https://ojs.upsi.edu.my/index.php/JPAK <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Jurnal Pendidikan Awal Kanak-kanak Kebangsaan (JPAKK) [ISSN 2289-3032 eISSN 2550-178X]</strong> began its first issue in 2012. JPAKK published <strong>twice a year (April &amp; October started 2024)</strong>, scholarly peer-reviewed publication, with an Editorial Board comprised of eminent scholars and is managed by the National Child Development Research Centre (NCDRC) of Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (Sultan Idris Education University, Malaysia) with the support of Penerbit UPSI (UPSI Press). JPAKK is a local voice for both research and practice concerning early childhood education. This refereed journal extends across various social/cultural contexts and contributes to the national debate on holistic development for young children. This local voice for children explores a range of topics such as multicultural issues, indigenous early education, children’s learning, sustainable development, advocacy, and other issues involving early childhood education for the world’s children.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>JPAKK supports Open Access. The electronic full text version of the journal is available Free of Charge (FOC).</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><img src="https://ejournal.upsi.edu.my/public/site/images/admin/My_Cite131.png" /> <img src="https://ejournal.upsi.edu.my/public/site/images/admin/logo2-d5966321cdea8c314b36d3084cc4ad2c-555af028e07780b8d11b73b75e3e9c84.png" alt="" width="110" height="43" /></p> PKM UPSI en-US Jurnal Pendidikan Awal Kanak-kanak Kebangsaan 2289-3032 https://ojs.upsi.edu.my/index.php/JPAK/article/view/8672 <p>Acceptance for parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is not an easy feat. They grapple with various challenges and pressures concerning their child's behavior as they grow up. As a result, parents begin seeking information about their child's behavior, symptoms, treatment options, therapy, agencies, and various other relevant matters as an initial step in their course of action. The conducted study aims to explore the perspectives of parents regarding the initial information required to navigate the challenges of raising a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A qualitative approach was chosen, utilizing purposive sampling of 24 parents who have children with autism, whether formally diagnosed by experts or currently undergoing treatment or therapy for the confirmation process. The findings from interviews were analyzed thematically and yielded four overarching themes: information channels and content, support services, treatments and therapies, and the trajectory of children with autism. In conclusion, parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are in dire need of early-stage information regarding this condition, ensuring that their child is on the appropriate path to meet their specific needs. Given that this study only explores the informational needs of parents, it is recommended that future research endeavors delve into the broader requirements of families with autism, including financial assistance, relevant agencies, training, and workshops to provide comprehensive support to families with children diagnosed with autism.</p> Iylia Mohamad Fairuz ‘Ain Harun Mohamad Albaree Abdul Norly Jamil Nur Ain Farhana Kariuddin Mohd Norhafizi Arof Nurul Akma Jamil Intan Farahana Abdul Rani Copyright (c) 2024 Iylia Mohamad, Fairuz ‘Ain Harun, Mohamad Albaree Abdul, Norly Jamil, Nur Ain Farhana Kariuddin, Mohd Norhafizi Arof, Nurul Akma Jamil, Intan Farahana Abdul Rani http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0 2024-08-19 2024-08-19 13 2 1 15 10.37134/jpak.vol13.2.1.2024