The Importance of Inclusion and Autism Peer Awareness

From Autism Parenting Magazine:

The number of children receiving an autism diagnosis is on the rise.  And 70% of these children are being educated in mainstream schools.  This means that schools have had to adapt and introduce new measures to ensure everyone’s needs are met. The introduction of the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Code of Practice in 2014 in the UK placed an emphasis on the ‘inclusion’ of children with special educational needs. But what does this inclusion actually look like? With 1 in 100 people in the UK being diagnosed with autism, it’s heartening to see Islington schools catering to the needs of their students with autism and embracing their unique strengths.

At its core, inclusion should be mutually beneficial and work for every child. Recently, Sesame Street welcomed its first autistic Muppet character, Julia. In a clip that has been widely shared, Julia’s friend Abby asks her to play kickball, but Julia isn’t keen. Abby ponders how to play with Julia and finally realizes it’s best to find a game they can both enjoy doing, which is flapping their arms and pretending to be butterflies. Both of the children enjoy the same activity, which plays to both of their strengths. But, of course, unlike on Sesame Street, this doesn’t happen without careful planning and input from school staff.

From mealtime supervisors, to teaching assistants, to classroom teachers, to senior leadership teams, everyone is working to create more autism-friendly schools throughout the country. They attend after-school training, create specialized and tailored plans, and regularly work with specialist consultants, who guide them in creating the structure that autistic children need to feel a part of the class. (Read more.)