Sent this letter to the LEA yesterday. ONly had half an hour to write it so it was a bit of a rushed job. The numbers refer to headings used during the inclusion conference.
"Re The Inclusion Strategy Conference 2005-2008
Please find some comments below. Please note my son is non-verbal and has an autistic spectrum disorder. He attended mainstream school for 4 terms, and now attends XXX Special School.
8. How can we promote/improve support for pupils emotional, social and behavioural needs in school?
If children are not secure in school they cannot learn or be educated. In many cases the actual physical structure of a mainstream school can make it difficult for a child with conditions such as ASD. When my son attended mainstream school his workstation was next to the classroom door (the only place there was room for it). This door was left open and he frequently ran away through it. The constant distraction of the open door made it difficult for him to attend or behave. At his special school, the doors all have high handles making such escape impossible. Subsequently he has been able to concentrate and learn.
Children with ASD often show challenging behaviour. This needs to be dealt with in a particular way to prevent escalation. At mainstream school staff were not adequately trained to cope with my son?s challenging behaviours. In the two terms that he has been at special school his behaviour is now generally good, and he is able to behave appropriately on trips into the community.
At mainstream school my son had no peer group. He was unable to interact even at the most basic level with other children in his class. He never saw the children outside the school day and couldn?t attend any extra-curricular activities. Now at special school he spends the day with his peer group, he is invited to birthday parties and he accesses all parts of school life. Consequently he is a much calmer, happier little boy.
9. How can we more effectively and efficiently use financial resources to support inclusion?
A large problem here is that some of the resources that the statement specifies are not normally provided by the LEA, although the LEA retains responsibility for their provision. For example when in mainstream, my son had a statement specifying Speech and Language Therapy. As this is an educational need (for my non-verbal son) it was quite properly in parts 2 and 3 of the statement. This meant the LEA had responsibility to provide the SALT for my son. When his therapist went on maternity leave, and the health authority decided not to provide cover the LEA therefore had to pay a private therapist to cover her hours. This is obviously not an efficient use of resources, but as parents become more aware that speech and language therapy belongs in parts 2 and 3 of the statement this sort of situation may become more common. Especially as the health authority are now cutting the hours provided by the specialist speech and language therapist.
10. How can we ensure that our schools buildings support inclusion of all pupils?
It is important to remember that even physically able children can have problems with school buildings. Many children on the autistic spectrum struggle with fluorescent lights or are unable to enter toilets that are smelly and noisy (with hand dryers). They may require a workstation and space for a communication board. They may require a quiet area. Some children on the autistic spectrum are ?runners?- the open access of a mainstream school may make it too easy for them to leave the school grounds.
- How can we best promote and support inclusion in schools to meet the needs of all pupils?
We need to remember that for some pupils their best chance of inclusion comes through being able to access specialist provision. At mainstream school my son was unable to take part in school plays, unable to take part in sports day, unable to go on school trips, unable to work to the same curriculum as his year group. At special school he is fully involved in all aspects of school life and also has weekly trips into the community. The curriculum is built around his needs. He is now a much happier little boy and as a family we are much more relaxed.
Currently there is a insufficient funding to support inclusion effectively. However even with an increase in funding and the provision of more suitable training for LSAs and teachers there will still be children who are not suited to attending mainstream. Children on the autistic spectrum in particular are always going to find busy mainstream classrooms difficult because of the nature of their sensory problems. If these children have additional learning difficulties or language disorders then the high level of well trained support that is necessary for inclusion to even begin to work becomes impossible to provide. In my view the best way to promote inclusion is often through the provision of well resourced and well financed special schools.
Yours sincerely "