To: Rt Hon Michael Gove MP – Education Secretary
Please insist that all teachers, of all levels, receive basic training in helping to spot and understand Autism to enable our children to receive the best possible help whilst in School.
To sign the petition go to https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/teachers-to-receive-training-to-recognise-asd
Why is this important?
Children with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) usually suffer with anxiety, but this can be increased massively due to not handling or coping with the children correctly. Increased anxiety in ASD children can then cause a “meltdown” or tantrum to occur which can last a long period of time and the effects of this usually result in the said child being excluded from School as they are now labelled violent and a Health & Safety risk.
We are increasingly hearing of children being labelled and treated as “Naughty” by teachers simply because they are not trained to understand ASD and the impact that this has on the child.
This is not the child’s fault but the way the situation is handled.
We are seeing and hearing of an increasing number of children being penalised by mainstream schools for having a disability. They do not receive the correct level of help and support whilst in school due to the lack of teacher training.
If all teachers received the appropriate level of training and support then all parties involved and most importantly the child, would benefit.
Children are often left demoralised and anxious and feel picked on by their teachers. This is due to their teachers not getting the required training to help them cope more effectively with the challenging concept of handling these unique personalities.
More importantly, parents are left fighting for understanding and help against budget cuts and the bureaucracy of Government departments and LEAs. Whilst this continues both the child and parents feel bullied by the LEA’s and the Government’s lack of understanding of ASD which results in stress for parents and children and the officials getting defensive instead of dealing with what should be the common goal… the child’s welfare and education.
This then causes years of struggles between the parents, schools and LEA’s to try and get the correct level of support for the children themselves with the children and parents often made to feel like criminals. If a child has a physical disability such as being in a wheel chair, provisions are made for their disability to ensure they receive the appropriate level of education and core skills that can only be learned as a child. Why should it be any different for a disability that you can’t see? Why should it take so long for the professionals we trust our children with each day to recognise and understand the educational and developmental requirements of our beloved children?
This shameful treatment of our ASD children who have to fight for the right to be understood, to have someone who understands what they are going through and is able to nurture not misunderstand when they are going through difficult stressful times that create sometimes violent outbursts. This can be changed by the government and LEAs who set the curriculum and have both the means and the power to ensure all children no matter whether black or white, physically disabled, able bodied or indeed mentally disabled, have the appropriately trained teachers and staff to help them develop to the best they can be.
Give these children a chance by giving teachers the appropriate training to recognise, understand and help these children. They are neither naughty nor stupid, they are simply misunderstood.
Help our teachers to help our children!
This is appalling treatment of our children. Please help to put an end to it.
First appeared on the 38 Degrees website.
