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Step 1
Meetup is a website that allows local groups to schedule events and activities based on interest. Search for special needs or autism groups nearby to meet other parents in the same situation.
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Step 2
Call the professionals. A local or state-level Autism Society may have a listing of local parent groups. Pediatrician offices are another great source to find disability support groups. If there is a local children's hospital, contact the pediatric or the neurology departments. Autistic children commonly receive treatment in these offices, so they can probably recommend a good place for patients to attend.
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Step 3
Watch the bulletin boards. Churches, schools and community centers are all places where support groups often meet.
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Step 4
Local support groups offer face-to-face interaction with other parents dealing with autism, but often these groups are small in size and limited in knowledge. Many parents combine these local support groups with online membership in autism support boards. These online boards offer support from a much larger number of parents, so there is more information exchanged.
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Step 5
If there is no support group to meet current needs, start one. Advertise in local papers and give fliers to local pediatricians and specialists. Although Meetup is not free, starting a group there would get a bigger response than paper methods. Be patient and wait for the group to take off. Because of the large number of autistic children, there is a huge demand for support groups for parents.
