AUTISM-IN-MIND SENT THE FOLLOWING PAPER TO THE APPGA ALMOST FOUR YEARS AGO.
HOME EDUCATION AND WHY IT IS BECOMING THE ONLY OPTION FOR SOME PARENTS.
This is a serious issue and one which is gathering steam as more and more parents are choosing to remove their autistic children from the system in favour of educating them themselves.
By the time most of the parents that Autism-in-Mind have spoken to decided to withdraw their children from the school system many are already coping with children who are deeply disturbed, depressed and self harming and in some cases threatening or attempting suicide. Some of these children are as young as 5 or 6 years old. So having turned to Home Education as an option it is often something of a surprise, when after only a few weeks, they find that their children begin to show a zest for life that they have rarely if ever seen for a very long time. It is also a revelation to these parents that their children, many who have been held back a year or even two, and have been struggling to keep up with their peers, begin to show a willingness to learn and develop and redevelop skills that they had previously not had or had lost. This proves that by providing the right environment, where the complex and specific needs of these children can be met, it can make a huge difference to their learning abilities and the long-term potential of our children. Added to this the children are calmer, tantrums decrease very quickly they are no longer depressed. They begin to take an interest in their day and stop talking about suicide. The vast majority of the parents who are in contact with Autism-in-Mind believe that children have been subjected to, what they can only describe as, abuse by the educational system. As Autism is a Communication and Socialisation Disorder for some children just having to sit next to another child in class while they are expected to learn will effectively stop them from doing so. We believe that there is little if anything that the education system can do to stop this from happening without seriously altering an environment, which suits the other 29 children in a classroom. Would this indeed be fair to the other 29 children? Autistic individuals need to feel that they have a certain amount of control over a situation before they can feel comfortable and function in that situation. It is difficult for any child to feel in control in a mainstream classroom environment, where many sensory issues are stopping you from learning and making you feel ill, and are impeding your learning abilities.
Home Education can tailor the learning environment to suit the specific needs of the child. You can overt a sensory overload, because you know what it is that makes that child overload in the first place. You therefore set up a learning system that suits them and allows them to learn effectively, an environment where they feel comfortable and in control. An Autistic friendly environment provides the best possible learning environment in which a child may develop and grow. Not only do autistic children need an autism specific environment to learn in they also need to be taught many other non-academic subjects that we take for granted. For example how do you understand and interpret facial expression, body language, implied meaning, and intonation of voice? This can be done at home over a period of many months or even years as a slow and continuous process, so that eventually the child recognises where someone is unhappy with them just by looking at the facial expression or their crossed arms. They can do this without looking silly in front of a classroom full of children, who can find it hilariously funny when they so often get it wrong. Negative feedback to a child with autism can cripple any self-confidence they do possess. Children with autism thrive in an environment, which celebrates any success they may achieve, however small that may appear to be. Home Education can also facilitate their individual learning styles and address any literal interpretations.
Parents who home educate can take the time to facilitate their children’s need for Emotional Literacy. How can anyone fit into a mainstream setting when they are totally unaware of their own emotions? How can they possibly hope to understand and make sense of what is going on around them when they have no way of understanding themselves? Parents are helping their children to understand their condition, without turning it into a problem that is magnified or cannot be managed. They help their children to identify and label their emotions. Our children are taught to understand their sensory overloads and what makes them happen. By having an understanding of self-children can then begin to explore their own emotions and label them. They can also find ways to minimise stress, anxiety and frustration. Even a very young child with autism can be helped if he understands what makes him tick and why certain things make him feel out of control, which in turn can lead to a tantrum or overload of their sensors. Can our children not be taught these things while they are attending school? The answer to this question is no. Children who struggle to cope in school are almost certainly on overload by the time they return home. They need any free time that they have to try and achieve some sense of control over their situation. For many even a pro-longed holiday would not allow this kind of added learning to take place. The vast majority of children with autism have audio processing problems. A busy classroom makes it especially difficult to ‘tune into something’, which you are being asked to address or a question you are being asked. At home children are usually being taught on a one to one basis. This makes it easier for a child to listen and respond. They are also given the extra time they require to process the question before they respond. Because the majority of children with autism also have sensory issues Home Education is an excellent option. HE can adapt the sound, light, smell, touch and even temperature issues, which a child with autism can find so invasive they are no longer able to learn. We are told that only 2% of the adult autistic population are currently employed. We ask why are so many of our adults unemployed when many are well educated some even to degree level? Could it be that their effective communication and socialisation skills, which include shared meanings and understanding, have been ignored while they were young with their academic achievements taking priority? If this is part of the reason then Home Education could provide a future generation with altogether better prospects of being able to cope in a working environment. Many of our Home Educated children are still reaching high standards of achievement in their academic education. Add those to the emotional literacy that they are gaining and we may well see a greater degree of adults with autism being able live independently. At the moment parents who decide to Home Educate are being treat in two very different ways. Some LEA’s are simply pleased that they have been released of the burden of providing an ASD education and walk away leaving the parents alone to get on with it. While other LEA’s see the actions of the parents as a direct insult to them, even though they were unable to give the support and environment the child needed to succeed. They then go out of their way to make life difficult for these parents when in fact life is difficult for any parents who has a child with autism.
Some parents find that even their child’s ASD Consultant can no longer see any reason why they should be seeing or assessing the child now that they are no longer in school. This makes the renewal of DLA very difficult and this should not be. When parents decided to Home Educate they are under taking a task that requires a great deal of commitment and which leaves them without any respite from there children at all. At the very least this should be recognised and rewarded it should certainly not be punished. There is a growing movement of parents who now chose to Home Educate their ASD Children. Many parents join their local Home Education Groups, which allows their children to mix and interact with other children. Resources are shared and many accessed via the Internet, which provides a limitless supply of information and topics at the end of your fingertips. By using a Childs ‘special interest’ it is possible to encompass many other subjects into their learning. Our children are not isolated they join clubs, societies and groups in order to practice their social skills. Every child should be able to enjoy their childhood whatever their circumstances. Parents should be allowed to celebrate any success their children achieves, be it academic or otherwise, without constantly being told that their child is failing. With Home Education our children are achieving and enjoying their learning in an environment that suits their specific and complex needs.
Our AIM is to see Home Education recognised as a verified method of educating our autistic children and not just something that plugs a gap while the correct provision is found. JOIN OUR CAMPAIGN HERE aim1voice@btinternet.com
