The Autism Education Trust (AET) was launched this month in the Houses of Parliament at an event hosted by Barry Sheerman MP, Chair of the newly established Children, Schools and Families Select Committee. Schools Minister Andrew Adonis also spoke at the event.
The AET is a new organisation dedicated to improving the educational experience of the estimated 106,000 children with autism in the UK. It aims to provide voluntary, independent and statutory education service providers with information, training and support and create a platform to involve young people with autism and their families and carers in planning and developing autism education provision. In addition it will map existing provision across all local authorities in England and identify gaps in knowledge and support.
Debbie Waters is a mother of two sons with autism and an autism professional working in Greater Manchester to improve local authority liaison with parents. She gave a moving account of her experiences as both a mother and a professional, setting out a vision for the future of autism education provision;
Person centred, flexible provision with knowledgeable teaching and support is what all children with autism need - and although some good practice does exist it is still not widespread enough. What is needed is more investment in creative and flexible educational options, more training at all levels, and more working together as the AET sets out to do - within improved systems that support instead of impede the person centred approaches and solutions that really work.
Andre Jean-Baptiste, a young man with Asperger syndrome, spoke about his personal experiences of education. He called on all those at the launch to help the AET improve education for future generations;
For 14 years education has failed me. I was undiagnosed until the age of 19, I am 20 now. Some of the most basic difficulties associated with Asperger syndrome were allowed to manifest beyond all control and reason. I found schools and colleges stressful and traumatic, I thought of them more as prisons. Teachers considered me a bad student and a naughty child; I was singled out in an attempt to be made an example of.
He went on to say; The AET will be an essential educational tool, for education itself. Children and adults on the autistic spectrum should be able to attend mainstream education and have a fair shot at success in education and life. The AET can help to promote integration and diversity. If a school could successfully teach children on the spectrum then they would certainly be more than able to teach children without autism. Now is the time to take the lead and empower education in this country.
Andrew Adonis said;
The Government is committed to achieve more for parents and children with autism. The AET is a welcome addition to the range of initiatives the DCSF is involved with including Aiming High for Disabled Children and Every Child Matters. It is just one building block in what we hope to be a raft of provision for children with autism. The AET will be an important provider of quality training, consultancy and support for the childrens workforce.
The AET has funding from the Department for Children, Schools and Families until April 2008. During its first year it will undertake research to map existing provision for children with autism in education from early years to the age of 18. This research will inform a business plan to explore further funding streams to secure the Trust in the future. A full time Project Manager is now in post and can be reached via email.
You can read the full transcripts of Debbie Waters' and Andre Jean Baptists's speeches by following the links below:
Debbie Waters
Andre Jean Baptiste