Autism Spectrum Annotation

1. Supporting Siblings of Young People with Disabilities
EDUC 810: Autism Spectrum Disorders and Developmental Disabilities
Dr. Eileen Feliciano, Instructor
Autism Spectrum Annotation (Cohort 4)
Bank Street College Graduate School of Education
July 24, 2012
By: Zio, Gabi, Marissa, and Veronica

2. Intro to Sibshops
Sibshops
Sibshops are best described as “events” or opportunities for siblings
of children with special needs (e.g., health, mental, and/or
developmental) to obtain peer support and education within a
recreational context (e.g., games and activities) and to promote
relationship building between siblings.
Sibshops Introductory Video

3. Introduction (con't)
Sibshops are:
Typically 4 hour workshops geared towards school-aged children
(ages 8 to 13) who have a brother or sister with special needs.
Who can participate?
Siblings of children with special needs are encouraged to take part in
Sibshops to gain peer support within their community.
What age groups?
Originally developed for school-age children, but can be adapted for
children under 8 years of age as well as for teens.

4. Sponsors + Facilitators
Sponsors and Facilitators:
Sponsors are oftentimes agencies serving families of children with
special needs.
Facilitators can be social workers, special education teachers,
occupational, physical, and speech therapists, nurses, and child life
specialists.

5. Why Offer Sibshops?
To reduce sense of isolation by meeting other siblings of individuals
with special needs.
To create positive interactions, positive self-view, and allows peers to
be involved with a peer support network.
To provide an outlet for siblings to discuss their experiences, both
positive and negative, about their siblings with special needs.
To enhance the typically developing child's self-esteem by having
them participate in team building skills.

6. Why Offer Sibshops? (con't)
Can be easily adaptable to group size (typically with a 12:2 ratio) and
have been held for as few as 5 children to as many as 45.
Are flexible; depending on the needs of the community, Sibshops can
be weekly, biweekly, or monthly.
Can promote tolerance and acceptance among the sibling community
and can enhance a child's self perception as a child advocate.

7. Goals of Sibshops
Goal #1: Provide brothers and sisters of children with special needs
and opportunity to meet other siblings in a relaxed, recreational
setting.
Goal #2: Provide brothers and sisters with opportunities to discuss
common joys and concerns with other siblings of children with special
needs.
Goal #3: Provide brothers and sisters with an opportunity to learn how
others handle situations commonly experienced by siblings of children
with special needs.

8. Goals of Sibshops (con’t)
Goal #4: Provide siblings with an opportunity to learn more about the
implications of their brothers and sisters with special needs.
Goal #5: Provide parents and other professionals with opportunities to
learn more about the concerns and opportunities frequently
experienced by brothers and sisters of people with special needs.

9. Sibling Concerns
Overidentification: Siblings wondering if they will catch or share the
sibling problems.
Embarrassment: Siblings may get embarrassed by the unwanted
attention for the sibling with special needs.
Guilt: Brothers and sisters may feel they caused their siblings
disability.
Isolation, loneliness, and loss: Siblings may miss having a typically
developing sibling.
Resentment: Siblings may feel the sibling with the disability gets all
the attention.

10. Sibling Concerns (con't)
Increased responsibility: Sibling may feel responsible to take care of
the sibling with a disability.
Pressure to achieve: Sibling may feel like they have to be the
"successful one" in the family.
First hand look at Sibshops

11. Considerations by Age
Teens: Use psychological or metaphysical reason for the diagnosis.
"I think it might be God's way of telling our family to pull it together.
"The Sibling Slam Book" (p. 135) / Dear Aunt Blabby (Sibshops p.
235).
School-Aged: Grade-schoolers may need information to answer their
own questions about the disability. "My sister's diagnosis is strongly
connected to nail polish. I thought she got a rash because of the nail
polish, which then caused Cancer." "Sound off" (p. 125).
Pre-Schoolers: "Will represent what they have been told, overheard,
observed, and conjured up on their very own." Modified "Graffiti wall"
(p. 133), moderator writes what the children say / “Wheel of Feelings
Beanbag Toss” (p.130).

12. Sample Sibshops Format
SIBSHOPS: WORKSHOPS FOR SIBLINGS OF CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
(Donald J. Meyer & Patricia F. Vadasy, 1994, Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Company)
10:00 A.M. Trickle In Activity: Facetags!
10:20 A.M. Introductory / Peer Support Activity: Strengths & Weaknesses
10:45 A.M. Recreational Activity: Knots
10:50 A.M. Recreational Activity: Lap Game
11:00 A.M. Recreational Activity: Stand Up!
11:10 A.M. Recreational Activity: Group Juggling
11:30 A.M. Recreational Activity: Triangle Tag
11:40 A.M. Recreational Activity: Sightless Sculpture
11:50 A.M. Lunch Prep
12:00 P.M. Lunch: Super Nachos!
12:20 P.M. Lunch Clean Up
12:30 P.M. Peer Support Activity: Dear Aunt Blabby
12:55 P.M. Recreational Activity: Push Pin Soccer
1:15 P.M. Recreational Activity: Hog Call
1:30 P.M. Peer Support Activity: Sound Off
1:55 P.M. Closure

13. Graffiti Wall – p. 133
Purpose: Graffiti Wall allows siblings to creatively express
and discuss a wide range of feelings they may
have toward their brothers, sisters and parents.
Materials: butcher paper, markers, and crayons.
Procedures: 1) Close eyes: Think of how you feel about your
sibling - mixed?
2) Go to the wall: Express your emotions in
pictures or writing.
3) Share stories and pictures.
Meyer, D. and P. Vadasy. (2007). Sibshops: Workshops for siblings of children with
special needs. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brooks Publishing Company

14. 1. Now, close your eyes and think…

15. 2. Express Your Feelings!

16. 3. Tell Us About It!
Share-out and Reflection

17. Concluding Questions
1. What do you see as both observers and participants as the
potential benefits to Sibshops?
2. Pitfalls?
3. Comments and/or Concerns.

18. Further Information
Website: http://www.siblingsupport.org
Bookstore: http:astore.amazon.com/thesibsuppro-20
Sibling Stories Blog: http://siblingstories.blogspot.com
Sibling Support Project: (206) 297-6368
Training Calendar: http://plus.calendars.net/sibshop

19. Bibliography
Conway, S., Meyer, D., (2008) Sibling of Young People with Disabilities, Support for Learning,
Vol. 23. Number 3.
Cooke, J., Semmens, C., (2009) Development and Evaluation of a Support Group for Siblings of
Children on the Autism Spectrum, GAP, Volume 1, Page 11.
Meyer, D., Vadasy, P., (1994) SibShops: Workshops for Siblings of Children with Special Needs,
Paul Brooks Publishing Company., inc. Maryland
Meyer, D., (2005) The Sibling Slam Book: What it's REALLY like to have a brother of sister with
Special Needs,, Woodbine House Inc.
Reinke, J. (2012, April). Siblings of individuals in the autism spectrum: An important theoretical
perspective. EP Magazine, DOI: www.eparent.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrRBAbd7n6Q&feature=BFa&list=PL76FE901510C9023B
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrRBAbd7n6Q&feature=BFa&list=PL76FE901510C9023B