Memorandum submitted by Autism Bedfordshire
Autism Bedfordshire covers Bedfordshire and
Luton. Luton has reduced the number of placements in special schools
so that children on the Autistic Spectrum with an associated learning
difficulty are in mainstream. Bedfordshire are developing their
inclusion strategy and have reduced numbers of children with Autistic
Spectrum Disorder being accepted into special provision.
We receive a considerable number of helpline
calls from parents of these children.
In all the questions below we are considering
children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders.
1. PROVISION
FOR SEN PUPILS
IN "MAINSTREAM"
SCHOOLS: AVAILABILITY
OF RESOURCES
AND EXPERTISE;
DIFFERENT MODELS
OF PROVISION
Helpline calls highlight a deficit in the lack
of support and training within the mainstream schools to support
children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders. This leads to disenfranchising
the young people and high figures of exclusion in mainstream schools
for children on the autistic spectrum.
There are some cases where mainstream school
is never going to be appropriate because the school environment
can never be altered to accommodate the sensory overload that
children with ASD suffer in mainstream environments. Visual, auditory,
sensory and olfactory overload is greatly mis-understood and overlooked
when placing children in mainstream.
There are also some cases where mainstream school
is never going to be appropriate because of the severe social
understanding difficulties that some children with ASD encounter.
Both sensory overload and social understanding
difficulties are an unmet need that often leads to high anxiety
and challenging behaviour.
It is therefore imperative that there is specialist
provision available to accommodate the needs of these children
with ASD.
It is advantageous for children with ASD to
be in their local community school, but with the provision of
a specialist classroom to support their needs. This would allow
each child to participate in their local community and for parents
to live within easy reach of the school, thus enabling the school
parent partnership.
There is a major funding issue for all of the
above. ASD specific advisory teachers have extensive case loads
in Bedfordshire and Luton and are unable to offer the support
to schools as required.
2. PROVISION
FOR SEN PUPILS
IN SPECIAL
SCHOOLS
There are not enough specialist places for children
on the Autistic Spectrum in special schools. The Autistic Spectrum
includes children who are high academically but cannot cope with
their ASD related difficulties. These children have been at greatest
risk with the inclusion policy. They suffer terrible anxiety through
being unable to cope at school and this puts unacceptable stress
on the children and their families. These children under achieve
and are often excluded.
3. RAISING STANDARDS
OF ACHIEVEMENT
FOR SEN PUPILS
Helpline calls highlight a deficit in the lack
of support and training within the mainstream schools to support
children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders. Increased funding for
training and support services is essential if these children are
going to achieve. Academic achievement must be side by side with
social achievement, and ensuring that the high anxiety levels
of these students is addressed.
4. THE SYSTEM
OF STATEMENTS
OF NEED
FOR SEN PUPILS
("THE STATEMENTING
PROCESS")
All SEN pupils should have a right to an individual
child centred planning process actioned by a multidisciplinary
team. Support services such as Speech and Language Therapy, and
Occupational Therapy from Health services are lacking and this
has a negative impact on the child's education.
Any change to the Statementing process would
need to include the following:
— A system whereby parent's legal rights
to specialist educational and health care help for their children
is upheld.
— Full multi disciplinary assessment
and ongoing Independent Education Planning.
— A system that ensures that additional
funding needs are linked to each child to enable them to have
the input they require. This funding may have to extend to support
services from health.
5. THE ROLE
OF PARENTS
IN DECISIONS
ABOUT THEIR
CHILDREN'S
EDUCATION
It is absolutely imperative that the parents
are involved at every stage with equal input to the multidisciplinary
team decisions. In some cases the children too should be involved.
Education, Health and Social Services must have
a responsibility to provide parents with training and resources
to be able to contribute equally to their child's development
outside school.
6. HOW SPECIAL
EDUCATIONAL NEEDS
ARE DEFINED
Care must be taken not to exclude children who
are academically able on the Autistic Spectrum. These children
still have social, communication and processing difficulties that
have a profound impact on the children's ability to cope in mainstream
settings.
Their needs are too often overlooked and the
child is perceived as being wilfully naughty or challenging. Schools
need an individual strategy to support each child that helps them
to learn and understand what social behaviour is expected at school
and home. Some children may not be able to learn these social
behaviours. All staff at school must be trained to understand
these children's needs.
7. PROVISION
FOR DIFFERENT
TYPES AND
LEVELS OF
SEN, INCLUDING EMOTIONAL,
BEHAVIOURAL AND
SOCIAL DIFFICULTIES
(EBSD)
Children with ASD are the highest figures for
disability and yet they seem to have the least recognition. As
there has recently been an increase in support for children with
EBSD, there must be an equal increase in support for children
with ASD The impact on the child in later life is enormous. Research
and through our helpline we know that this group of children can
follow two pathways, either to become well known to the Police
and/or mental health services. This is the harsh reality that
not only impacts on the child and his/her family, but has an impact
on society in general.
8. THE LEGISLATIVE
FRAMEWORK FOR
SEN PROVISION AND
THE EFFECTS
OF THE
DISABILITY ACT
2001, WHICH EXTENDED
THE DISABILITY
DISCRIMINATION ACT
TO EDUCATION
Through our helpline we hear of children who
are still being excluded from activities, even within special
schools because they are on the Autistic Spectrum.
October 2005
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