Support for autistic children and young people returning to school following lockdown

In July 2020, we publicly called on schools to provide all autistic children and young people with a personalised transition plan to help with their return to school in August.

The lockdown has been extremely challenging for many families with autistic children and young people. The huge change to routine and daily life together with strict restrictions resulting from the lockdown has led to distress for many autistic children putting families under huge pressure, often with very limited support.

Families have been under huge pressure juggling home schooling and working from home as well as supporting their autistic children. Some schools have provided specialist educational support throughout the lockdown while many others have not. This has led to some families feeling that their autistic son or daughter has fallen behind other learners and may need additional support to catch up.

We are therefore calling on schools to make sure that every autistic child has a personalised transition plan to aid their return to school in August. This might include visits prior to school starting, more autism awareness among staff, safe spaces, accessible information and videos showing any changes to layouts or school rules as well as a principle contact for parents.

Not Included, Not Engaged, Not Involved

In autumn 2018, we worked in partnership with Children in Scotland and Scottish Autism to publish a report on the experiences of autistic children missing school. The report is titled Not Included, Not Engaged, Not Involved.

More than a third (34%) of parents who responded to the survey we conducted as part of this report said that their children had been unlawfully excluded in the last two years – with almost a quarter (22%) saying this happened multiple times a week.

An ‘unlawful’ exclusion is when a school sends a child home without using the formal exclusion process, meaning monitoring and support systems are bypassed. Scottish Government guidance is clear on its position that unlawful exclusions should not happen – yet our research shows that they are happening to autistic children across Scotland.

You can read our findings and recommendations to Scottish Government here. 

We are committed to campaigning to ensure that these recommendations are met. 

Past campaigns successes 

Raising awareness of exemptions during lockdown

During lockdown a new law restricted people to exercising once a day and forbidding travel beyond their local area. There was however an exemption for autistic people who needed to exercise more frequently in line with health and care needs or travel beyond their local area to a familiar place.

This exemption was not widely known, and in some cases, families reported being challenged by members of the public or even police.
We raised this with Police Scotland as well as Scottish Government and partners which resulted in helpful guidance for all police officers and a greater understanding among the public.

Raising awareness of the fact not everyone could wear a face covering

While face coverings became mandatory on public transport and within shops there is an exemption for autistic people who cannot wear one because they find it too distressing.

Through our media work we raised awareness with the general public and raised with Police Scotland, Scottish Government and partners. Very useful guidance and videos were produced which asked the public to be sensitive around those unable to wear a face covering for good reason.
We also issued an ‘Autism Alert’ card with Police Scotland and Scottish Government logos which people could produce if asked.