3 Things School Can Do To Support Your Autistic Child

Let’s be honest, your child spends more conscious time at school than they do at home, so it is imperative that this environment be as comfortable as possible. This is something that some schools just don’t seem to understand. We always get parents using our FREE Clinical Appointments to ask us what school can be doing to better support their child, so we thought we would write an article giving you 3 things that school can be doing to better support your child.

Need extra support? Why not book a FREE Clinical Appointment with an Autism Specialist at CareGen? Book now by clicking here!

Leaving Class Early

Many young people with Autism struggle with transitions, especially when going from one classroom to another. Couple that with the sensory jungle of having 30 children moving in the same direction, you can understand why many of our young people struggle. To alleviate this unnecessary stress, it may be worth asking your child's school, if they could leave a few minutes earlier than others. This would give them enough time to settle into the new environment and miss all of the hustle and bustle.

Some young people may not want to be seen as “different” or receiving preferential treatment. This is why it may be useful to discuss a subtle strategy to allow your child to leave early without drawing attention. We’ve supported families in developing strategies such as the teacher asking your child to deliver a note or item to their next teacher and for them to take all of their belongings for convenience. This could be a strategy to discuss with your child's SENCO.

Visual Instructions

This is a no brainer! Many children struggle with processing information verbally and may need this to be reinforced visually. This could be one reason why your child is struggling at school, as they may need things written down, in order to process the information. It shouldn’t be too unreasonable to ask your child's teacher to print off the lesson plan for your child so they not only have a visual aid to what they should be doing, but it also prepares them for what to expect next.

We always recommend for parents to speak with your child's teachers directly as information may be lost if you discuss this with only the SENCO. Worst case scenario, the teacher could jot down a few instructions on a piece of paper for your child to read and re-read whilst in lesson.

Flexible start times

One of the hardest battles for any parent is trying to get your child ready for school in the morning. This is especially difficult for parents of children with Autism. There are so many extra factors that are at play such as; your child needing to follow a routine and if this can’t be fulfilled, then they may need to start again. This is why it would be unreasonable to expect your child to get to school on time every single day.

It may be worth asking your child's school if there was a 20/30 minute grace period in the mornings that would not count as them being marked as late or absent. By doing this, you may find that it becomes easier for your child to actually get into school as there is less pressure and also sensory stimuli at the new time.

Need more support? Why not book a FREE Clinical Appointment with an Autism Specialist at CareGen? Book now by clicking here!