Graham supported Ambitious about Autism’s campaign Ruled Out: why are children with autism missing out on education.
Research by Ambitious about Autism has discovered that 4 in 10 children with autism in England have been excluded informally - and therefore illegally - during their time at school.
Parents and carers of children with autism surveyed for the Ruled Out campaign revealed:
• 4 in 10 children (39%) had been subject to informal – and therefore illegal – exclusions. One in 10 parents whose children were illegally excluded said it happened daily
• a fifth of parents (21%) said their child with autism had been formally excluded from school
• over half of parents (51%) had kept their child out of school for fear the school was unable to provide appropriate support.
The Ruled Out campaign was launched in Portcullis House. It aims to ensure:
• every school has access to a specialist autism teacher, to build capacity among school staff and to support children with autism to learn and achieve
• every family of a child with autism knows their rights, and has the resources to help their child get the support they are entitled to at school
• every local authority sets out in its ‘local offer’ the support available in its area to ensure children with autism have access to quality full-time education
Graham said: “I am delighted to support Ambitious about Autism’s Ruled Out campaign. With the right support, children with autism can continue to learn and develop their knowledge and skills at school, just like any other pupil.
“The Children and Families Bill is a brilliant opportunity to make certain the ongoing reforms to special educational needs ensure that children with autism get the support they need at school. We know that many local schools are good at supporting pupils with autism by making reasonable adjustments for these children. I urge all schools in the area to work to support children with autism to learn and achieve and for Halton Borough Council and Cheshire West and Chester Council to ensure children with autism have access to quality, full-time education.
“The special educational needs system is changing as a result of recent legislation. I hope that local authorities will use this as an opportunity to consider how they will support children with autism who might be at risk of exclusion from education. I encourage everyone to sign up to support the Ruled Out campaign at www.ambitiousaboutautism.org.uk”