Autistic daughter in mainstream setting with support

[Babbles1223]

Hi guys,

Just looking for any advice or experiences. Our daughter has global development delay, autism and hypermobility. Her speech is extremely delayed, no sentences, can string a couple of nearly inaudible words together etc. Her EHCP was approved and advised that a high COIN unit in mainstream setting would be most appropriate. We were then informed that there is no space in any school with these facilities, and that our only option was for her to go mainstream with a teaching assistant. Have any of you sent your autistic children down the mainstream route?

We’re thinking we might delay her until next year and try and get her into the right school. We’re really concerned in mainstream they wouldn’t be able to manage her, and we really don’t want her constantly getting removed from classrooms and being put somewhere on her own.

She currently goes to mainstream nursery, and has done really well. Hasn’t made any friends though. ☹️

Lots of worries here, so any advice would be appreciated.

I have no direct experience but my sister has gone through the exact same this year. My Nephew's educational psychologist advised not to keep him back for a year as it's better to go to a mainstream school and it not work out as it pushes you up the list for more help/a special needs school placement. I know it's awful and you feel like you're setting them up to fail but it might be a necessary evil to get help further down the line. Hopefully someone will be along soon with more experience than me

I work in a school and it varies on where your child is on the spectrum, sometimes it is hard to see a distressed child who is finding it hard to cope with the school routines. The school try their best to help but the environment and the fact it can be very disruptive to the whole class makes it stressful. I think if the parent saw how distressed their child would get they would be heartbroken. I find it upsetting as it is very distressing to see. Sadly parents are encouraged to keep them in mainstream due to lack of a alternative.

Yes this is what we’re worried about. She’d find it stressful but couldn’t tell us. ☹️

Thank you for this! Really nice to hear what other families have done.

@Babbles1223 my dd is starting a high coin for reception this Sept I just wondered how your lo is doing since starting a unit and how they have changed