences and needs of older parents of adults with autism so that future services and policies can be developed to best meet the needs of families of adults with autism.

Participation will consist of one interview lasting up to 2 hours, and a shorter follow-up interview, both conducted at a time and place convenient to participants. The interviews will be informal and will give participants an opportunity to tell their story about their experiences in being an older parent of an adult with autism. Interviews will be audiotaped so that the talk can be analysed closely. However, audiotapes will be kept confidential, and no details that could identify participants or their families will be revealed. Participation is voluntary, and participants are free to withdraw from the study at any time without penalty.

This project is being conducted by Monique Hines, under the supervision of Dr Susan Balandin, as part of a PhD at University of Sydney. It has been approved by the University of Sydney Ethics and the Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect) Ethics Committee.