Teachers in England believe that access to specialist autism support is becoming more difficult. More than a third (35 per cent) of teachers say that families are finding it harder to secure appropriate provision for their child or young person with autism than they did a year ago. The majority of teachers (60 per cent) also feel that they have not received adequate training to teach pupils with autism.
These are the findings of a survey conducted for Ambitious about Autism’s Schools Report 2013. Looking at five key areas of autism provision, the Report assesses how schools are performing in terms of support at school, exclusions, bullying, achievement and outcomes.
The report also reveals a 6.5 per cent rise since 2012 in the number of children whose statement of SEN lists autism as a primary need.
The charity is calling for better training on autism for teachers. “Given that 71 per cent of children with autism are educated in mainstream schools, providing teachers with the correct training to support pupils with autism is vital”, says Clare Bull, the charity’s Policy and Public Affairs Officer.
The charity also believes that the use of specialist autism tutors in some local authorities should be extended to all areas of the country.
To read Ambitious about Autism’s Schools Report 2013, click here.
