Understanding Parental Gatekeeping in Families with a Special Needs Child

Abstract

Supporting the positive development of a special needs child is especially challenging when parents have separated or divorced. Invariably, there is an increased need for collaborative co‐parenting wherein information is shared and intervention plans can be implemented effectively. In this article, the evolving literature on parental gatekeeping is applied to families with special needs children, as it offers a useful model for understanding the strengths and liabilities of co‐parenting relationships. We describe some of the typical and unique gatekeeping dynamics that occur when children suffer from developmental, physical, and/or psychiatric syndromes that require specific treatment and specialized parenting skills. Examples of both restrictive and facilitative gatekeeping are described as they manifest in these families. Implications for decision making are also discussed.

Judicial decision‐making in family court involving children with autism spectrum disorder

“…Thus, it is possible that judges consider that the "expert parents" with ASD children may contribute to a maladaptive coparenting dynamic, characterized by gatekeeping issues that might have a detrimental impact on children and nonresidential parents (Kaufman & Pickar, 2017). On the other hand, Kaufman and Pickar (2017) also note that this type of gatekeeping might benefit the child with autism when the other parent is passive, inaccessible, or unwilling to collaborate with the child's medical, therapeutic, and educational services.…”

“…This result could also be explained by the fact that some parents, especially fathers, show more similar social traits to their autistic child, referring to a broader autism phenotype (De Jonge et al, 2015). According to Kaufman and Pickar (2017), the parent sharing the same disorder as the child tends to think they can fully comprehend and sympathize with the child's struggle, helping others recognize the interventions that might be most successful. It is therefore possible that fathers with autistic traits might share needs and interests similar to those of their child with ASD, allowing these fathers to respond adequately in the eyes of experts and judges.…”

“…Notably, Kaufman and Pickar (2017) outline some of the distinctive gatekeeping dynamics that arise in families of special needs children (SNC), including those with a neurodevelopmental disorder such as autism. The authors describe the "expert parent", often a stay-at-home parent who is more available to interact and speak with professionals and service providers.…”

Considerations regarding child and parent neurodiversity in family court

“…For example, the risk assessment model co‐developed by Pickar and Kaufman (2015) emphasizes that the severity of the child's special needs condition is a crucial factor in determining the best type of post‐divorce living arrangement, as many neurodiverse children may function quite well in equally shared parenting plan arrangements, even those with multiple transitions between homes each week. Additionally, evaluators and decision‐makers need to be on the look‐out for maladaptive restrictive gatekeeping dynamics sometimes seen in post‐divorce families with a neurodiverse child (i.e., “the parent as expert” or “the only capable parent,” Kaufman & Pickar, 2017, p. 201) in which a parent may adopt a position that unnecessarily jeopardizes the neurodiverse child's relationship with the other parent. In developing parenting plans, it is often crucial to consider safety first , as some neurodiverse children with severe forms of ASD, ADHD or depression may be particularly at risk for self‐destructive or impulsive behavior, elopement, or excessive risk‐taking.…”

“…To this end, Pickar and Kaufman (2015) devised a framework for analyzing such risk and protective factors to identify and devise effective parenting plans for specific types of CSN. These authors have also addressed how gatekeeping issues may manifest in separating families with a child with special needs (Kaufman & Pickar, 2017), and the need for involving both parents in post-divorce treatment and intervention planning (Pickar & Kaufman, 2019).…”