I am seriously considering home educating my dd (asd) any advice links would be gratefully received!

[blossomhill]

Had enough really of dd's current school so obviously not right for her. Since breaking up she has not once bitten herself but was doing it on an almost daily basis. Am in the process of trying to get her into a specialist school and just feel that I would rather keep her at home with me where she is safe. Had a catalogue of incidences that have happened over the past few years and quite frankly I don't think either dd or I can do 1 more year even if it is her last.
Would appreciate other people's experience and any links to where I can get more help. Thanks a lot!

hi we are home educating our dd (nearly 6 now) and aspergers/hfa (stil awaiting formal diagnosis). She started school last September and was very up and down until Christmas then Jan-Mar was awful worsening behaviour, self harming (picking skin etc) destroying things at school and was hardly in class because she couldn't cope with the noise, children etc. So we took her out at the end of Mar and things have improved tremendously. We can work on the social skills things at our own pace and put them into practice in environments and lengths of time that suit us not forced upon her. The special needs home ed site can be helpful (you join their mailing list) home educating children with special educational needs is the site (sorry can't do links!!!) if you have any questions and also education otherwise. There are loads of sites for resources for help when home educating aswell and i'm sure people will let you know some that are relevant to your daughters age etc. HOpe you find some help.

www.he-special.org.uk/
is the special needs list - v supportive and lots of info

"Home educating our autistic spectrum children, paths are made by walking" is a great book - each chapter is a "case study" written by a different parent

Home ed section under education on mumsnet gives links and info too.

Good luck! Can certainly recommend it (and don't be put off by the "Badman stuff").
Stressa (home ed 3 kids, 2 ASD, for last 4+ years)

thanks for links knat and stressa really helpful

Blossomhill I've been HEing dd1 (NT) from the start, she's didn't go to nursery etc I expect that ds (?ASD) will be HEed too.

The HE world (parents & children) is generally very accepting of differences, there are many HE children on the spectrum & it works brilliantly

I have been Home edding my DS for the past four years due to very bad experiences at his primary school. I didn't want him to end up being put off learning because of his bad experiences at school. Well it has turned out to be the very best decision i have ever made in my whole life. DS is now twelve and a half and wants to go back to school so we're now in the process of sending him to a secondary school. This is great news for me as it shows his confidence levels are up again and he feels ready to try school again as he wants to learn alongside others of his own age.

I also think the families who HE are fab as they are so non judgmental and nurturing and independant minded which is lost most of the time by both the families and their children when children go to mainstream schools.

I would HE again in a heartbeat if I had to as it is such a fantastic alternative but not for everyone.