To allow my son to walk 300 yards home from school alone

[Throwaway2468]

He’s 10 years old and will be in high school next year. Although he has recently been diagnosed as autistic I feel he is more than capable of walking this distance and he enjoys being given the opportunity to do this.

His father (we split up years ago) is very strongly against this, believing he is too vulnerable and has apparently now made an urgent application to the court - about what specifically I don’t know.

Am I being negligent by letting my son do this? I felt it was good practice for him going to high school next year where I’m sure he will prefer to take even more responsibility for himself, just like his friends

Thanks for the alternative view point @Longlongsummer, I have no problem at all with walking thin if that’s what he would prefer, I always give him the option and he wants to walk home himself with his friends. He’s excited about doing things on his own and having his own key, I Walk him to school everyday and wait with him for the bell because he likes that.
The reason I’m not keen to give in is because this is something he wants to do, we’ve done the walk together hundreds of times so we practised sage crossing a lot.
I do take on board your point about him potentially being confused by an unexpected situation and I will ensure he is clear in that he must come straight home no matter what, however in such a short distance and short space of time I’m struggling to foresee any issues, all he has to do is walk a couple of hundred yards down a straight road and he’s home

YANBU and I wouldn't include your ex in the way you parent. As he is such a great parent maybe he should parent more then.
There's nothing wrong with him walking home that distance, it's not like you won't be looking out for him.

he is being very unreasonable, he's not going to help the child be never allowing him any sort of independence

To be fair walking home is trickier than going to school. DS typically didn't come straight home, or at least not quickly. The kids tended to hang around chatting or go home by a different route.

Doesn't mean he shouldn't do it but "come straight home" might not be as easy to enforce with friends as you might imagine!

I think if he wants to do it @Throwaway2468 , then he should be allowed to do it

DS has just started yr 6, he has some additional needs and has been walking with a friend since about Easter. One of his friends, who's NT and one of the eldest children in the year ( so nearly 11) isn't allowed to walk alone/with friends. Not because she doesn't want to - she is really keen to - but because her mum just can't let go. Even she admits that. I think that's a real shame. If a child wants independence then a way should be found to make that possible

Just because someone has autism doesn't mean they can't do anything like walk to school unless there autism is difficult to cope with as a mom

Zombie … the OPs child will be 15 by now, and I’m sure his school travel plans are fine