Kevin Stoddart, PhD, is founding director of The Redpath Centre and an adjunct professor, Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto. Since the early 1990s, his primary clinical interest has been supporting children, youth, and adults diagnosed with autism and Asperger Syndrome and the co-existing social and mental health problems that affect them. He continues to be an active clinician at The Redpath Centre in Toronto.
Social Work Practice in Autism and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, edited by Kevin P. Stoddart and Ann Fudge Schormans, is a landmark text that profoundly enriches social work scholarship, especially in the area of disability. By blending personal narratives, historical and political analysis, and professional insights, it offers a nuanced exploration of autism, intellectual and developmental disabilities, and social work practice to support people with these identities. The inclusion of voices with lived experience as co-authors and self-authors of knowledge about their lives gives authenticity, respect, and depth to this important volume. Each chapter provides a rigorous, theoretically rich discussion of relevant issues while providing practical guidance for reflective and empowerment-based practices that will create better possibilities for individuals and families who encounter social work practitioners. This is a must-read for any social work practitioner aiming to advance opportunities and inclusion for people with autism and intellectual and developmental disabilities. - Charmaine C. Williams, Dean & Professor Sandra Rotman Chair in Social Work, University of Toronto