Jane Harris, Director of External Affairs at
the National Autistic Society,
said: “Exclusions can have a devastating impact on an autistic
child. We hear awful stories of children who spend months, even
years, out of education and lose all faith in the system and
themselves.
“Today’s report is welcome recognition of this unacceptable
situation. The Government’s own figures show that children on the
autism spectrum are three times more likely to be formally
excluded than children without special educational needs. On top
of this, others face being informally excluded or
off-rolled. This is unlawful and must stop.
“School can be an overwhelming place for autistic children –
things like bright lights, sudden noises, unclear instructions or
other children’s unpredictable behaviour can trigger extreme
levels of anxiety. This can lead to behaviour that seems naughty
or disruptive but is actually an indication that they are
overwhelmed, anxious or distressed.
“This has to change. As today’s report says, schools and councils
must work together to make sure there is better support to avoid
exclusions. For autistic children, this means making changes to
behaviour policies, and ensuring that all school staff understand
autism. This must be built on the right range of schools –
mainstream and specialist – being available in every area. Far
too many families face long legal battles to get the support
their children need, whether within a specialist school or in
mainstream.
“If any families are facing an exclusion or looking for any
information or advice about schools, we would encourage them to
contact our Education Rights
Service.”
