Service provision for autism in mainland China: a service providers' perspective.

Xiang and colleagues interviewed service providers across mainland China. They asked how autism care is organized for children.

The team talked to people in hospitals, schools, and private centers. They wanted to see who does what, and who talks to whom.

Providers described two separate tracks. Government hospitals give the diagnosis. Parent-run schools give daily lessons.

The tracks rarely meet. Files, goals, and progress notes stay in each silo. Families must bridge the gaps alone.

McCabe (2013) saw the same split in the same year. Both studies call the system “quantity over quality” and “isolated growth.”

Wang et al. (2026) later found the pattern repeats for adults. Donors fund short-term aid, not lifelong training, so the gap never closes.

Panpan et al. (2025) tested one fix: train parents to be para-therapists. Their positive results show a way to fill the workforce hole Xiang revealed.

If you coach families in China, expect them to arrive with two binders: a medical file and a school file. Your first job is to merge them. Offer to join the next hospital or school meeting. Bring a one-page summary that both sides can read. When providers see you connect the dots, they are more likely to keep collaborating after you leave.