My child...

My child is strong, long limbed and has a prodigious memory. Never do or say anything in his presence that you don't want repeated back at you in perfect detail at some point in the future (I have learned this the hard way). He also has a diagnosis of autistic spectrum disorder.

He is one of the lucky ones. He has no additional health or developmental conditions, a little brother who worships him and a school that understands the behaviours he displays when frustrated, over-stimulated or just plain exhausted from his frequent periods of insomnia.  

The decision to send him to a specialist school was not an easy one, but I have never regretted it. I fear that he would have been excluded several times in the past year alone if attending a mainstream school, as the majority are sadly just not equipped to deal with his behaviours and frequent need for periods of quiet and isolation.

The odds are against getting a place in a school like his. There are very few and, at the time we applied, there were five children competing for the only space. Places at his school are not available every year: They have a maximum number of children across the entire school, not per year, and form their classes according to ability (both social and academic) rather than age. Some children are able, with their help, to move on into a mainstream school, thus freeing up spaces. Many are not.

The actual process of applying to the school is a blur. As well as a recently diagnosed three year old, I was juggling a baby, various specialist appointments, Early Bird classes, imminent eviction from our home and the practicalities of my return to work on reduced hours. All I know is that our key-worker was amazing. She supported us through every difficulty and helped me find the strength to do what was needed in order to get what we wanted.

There are many benefits to recommend a school specialising in autistic spectrum disorders: The various disciplines have a representative on site at least one day a week, these include speech therapists, nutritionists and occupational therapists. There is also a greater understanding of some of the stranger and more aggressive behaviours and the staff are properly equipped to deal with them.

The thing that concerned me most when choosing the school was my fear that he might miss out on the social aspect of his education, something I've always felt was more important than the academic side of things (at least in primary school). I needn't have worried. They have strong links with another local primary and run special inclusion classes for those who are capable of coping.

The support and understanding we have received from the school is immeasurable. They gave my, previously almost mute, child a voice. He is going through a "difficult and angry" patch at the moment and is displaying some very challenging behaviour. Where another school might exclude him on grounds of bad behaviour and disruptiveness, at the most recent parents' evening, his teacher simply said, with a wry smile "Yes, lately we have been seeing his personality come out more."

Although there are some wonderful exceptions out there, until there is the money and the political will to invest more in our schools and teachers in order to equip them to deal with the variety of disabilities and challenges they face daily, inclusion will continue to fail a large number of our children. I feel incredibly lucky that my child has a place in a wonderful school that understands and supports him. I wish many more parents and children could experience the same.