Education Provision for Autistic Children
Posted by Lee Scott, MP for Ilford North, at 13:23, Wed 14 March 2007:
Last Wednesday I initiated a debate on education provision for autistic children. The debate took place last Wednesday (7th March 2007) in Westminster Hall.
According to UK researchers, autism may affect up to one in 100 children. Autism impairs social interaction, communication and imagination.
In 1978, the Warnock report argued passionately for the inclusion of children with special needs in mainstream schools. This view has influenced education policy ever since. Recently, however, Baroness Warnock concluded that there is an urgent need to reconsider the concept of inclusion.
As I said in the debate ‘The dogmatic approach of placing all pupils with special needs in mainstream schools has frequently benefited neither them nor the children whom they are educated alongside.’ and ‘Many of us have at some time been seduced by the theory of inclusion, which seems so nice and reasonable and politically correct, but there is clear evidence that it does not work for every autistic child.’ I concluded by saying ‘We should support inclusion, but only where it is in the best interests of the child and is the parents’ choice.’
I praised the National Autistic Society’s superb efforts to assist people in the UK with autism and welcomed their “Make School Make Sense” campaign.
I would like to hear your views on the policy of inclusion.
Comments
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Posted by Anna McGovern, 14:34, Wed 14 March 2007: (Is this post abusive?) #
I have to agree with you this time. I really like the idea of inclusion, but my feeling is that some (not all) austistic and special needs children need a more specialised environment and a more tailored support structure than mainstream school.
I'd be interested to know what prompted you to initiate this debate...
Best,
Anna
Posted by Ivan Corea, 17:40, Wed 14 March 2007: (Is this post abusive?) #
Lee,
Thank you for launching this debate regarded by parliamentarians of all parties as an 'important debate' on autism. The major debate on autism on Wednesday 7th March in Westminster Hall has created a real buzz in the Palace of Westminster with MPs pledging to do more for all people with autism and Asperger's Syndrome.
You rightly pointed out in your debate that numbers of autistic children are probarbly going to increase in 10 years time and this is why the Autism Awareness Campaign UK are calling on the Government to launch a 10 year program of building,staffing and resourcing specialist autism schools - open to all. Also there is a real need for autism units with sensory rooms to be built in existing mainstream secondary schools. Sometimes it gets too much for an autistic student and they do need 'time out' - in many secondary schools they have nowhere to go. Staff still need training in educational strategies to deal with autism in a mainstream setting. There is also the serious issue of bullying of autistic children.This issue cannot be ignored.
We were glad to see the Government's response in changing the guidelines to the closure of special schools after the autism debate in Westminster Hall. Children with autism still need the twin track - special schools for some and inclusion in mainstream schools - with structured support for others.
There are many issues that the government needs to tackle - access to further education, higher education and opportunities in the labour market among them.
The Autism Awareness Campaign want to thank you publicly for initiating this key debate - it has kick started a discussion in Westminster and I am sure it will help parents, carers and people with autism and Asperger's Syndrome.
Ivan Corea