Home Ed for pre school son with ASD good idea?

[clpsmum]

I have an almost 4yr old son with ASD. He's due to start school in August. We've been advised to put him into a school for children with additional needs. Been to see school and its fantastic. Because of when his birthday is we also have the option to defer for a year as he had only done one year of nursery.

He is currently in an additional needs nursery. There are 4 boys inc him in his class all on the spectrum. It's a very "old fashioned" nursery tbh. I am worried that by being in a nursery with only children on spectrum and then moving to a school for children on spectrum could lead to him learning further behavioural issues from them (and they from him).

I'm thinking of taking him out of the system and deferring him a year. I'd employ an early intervention team to work with him for one year using aba/vb therapy etc and also put him into a mainstream nursery with a one to one supervisor for him so he has the chance to mix and learn from NT children.

Am I insane? Is this a stupid idea? I honestly don't know if I'm being ridiculous or not.

Sorry for any typos on dreaded iPhone!

No. imo, your idea is the best idea.

Oh, and apply for a statutory assessment while you are doing it.

You sound very organised and pro-active, it sounds like you would get the right support for your ds - so I think it is a good idea. Having access to a mainstream nursery sounds good too. With the right support he may learn from his peers, though I am sure my ds pretty much ignored those around him at that age - most of the time. Ds really disliked hearing the nursery children sing, so there were times when he just didn't want to be there, and he wouldn't go into a loo with a hand dryer either.

sounds like a really good plan!

I am in a similar position, my DS is 3 and a half (ASD) and we are keen for him to defer school entry until he is five, as he is on an ABA intensive home programme which we want to continue until then (he does go to mainstream nursery one day a week as well, but with an ABA tutor shadowing him). We are about to start the statement assessment process so don't yet know what the LEA's opinion will be.

Sounds great to me. Dd2 went to a autism base nursery, all the children were on different levels. We pulled her out when she got to tell me that the children that didn't talk scarced her and the screaming was too loud. She is now in a ms reception class, she is one of the eldest which helps.

Ps if your in Herts and need a qualified person as his one to one

Yes, we will do it anyway whatever the LEA says! And we are angling to trying to get some fnding for the ABA through the statement, although I think it may be a major uphill battle. Our LEA are apparantly no longer funding ABA programmes although they have done in the past.

Not in Herts but in north London! I have all the tutors I need at the moment however!