Supporting Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Schools

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Executive Summary The NCSE is pleased that, generally, the correct education supports are in place and are working well for students with ASD. We acknowledge the important role played by parents and advocacy groups in encouraging the DES to increase investment, expand provision and ensure CPD is available for teachers to the point where: In December 2014, of the 13,873 students with ASD in the school system: • 63 per cent were educated in mainstream classes • 23 per cent were educated in special classes in mainstream primary and post-primary • 14 per cent were educated in 118 special schools • 23 per cent of all students with resource teaching hours were students with ASD • 25 per cent of all resource teaching posts were allocated for ASD • 73 per cent of all special classes approved were for ASD • About 40 per cent of all students with SNA support had ASD • 69 per cent of all students with ASD accessed SNA support. We also found areas with room for improvement and we outline these, along with key recommendations, in the following sections. A complete set of recommendations is included in Appendix 6. We acknowledge the difficult fiscal climate; this advice is intended to provide guidance on how the system can improve as funding becomes available. Perhaps more than any other disability, there has been much national and international discussion on the education of students with ASD. Authors in the field have pointed out that parents of children with ASD have, for many years, been faced with numerous interventions and treatments, some of which have attracted passionate advocates even where no reliable evidence supports their efficacy. All these claims can add immeasurably to the anxiety of parents, teachers and policy makers seeking to ensure that children are given every chance to achieve their potential. The NCSE is aware of the need to ensure that our advice is evidence informed. We take great care to review and consider the available evidence. One of our great advantages is that we are independent and not looking to prove the validity of one approach over another or defend a particular viewpoint. We are child-centred rather than approach centred. Our role is to advise based on the evidence. 4 Supporting Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Schools – NCSE Policy Advice 2015
Executive Summary Pre-school children We found parents of pre-school children were confused by the current array of pre-school settings and schemes with their different staffing and funding arrangements. We also found they were frustrated by limited and inconsistent access to diagnosis and therapeutic services to support preschool children. The Government should bring clarity to the system by having one appropriately supported national pathway up to, and including, pre-school so that parents understand the support available for their children with special educational needs, including ASD, from what point this support is provided and where it is delivered. High quality early childhood education and care have been clearly identified in research as benefiting all children, including those with special needs, in terms of well-being and lifelong learning. A major longitudinal study on UK pre-school education found high quality pre-school was linked to better self-regulation, pro-social behaviour and lower levels of hyperactivity, can act as a protective factor and reduce the risk of special educational needs, especially for the most disadvantaged and vulnerable groups of young children. These effects last up to the end of primary education. Characteristics of good quality early intervention and pre-school development for children with ASD include: • Multidisciplinary collaborative approach to assessment leading to individualised planning, intervention and developmentally appropriate evidence-informed practice. • Intervention in natural environments and with access to typically developing children. • Supportive, structured and planned teaching which takes into account the need for predictability and routine. Highly trained and skilled pre-school staff is key to ensuring high quality pre-school provision and for children with ASD, this means being knowledgeable about and experienced in working with young children with ASD. Younger pre-school children should have access to appropriate therapy supports in line with their needs once it is clear they are missing key developmental goals. They should not have to wait until they have received a formal diagnosis of a specific disability before receiving such supports. Pre-schools should be appropriately funded to ensure that children have the appropriate supports. Pre-school staff should have relevant qualifications. When appropriate supports are in place, pre-school placements should be for two years. Supporting Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Schools – NCSE Policy Advice 2015 5
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Pre-School Children and School-Aged
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Appendix 1: Summary of Previous Rel
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Appendix 2: Historical Context and
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Appendix 3: List of Special Schools
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Appendix 4: The Consultation Proces
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Appendix 4: The Consultation Proces
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Appendix 5: List of Interventions A
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Appendix 5: List of Interventions P
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Appendix 6: List of Recommendations
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Bibliography Bibliography Agency fo
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Bibliography Carr, J.E. and Firth,
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Bibliography Eikeseth, S., Smith, T
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Bibliography Mannion, A., Leader, G
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Bibliography Reed, P., Osborne, L.A
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Supporting Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Schools

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