Specialist provision for the one in five children with special education needs is a problem that can intensify when they reach 16. This is because of a lack of tailored holistic and educational facilities for young adults and the lack of appropriate legislation. The combination can have devastating consequences.
Colleges that offer special education needs (SEN) care for people with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) are in the minority. While every college should have an SEN department, some people struggle to be accepted because Asperger's syndrome is not officially recognised as a learning difficulty. These colleges tend to focus on less able students, ignoring academically bright students with Asperger's. There are a few specialist colleges but these tend to cover all aspects of SEN and are not suited to people with Asperger's.
One of the main problems with colleges is their culture. Many students with ASD will have come from small secondary or special schools where they have experienced a caring and holistic approach and individual care. This ends when they move into further education as colleges are no longer responsible for meeting these needs.
The culture is one of "you are now entering the world of work and adulthood, so you should take responsibility for your own learning and organisation". Colleges are often large, and students are expected to organise themselves, move to different lectures, concentrate on subjects for a long period of time, and socialise at break times.
Young people with Asperger's require small holistic colleges
that allow them the breadth of curriculum and opportunities to
external accreditation, combined with support and care in a
non-threatening environment.
While a minority of people with ASD are able to attend college,
what happens to the others who leave either mainstream or
specialist schools without the academic or life skills required to
attend college, get a job or live independently?
The reason for the lack of further education opportunities is that the medical understanding of Asperger's syndrome and consequently services has only developed recently.
While autism and ASD were both recognised in the 1940s when Hans Asperger wrote his paper on the condition in German, it wasn't translated into English until the late 1980s. Asperger's syndrome only entered the diagnostic manuals in 1994, which delayed research and understanding of it. This led to poor understanding of the condition and thousands of children suffering because they were not correctly diagnosed.
As four in 10 GPs do not have enough information to make an informed assessment, awareness of autism among primary health professionals continues to cause a barrier to diagnosis.(1)
While parents are relieved to receive the correct diagnosis for their children, this is only one of the many hurdles they will need to overcome. Few parents of young people with ASD know what to expect as their child grows older. Most dread the onset of adolescence, fearing that it is likely to bring increased difficulties.
The National Autistic Society says that the lack of provision for young people with ASD has reached an all time high.(2) Half of adults with ASD are still living at home with their parents.(3) In addition, 94 per cent of adults with ASD are unemployed. These figures are unacceptable: many people with ASD are capable of living independently and working if they receive sufficient support but this is not happening.
Also a lack of understanding of the disorder can result in
distressing encounters with the police and can often lead to
imprisonment. Individuals may also find spending hours at home with
a lack of stimuli such as studying can lead to depression. Young
people with ASD can become so depressed they feel suicidal.
There is also a cost to the state because people with ASD are
unemployed. Their reliance on state benefits is expensive, as are
the costs of treating problems relating to long-term
unemployment.
All people with ASD should have the requisite support to help them achieve their full potential and be able to live as independently as possible. In order to achieve this, there must be better transition planning from one service to another. The Public Health Institute of Scotland recommends there should be "systems and funding mechanisms that ease the transition between services for individuals with ASD".(4)
Again, in Scotland, The Same as You white paper recommended that anyone with a learning difficulty, including people with ASD, should have a personal life plan that shows in detail how the person, their family and professionals can work together to help them lead a fuller life.(5) This would include assessments for community care, health, children's services and the transition from school to life after leaving.
I run six specialist residential schools and colleges for children with ASD. Many achieve successful exam results and have the opportunity to lead normal lives.
Also we have recently opened a residential unit for young people aged 18-25. This provides them with continued educational and social skills that will lead to the next step in independence.
A combination of wider awareness, legislation and further provision will benefit all people with ASD and enable them to become active, vital members of society.
Stephen Bradshaw is director of schools development for Priory Education Services, part of the Priory Group. He has over 26 years' experience working with special needs children and has set up six schools and colleges dedicated to young people with autistic spectrum disorders.
'People don't understand me'
Young people with Asperger's syndrome give their views on post-16 education provision.
Lucy: "While a number of colleges will say that they cater for people with special needs, I have now been to two and feel that their special needs provision is not suited to people with Asperger's syndrome."
Maggie: "Lessons at college were boring and repetitive and I didn't feel that people understood me. I became very miserable and this made learning and mixing with the others difficult."
Mark: "I have just finished Farleigh College
and am looking to attend somewhere similar, however there is very
little choice. If I do not find something soon, it is likely that I
will be living at home with my parents and effectively losing the
independence that I had been working towards."
Abstract
This article focuses on the lack of special education needs provision for young adults with autistic spectrum disorders and examines the resulting consequences, which at their most extreme can lead to imprisonment and suicide. It argues that there needs to be an increased awareness of these disorders, along with legislation and further post-16 SEN provision in order for people with ASD to lead more independent lives.
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