One in four autistic children wait more than three years to receive the support they need at school, leaving families “exhausted and on the edge of crisis”, according to the National Autistic Society.
Seventy-four percent of parents who were polled by the charity said their child’s school did not fully meet their needs – double the dissatisfaction levels four years ago in the charity’s last education report.
Parents also complained they faced lengthy battles trying to secure the right support for their child, with 57% reporting they had waited more than a year and 26% waiting more than three years.
The NAS school report, based on surveys of 4,000 parents, carers, autistic children and young people, also highlighted the impact of the pandemic on autistic children, with 44% of parents of the view their child has fallen behind with work and 59% concerned their child has become more socially isolated. More information here.