hi, i have an autistic boy - due to start school in sept. 2012.
he is high functioning - in that you may not be able to pick him out in the class - if he is happy.
and thats the if....
like most a.s.d children he can only see things his way. we have tantrums - self harm- anxiety issues etc also we believe he is dyspraxic
he cannot dress himself - he has no personal care skills (nappys still) and he has a jump routine he needs to do when stressed. he hs a chew tube and learns by pecs
i have a wheelchair to get him from a to b (he visits he rest of the alphabet without!)
so i cant understand why the local authority has refused a statement!!
they have given no reason and stated that he has significant need.
he goes to nursery and is fine on a 1:3 ratio
he will enter school with an action plus and i have been advised by the early years team not to challange the decision as there is no new evidence to submit.
i have seen the senco at the school i want him to attend - and she was surprised at their decision - he will require some sort of support ??
does anyone know what happens now??

Hi when my high functioning autistic son first started school he was given school action plus we was not happy our son was toilet trained but only just, he kept coming home smelling of wee where they hadnt notice and he didnt ask plus lots of other little things he struggled with. The school said i should wait intill year 1 as he would get statemented then,we kept waiting but we ended taking him out of school mid year 1 to be home educated which he still is now at 12 years old.I think it shoud be challenaged as cos his still in nappies how and who is going to change him for one and you dont want to get further down the line and for them to still be draging it along.Just because your child may be more able then some it doesnt mean they dont need help aswell.Nat.

hi i have a four year old boy who has alot of the issuses you have stated e.g self harming, tanturms etc. he started nursey and was put on action plus just after he got diagnoised. he has now started full time and has been awarded individual pupil funding which is like a statement and he now has one on one support in his main stream school as he is seen as danger to him self and others often lashes out at children etc. my advice to you is to wait let him start at action plus as this still gives him some support and if school scenco is aware of issuses you should move forward quite quick but as far as im aware they have to be on action plus for i think two terms before the school can ask for him to be reassessed. hope this helps.

my youngest daughter has a statement (all4children have statements) she is 6 yr 2 now. she got her statement in reception having just 1 iep running the term before i requsted it. I belive the letter parents get from the LA saying sorry not at the moment needs not significant enough are just standard chuck out letters that all parents recicive to stop most parents from going forward. If you feel yr son will need more help than most other children i would return the letter stating you are going to tribunal. After all you have nothing to loose, and so much to gain. I would not wait on my personel experience with my oldest child who is also Autistic we waited far to long and we all suffered baddly because of this. Good luck with this decision its a tough one to make.