"We just want to be happy and to learn at school"
Only 26% of autistic pupils feel happy at school.
In this video, Sua, mother to Eden-Rose of The Eden Rose Project, discusses the isolation many children face when the education system fails to account for the full spectrum of their needs.
"We need change in the system"
Gavin's experience reflects the frustrations of many parents of autistic children.
78% of autistic children have felt too scared to go to school. In this video, Gavin shares the pressure families face when the education system prioritises attendance over wellbeing. He explains how the threat of fines and being forced into an unsuitable setting can worsen a child’s anxiety and damage their long term mental health.
"I just knocked on every single door, I pressed every button... but’s a lot to juggle, there are so many other families that aren’t able to do that"
96% of parents and carers say that getting support for a child with SEND is a fight
In this video Jo describes how exhausting it is to juggle the fight for the right support with all the other responsibilities that come with being a working parent. She explains that getting SEND right can mean that autistic children, like her son, have a really bright future ahead of them.
"Sometimes I’m getting a phone-call within a few hours to come back and pick her up"
Fabian explains that having access to a safe space at school could really help his daughter to feel regulated enough to stay at school.
"When people see him that haven’t seen him for a while, they genuinely cannot believe that it’s the same child"
Here Natasha speaks about the extreme stress she experienced when there wasn’t a suitable school place for her son and how much this changed for the better once he started at a school that meets his needs.
"I’m a Mum now, I’m not a crusader, I’m not a teacher at home"
90% of parents and carers of autistic children think they should be able to make decisions about whether a specialist school is the best fit for their child.
In this video Annie describes the way her families' lives have been transformed by securing the right school place for her son.