Development of koza parent to parent support program for parents of neurodiverse children

In this study, the development process of the Koza Parent-to-Parent Support Program was examined in collaboration with parents of children with neurodiversity, focusing on the creation of social-emotional, advocacy, and informational support components to explore parents' experiences of empowerment. The research was designed as action research. Participants in the study were parents (n:22) and siblings (n:3) of neurodiverse (ASD, DS, WS, CP) children. Actions, observations, and interviews conducted in the research emphasize the importance of evaluating the early challenges faced by parents within a socio-cultural context upon diagnosis. It was identified that coming together, sharing their experiences, rewriting their own stories, and forming social support networks could be effective tools for parental empowerment. Various data collection methods such as interviews, observations, document analysis, and checklists were employed in the research. Due to pandemic conditions, online conferences and media tools were used for data collection during the program development process, which included activities such as listening practices, role-playing, discussions, and expert invitations. Parents had been empowered in the domains of social-emotional support, advocacy, and knowledge. Concurrent with the literature, parent-to-parent support programs can be considered complementary to early childhood special education services, highlighting the need for efforts directed towards parental empowerment.