My son has autisim. He's nearly five and will be starting primary school next summer. I'm of the opinion that he'll do better in a Language Unit. This is a small class, attached to a mainstream school, for children with mild/moderate special needs. A kind of 'halfway house' between special school and mainstream school. Some are geared towards autistic children, some are more general special needs. The language unit is their 'base', depending on the needs of each child. The aim is to fully intergrate the child into the mainstream primary at their own pace, while recognising and providing the extra help the child requires. A teacher of a mainstream class, in charge of 30 or so children, all with their own needs, cannot, imho, provide adequatly for my son, who needs individual specialist help. The government line is 'put the child in mainstream school without help' (cheaper). Every year without fail I have to fight to get my son the help he needs. Every year I'm patronised and my opinions belittled by the professionals. I'm only his mother, what would I know about him? These people decide my son's future, and they've never even met him. The Educational Psychologist I'm dealing with this time round asked me 'Mind if I stick my head in the door of his classroom and get a look at him? It's always nice to put a face to a name.' If I'm lucky enough to win him a place in a language unit this year, next year I'll have to fight to keep him in it, as places are constantly reviewed. This leads to autistic children (who desperately need routine) being shifted about from pillar to post, often losing out on the help they deserve. I'm all for intergration in my son's case, with the help he needs being provided to him. That's great. But it's certainly not going to be what every child with autisim, or any other kind of 'special needs', requires. I deplore this 'one size fits all' government party line. Each child is different. That's my two cents worth. I'll be off now...
