Autism Charity Warns of Children Being Excluded From Schools:
A charity that advocates for children with autism has warned of a hidden crisis of autistic children and those with special needs being excluded from school.
AsIAm says a survey it conducted has found that half of parents of children with autism have been waiting for more than a year for a suitable school place, and it says hundreds of children are being excluded from school altogether.
The online survey, with received 300 responses, found that one third of parents had been waiting between one and two years for a school place, one in ten had been waiting for between two to three years, and that 7% of parents had been waiting for more than three years for a suitable place.
Among the parents of children with special needs who were not attending school the survey found that 22% had been expelled, while 34% had withdrawn from their school due to inadequate support.
According to AsIAm almost one in five of parents surveyed said the main barrier to accessing a school place was the lack suitable classes or schools nearby.
Of those whose children are not attending school two thirds of parents surveyed gave anxiety as a reason for this.
Just over half said there was a lack of knowledge or understanding of autism in the former school, with the same number saying that their child experienced sensory overloads at school.
One third of parents said their child had “meltdowns” in school, while 27% said their child experienced bullying and isolation.
Chief Executive of AsIAm Adam Harris said that despite the good intentions and hard work of many, autistic children were not being treated with the same respect and importance as their neurotypical peers.
He said the State was failing “a significant body of children who do not go to school at all”.
Mr Harris said there were other instances where students in theory had a school place and appeared on the roll book, but in fact they may be reduced to a partial school day by the school that they attend – “despite the fact that this is illegal”, he said.
“They may be suspended or expelled not for negative behaviour in the traditional sense but literally because they are autistic and go unsupported in school.
“They may irregularly or almost never attend school due to overarching anxiety or a lack of suitably trained teachers but continue to be enrolled as if all was well.”
AsIAm has called for more autism classes, improved infrastructure, better teacher training and an obligation placed on schools to be fully inclusive.
