When COVID-19 first led to the closure of schools and educational programs in China, FIVE reached out via WeChat and provided links to its three-part series of training videos to parents and teachers of children with autism who were forced to remain home. This was followed by numerous requests for online training, some by partner organizations that we have worked with for several years, and others by new organizations who sought our support. These include Stars’ Wings Autism Center, Huanghua, Cangzhou; Changchun Chinese-Western Medicine Rehabilitation Center, Changchun, Jilin; Handan College Children’s Education and Rehabilitation Center, Handan, Hebei; MuHe Education Consulting Group, Beijing; and Huiling Community Services for Adults and Youth with Developmental Disabilities (multiple locations). Since February, FIVE has provided eight online trainings, some targeted for teachers at a specific program and others hosted by a partner but open to all, which often brought more than 1000 parents and teachers to learn together. All of the trainings were provided by Helen McCabe and at the most recent two, she was joined by FIVE’s ongoing volunteer trainer, Patricia Wright.

FIVE’s support group in Nanjing continues to run, as it has ever since February 2008. The group provides ongoing support for approximately 25 young adults with developmental disabilities and mental health issues and their parents, though monthly in-person activities were suspended for many months this year. Instead, families communicated via our WeChat group, sharing stories and encouragement. In the fall, we had our first group meeting of 2020, led as always by Zhang Ge’s mother, Wu Suxing. One of the other parents in the group recently sent us this feedback: “Through our FIVE gatherings, we parents and our children have had enormous improvements, as we learn together how to raise and care for our sons and daughters. Thank you and welcome to come and stay in my home next time you are in China!”