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Ministers consider autism funding Minister in autism funding pledge
(about 2 hours later)
Ministers will consider giving more funding to special education after criticism over the way autistic youngsters are treated in England. More funding for special education in England has been promised by the government amid criticism over the way autistic youngsters are treated.
Sir Al Aynsley-Green, the children's commissioner for England, said provisions for youngsters with autism were "shocking and appalling". The children's commissioner for England has described existing provisions as "shocking and appalling".
Sir Al, who said teachers should be better trained, recently spent time with National Autistic Society members. Schools Minister Lord Adonis told BBC Radio Five Live's Weekend News he accepted more needs to be done.
The education department said spending had significantly increased since 2001. But he said many children already received "very good care and an extremely good education".
Local authorities' budgeted expenditure on special needs had increased from £2.8bn in 2001-02 to £4.1bn in 2005-06, with more to come, a department spokesman said. "We need to be extremely careful about generalisations," he added.
He said ministers would "look at the case for further funding in the current spending review, which includes a specific focus on services for disabled children". BBC political correspondent John Pienaar said the comments from children's commissioner Sir Al Aynsley-Green had raised the temperature of the argument to a new pitch.
The National Autistic Society says more than half the 90,000 children with autism in the UK are not in the sort of school their parents believe is best. Lord Adonis' response appeared to offer coded criticism of the tone of the attack, our correspondent said.
We were bandied about between lots of schools, but they were not suitable for the problems he had got How the system let us down
"We accept more needs to be done," Lord Adonis told the BBC.
"We are going through another spending review and we will look to see what further we can do so every child on the autism spectrum gets the support they need."
The minister insisted that autistic children, and others with special needs were already a high priority for the education department.
The Department for Education said local councils' budgeted spending on special needs had risen from £2.8bn in 2001-02 to £4.1bn in 2005-2006.
But Lord Adonis accepted too many autistic children were still being excluded from school, or bullied.
'Full potential'
Sir Al Aynsley-Green, who said teachers should be better trained, reached his conclusions after spending time with National Autistic Society members.
Lord Adonis said more training and guidance was needed and would be provided for teachers dealing with autistic children inside mainstream education.
Those councils still reluctant to send pupils beyond their boundaries needed to change their ways, he said.
"Where there are issues to do with the quality of placements, Ofsted and the Department for Education will work with local authorities, and do intend to see improvements made," he added.
According to the National Autistic Society, more than half the 90,000 children with autism in the UK are not in the sort of school their parents believe is best.
Sir Al said he had been moved to speak out after meeting a group of children suffering from the condition, some of who had told him they were suicidal.Sir Al said he had been moved to speak out after meeting a group of children suffering from the condition, some of who had told him they were suicidal.
He told the BBC: "It's appalling and it's shameful for our country, the fifth richest economy in the world, to have so many children that are not being looked after and given the resources they need to develop to their full potential." In an earlier interview he told the BBC: "It's appalling and it's shameful for our country, the fifth richest economy in the world, to have so many children that are not being looked after and given the resources they need to develop to their full potential."
The National Autistic Society has campaigned at Downing StreetThe National Autistic Society has campaigned at Downing Street
Ruth McNichol, whose son George has Asperger's syndrome, told BBC News teachers needed to be trained to deal with autistic children.Ruth McNichol, whose son George has Asperger's syndrome, told BBC News teachers needed to be trained to deal with autistic children.
"There appears to be a lot of ignorance about autism and the particular education techniques that are required to teach children with autism."There appears to be a lot of ignorance about autism and the particular education techniques that are required to teach children with autism.
"It is particularly bad when children make the transition from primary to secondary school.""It is particularly bad when children make the transition from primary to secondary school."
Ms McNichol said when her son had started secondary school "he was bullied, he withdrew from lessons in the classroom and the staff didn't appear to know how to engage with him".Ms McNichol said when her son had started secondary school "he was bullied, he withdrew from lessons in the classroom and the staff didn't appear to know how to engage with him".
"At the end of his first year at secondary school, despite not being in any way disruptive, he started self-harming and he was obviously in a great deal of distress," she said."At the end of his first year at secondary school, despite not being in any way disruptive, he started self-harming and he was obviously in a great deal of distress," she said.
It is estimated by the National Autistic Society that there are 90,000 children with autistic spectrum disorders - which affect their social interaction and communication - and fewer than 8,000 specialist places.It is estimated by the National Autistic Society that there are 90,000 children with autistic spectrum disorders - which affect their social interaction and communication - and fewer than 8,000 specialist places.
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