The most common of these were: help with care during school holidays; respite care so that the carer could do things that they enjoyed. Grater levels of unmet needs were reported by parents whose house was considered unsuitable, whose child was reported to show more severe emotional distress and showed greater delays in the areas of language development and socialization." (Bromley, et al., 2002) Bromley et al. states that the findings of the study "have clear implications for the ways in which health, education and social services....should be providing support to children...and their families." (2002) Stated is that: "On a more practical level, these findings indicate a range of service activities that may be particularly helpful for children and their families which include: (1) Increasing access to and uptake of a range of options for respite care; (2) Increasing the availability of practical support during school holidays; (3) Providing educational and therapeutic environments that reflect the specific needs of children with ASD (e.g., sensory sensitivities); (4) Increasing access to and uptake of effective and practical advice to families on, among other things, managing difficult behavior; and (5) Increasing the availability of evidence-based therapeutic approaches to stress management to the primary carers of children with ASD. (Bromley, et al., 2001) The following table labeled Figure 1 shows the 'unmet' needs of intellectually disabled children and their families as stated in the findings of the study of Bromley et al. (2001) Unmet Needs of Intellectually Disabled Children and Their Families

Source: Bromley, et al., (2001)

III. METHODOLOGY

The methodology of this research proposal is one that is both qualitative and quantitative in nature. Data collection will be through use of the instrument of a survey/questionnaire and analysis will be conducted through coding, grouping and tabulation of the data. The study design is one that is interpretive...

Online available at http://internex.net.au?~eba/education.htm.
McGrath, P. (2001) Trained volunteers for Families Coping with a Child with a Life-Limiting Condition. Child & Family Social Work - Vol. 6, p. 23 February 2001. Online available at http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1046/j.1365-2206.2001.00177.x.

Bromley, Jo et al. (2002) The Health and Social Care Needs of Families and/or Carers Supporting a Child with Autistic Spectrum Disorders" Health Research Journal, January 2002. Online available at http://www.lancs.ac.uk/fass/ihr/publications/manchester_child.pdf#search=%22Australian%20Social%20Workers%3A%20provision%20of%20services%20to%20intellectually%20disabled%20children%20under%20six%20years%20old%22.

Wray, John; Silove, Natalie; and Knott, Helen (2005) Language Disorders and Autism - MJA Practice Essentials - Pediatrics. Online available at http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/182_07_040405/wra10330_fm.html.

Paton, S. And Homan, J. (nd) Learning with Amanda. Online available at http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cache:7Qt5HLL4KgwJ:www.engagingcommunities2005.org/abstracts/Paton-Sandy-final.pdf+Australian+Social+Workers:+provision+of+services+to+intellectually+disabled+children+under+six+years+old&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=57

Australian Social Workers: Research Proposal