Examining the Role of Parents in Supporting Their Child with Autism in Mainstream Education - Assignment Example

?Examining the Role of Parents in Supporting Their Child with Autism in Mainstream Education Table of Contents Introduction 3 Explaining Autism 4 Morton’s Model of Autism 5 Explaining the Importance of Parental Involvement in Education 7 Support for Autism in the Education Institutions 9 Linking the Autism Support for Parental Involvement in Education 11 Conclusion 16 References 18 Introduction Autism is recognised as a severe childhood disorder that has lifelong impact on autistic children. At present, diagnostic criteria and the major symptoms that can be related with autism can be identified as impairment in verbal and non-verbal communication. Correspondingly, these symptoms form a part of the core characteristics of the childhood autism which can be firmly related with profound disorder having an affect on understanding ability to cope with the social environment. The children and young individuals diagnosed with autism often find the immediate environment to be inexplicable and unpredictable. It has been commonly ascertained that autistic children and young people are mentally retarded and they often suffer from chronic constipation or diarrhoea, they are sensory sensitive, they have low muscle tone and they also suffer from sleeping problems. It has also been observed that young people and children with autism have moderate to serious pica. Pica can be related with eating of non-food items such as paint, paper, sand and dirt (Cohen & et. al., 1985; Dittrich & Burgess, 2012). Autism does not have severe impacts only on children or young people diagnosed with it but it has also serious impacts on the families with autistic children and adult. Those children and young people diagnosed with autism are imposed with serious life-long challenges as well as they pose challenges to those who live with and teach these individuals. The impact can be related with serious emotional stress as well as financial stress to families with autistic children and young people. Caring for a child or young people with autism requires terrific emotional and physical strain. Due to the autism characteristics in autistic children or young people, they require constant supervision contributing towards immense burden to their parents and family members. They increase the hardship of their parents and family members (National Collaborating Centre for Women’s and Children’s Health, 2011; Lang, 2010). Thus, it is essential that the children and young individuals diagnosed with autism are provided with necessary supports by their parents, teachers or any other individuals associated with them. This paper deals with examining the role of parents in supporting their child with autism in mainstream education. Explaining Autism Autism can be related with behaviourally defined condition that is caused by various known and unknown biologically centred brain disorders which severely affect the development of brains’ ability to effectively handle information. In other terms, autism is considered as a neurodevelopmental disorder (Zander, 2004). According to the National Institute of Mental Health, “Autism is a group of developmental brain disorders, collectively called autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The term "spectrum" refers to the wide range of symptoms, skills, and levels of impairment, or disability, that children with ASD can have” (National Institute of Mental Health, 2011). The intensity of its symptoms is perceived to be varying on children. Some children are moderately impaired while others may be severely impaired by its symptoms (Fombonne, 2003). The people with autism have been identified to share certain similar symptoms such as highly focused interests, problems with communication, social interaction and repetitive activities (King & Bearman, 2011). Furthermore, it is recognised that there has been a rapid increase in the number of children diagnosed with autism. It has been ascertained that autism has emerged to be more common than it was perceived previously. The recent publications dealing with Autism postulated that every 116 children out of 1000 children belonging to the age group of 9-10 years were vulnerable to the effects of autism which is comparatively higher than previous two decades where it was estimated that only 20 children out of 1000 affected with autism in the UK were vulnerable to autism (Knapp & et. al., 2007). The Rising Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorders Over 50 Years Source: (Russell, 2012). Morton’s Model of Autism It has been recognised that children and young people diagnosed with autism has been rapidly increasing in the UK. Morton has provided with a framework under which different views related with developmental disorders can be modelled. Accordingly, this model related with developmental disorder is categorised into three levels namely biological, cognitive and behavioural (Frith, 1998). According to Morton, while defining the developmental disorder, the most common definition is related with biological and behavioural levels (Adams & et. al., 2004). Morton postulated that those people with medical backgrounds have firmly stressed upon the biological definition while those with psychological backgrounds usually stress on behavioural definition of the disorder. Morton admitted that understanding autism requires a third level between these two levels comprising biological and behavioural aspects. This third level was coined as cognitive level (Morton & Frith, n.d.). Regarding biological definition of autism, it has been admitted that there is a considerable possibility of biological origin to autism and many people have accepted this connotation. It was identified that there are several relevant reasons that have contributed towards the acceptance of this connotation. Firstly, it was recognised that autistic children and young people are vulnerable to diverse medical conditions based on background factors. Secondly, it had been ascertained that a majority of people with autism have undeviating signs of brain disorder. The third reason in this matter was ascertained that the individuals with autism are firmly related with mental retardation (Moran & et. al., 2011). On the other hand, behavioural definition related with autism was categorised under three major features. These three core features were grouped as impairment related socialisation which focuses upon the quality of reciprocal social contacts, ranging from remote to unreceptive to odd. Another behavioural feature related with autism was related with impairment in communication. This impairment is associated with delay in the acquisition of language and poor verbal as well as non-verbal modes of communication. The third behavioural features relate with impairment in imagination. This impairment accounts for a lack of understanding to make believe (Frith & et. al., 1994). These behavioural features were identified to form a syndrome for autism however such behavioural features were also found in the children not diagnosed with autism. The last model postulated by Morton is related with cognitive level. It was ascertained that cognitive occupies different meanings. The term ‘cognitive’ is often related with regard to biological and behavioural levels. According to Morton, cognitive level occurs at the same time when there is an intervention regarding biological and behavioural levels. Accordingly, all the three levels illustrate that the effects of autism can be defined while cognitive level postulates how these effects can be related with meaning. In other words, the cognitive level deals with referring the functional description of brain’s activity (Gernsbacher & Frymiare, 2005; Gaus, 2011). Explaining the Importance of Parental Involvement in Education Owing to the aspect that the autistic children continue to grow and to develop, there arises a greater need for support at various levels in order to successfully navigate in the compound social world (National Autism Centre, 2011). It has been ascertained that in several occasions’ parents and carers often get frustrated while responding to the behaviours of autistic children and young people (Ruble & Gallagher, 2004). Many researchers have firmly demonstrated the capacity of parents towards applying an assortment of interventions, emphasising on areas or concerning with languages and behaviours. It has been ascertained that parents serve as major intervention agents for three primary reasons. Firstly, the parents can promote certain interventions received by the children without raising the costs to the service providers. Secondly, the parents must be capable to provide relevant interventions for the autistic child’s betterment throughout his/her life span. Lastly, it has been observed that parents’ direct interventions to their children in matters related with educational environment have resulted in increasing competence and support while decreasing in the level of depression and stress. The aforesaid reasons duly support the parental involvement in providing positive outcomes to autistic children primarily in the educational environment (Link, 2008). Families often have unique characteristics that have radical influences on the education of their autistic child. Undoubtedly, the aspect of family support can be demarcated as a key factor for rendering successful interventions in an autistic child’s education. It is required that parents should duly involve in creating goals, choosing instructional strategies and applying reliable strategies at home as well as in community. Notably, such involvements of parents are facilitating in establishing structure along with stability which shall facilitate the child to generalise learned skills across the settings (Geldard, 2004). Additionally, the parental involvement in the education of autistic children not only has favourable impacts on the children but such involvement has much positive influences on peers as well as on teachers as well. Accordingly, there are various ways for establishing effective parental involvements for autistic children in mainstream educational environment. The parents in partnership with schools can make significant contributions towards bringing in behavioural changes in the children diagnosed with autism (Goodall & et. al., 2011). Correspondingly, parents can establish communication on a regular basis involving a child’s teachers related with the needs and the performances of the autistic child. Parents can also actively assist and contribute in the autistic child’s educational environment by helping him/her academically and behaviourally. Responsively, parents can assist their children by helping them with their homework and by establishing appropriate behavioural parameters. In a summarized way, it can be stated that parents support and involvement in mainstream education have relatively high potentials to render benefits to autistic children (Morris, 2003). However, it is not an easy task for the parents of children with autism to effectively integrate within the mainstream educational environment (Crown, 2008). Alternatively, the role of schools and teachers is identified to be crucial for seeking necessary parental involvement for autistic children’s educational environment. Thus, it is required for teachers and school administrators also to make significant efforts for establishing a collaborative learning environment where parents’ involvement can be sought to the greatest possible extent for nourishing the specific needs of the children. It is essential for teachers and other educational staff to share their practices with parents for efficiently supporting autistic children (National Institute of Mental Health, 2011; Taylor, 2008). Support for Autism in the Education Institutions It has been ascertained that the needs of the each autistic children are unique and different from the other normal children. It is therefore required that schools and other educational institutions should strive to identify ways to meet the treatment strategies, services and supports for each child with autism characteristics. One of the prominent teaching methods, which has been widely gaining popularity, is Pivotal Response Training (PRT). Accordingly, this method has been closely linked with two behaviours including motivation and responsiveness. It is believed that this method significantly contributes towards generalising the academic skills and motivating children with autism to use them. Such activities focus on incorporating the exclusive preferences along with special interests of children into a specialized instruction plan. It has further been identified that structural instructions should be duly given importance for meeting the educational needs of the autistic children. Essentially, structured instructions relate with setting up prudent planning for instructions by ascertaining instructional processes concerning teaching, implementing these processes and evaluating the effectiveness of these process based on the data. In this aspect, the principles related with applied behavioural analysis methods have been ascertained to contribute significantly to systematic instruction. Furthermore, autistic children often require predictability and structure within the classroom, which is a unique necessity. Thus, it is essential that the environment in the classroom is customised according to the specific needs of children with autism. Generally, a comprehensive learning environment should be offered to these children so that they are able to predict what is going to happen next. In addition to comprehensive learning environment, it is equally important that specific curriculum contents are designed in keeping with the specific needs of autistic children that shall facilitate in removing communication and social deficits (Chalkboard Project, 2013). The UK government has undertaken a few vital strategic measures for protecting the rights of children and young people with autism. The article 7 of the ‘The United Nations Convention for the Rights of Disabled People (UNCRPD)’ ensures that the government is committed towards providing same human rights and freedom similar to other children (Department of Health, Social Services and Public safety, 2012). Additionally, the schools and education authorities operating in the UK have significantly involved in developing cultures, strategies and practices towards attaining a comprehensive educational environment. The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 directs schools mandatory to create necessary adjustments in order to make sure that children with autistic disorder are not disadvantaged as compared to their peers. Moreover, the Act also directs the schools staffs to duly display attitudes and practices that result in offering autistic pupils with equivalent access to the curriculum. In the year 2008, National Strategies in the UK initiated Inclusion Development Programme (IDP) which encompassed four-year programme of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) in order to enhance the confidence of mainstream practitioners in the course of meeting the specific needs of autistic pupils with Special Education Needs (SEN) in the school (Cassen & Kingdon, 2007). The government policy in the recent years has also been directed towards promoting development of Assessment for Learning (AFL) methods focusing on personalised learning programs. The primary intention behind this approach has been to collect relevant information in order to enable teachers to adjust their practices to meet the needs of autistic children more effectively. During 2009, the Autism Education Trust illustrated the review of practices focussing on issues and challenges in educational environment for children with autism in the UK. Nonetheless, the report postulated that despite the significant efforts made in matters concerning children with autism, it articulated that greater exertion has to be made for promoting comprehensive schools in order to accommodate the increasing number of pupils with autism (Wilkinson & Twist, 2010). Linking the Autism Support for Parental Involvement in Education Reducing services associated with disabled children has potentially serious impacts on the parents of children with stern disabilities including parents for children with autism. The support of parents towards the children’s social services has increased their strain due to insufficient support provided by the government authorities in the UK. Evidently, the spending review conducted during 2010 illustrated significant cuts in the grants allocation of the central government made to the local government in the UK for four consecutive years ranging from 2011-2015. It was ascertained that reduction in the funding made to the Department of Communities and Local Government was accompanied with 27.4% cut in the real terms (Crawford & Phillips, 2012). Correspondingly, the major source of funding available with local government is linked with grants received from central government and incomes that are generated from council tax, fees and other independent sources. However, in the recent times, it has been ascertained that these sources of income are also imposed with significant pressures that has made the government to cut its expenditure on social services in the UK. It has been ascertained that there has been downwards pressure since the 2009-2010 on the local government budgets owing to the cut in the grants provided by the central government and fall in the council tax revenue. It has been identified that fall in the funding availability with local government has the most significant impact on the governmental spending made on planning and development services which has estimated a huge cut of 43%. This huge cut in the expenditure is associated with reduction in the spending of the local government on community development programmes. Local Government Net Current Service Spending In England, 2009?10 Source: (Crawford & Phillips, 2012). Accordingly, it has been argued that such reduction on community development activities shall result in increasing stress for families with autistic children. It has been believed that such cuts in social services arising from reduction in the government expenditure shall significantly influence the parents with autistic children from varied facets including financially, socially, emotionally and practically. This is owing to the fact that financial requirements for both the local government as well as organisations providing social services are indeed in considerable difficulties. However, it has been ascertained that the most important influence of such adverse circumstance is likely to fall on the lives of the people with disabilities such as on autistic children and their families. Additionally, it can be argued that impact arising from such actions may result in difficulties in finding appropriate services for the disabled children and their parents. Moreover, those organisations providing services have also augmented their charges which have been identified as the other factor causing strain to the parents of autistic children (Sully & Bowen, 2012). Unarguably, it can be firmly stated that in the years to come, the parents with children and young people with autism shall have to face challenging situations. Despite the cuts in the government spending on social services such as in the educational programmes offered to autistic children, there have still been significant supports provided to the parents of children with autism in the UK. The government considers the role of parents, carers and families to be crucial for attaining positive outcomes for children and young people with autism. The government has initiated several programs for ensuring adequate supports to parents and families of autistic children and young people. The significant approach of the government can be ascertained with its programs such as, ‘Every Child Matters’ (Crown, 2004).This programme intends to ensure that every parent is being regularly offered with requisite supports that shall benefit children and young people with autism. Additionally, the government in collaboration with local agencies is duly engaged in ensuring that parents and families have necessary access to the support programmes in order to facilitate that children and young people with autism are significantly benefitted with positive, resilient and self-assured parenting. The government makes sure that enhanced quality of universal support is offered to the parents and families of autistic children and young people through various informational assistances, advice and other relevant services (Crown, 2008). The government aims to ascertain that parents and families are eligible to access supports needed by them through various settings such as schools. Parents and families are also offered with supports through structured parenting, home visiting and training activities. The government also seeks schools to engage parents in educational environment that is firmly related with learning practices of children and young people with autism in order to facilitate parents to understand their role at home and encourage them to work in partnership with schools. The government through children’s centre along with extended schools have developed a rational set of services in order to support parents and involve them in all the phases of a child’s learning and development. Nonetheless, the impact of reducing social services has significantly disappointed many of the parents, carers and families of children and young people with autism. The local government is still striving radically to ensure that adequate support is available to the parents with autistic children. Correspondingly, the local government has adopted coherent strategic policies in order to support parents and seek their vital involvement in the areas related with learning and development of autistic children and young people. The Supporting Parents Guidance highlights the effect of parenting on the children’s outcomes and it also illustrates the overview of the policy that facilitates to seek parental support (Celtic Nations Autism Partners, 2012). Accordingly, local authorities in the UK have designated commissioners for parents and it has also illustrated coherent priorities in order to enhance the well-being of a child and his/her family by delivering adequate assistance to parents and carers. Moreover, multi-agency schemes are also widely being undertaken for effectively addressing the needs of parents. Statutory framework has been established for the better assessment of a parent’s needs for ensuring superior quality of support to them. Despite the huge cuts in the government expenditure spend on the social services, it can be argued that in the recent years, government has been massively involved in expanding the provisions for support to parents, families and carers (Kellett & Apps, 2009). Evidently, Parent Support Advisors are directly functioning with parents through educational institutions. Thus, it can be firmly stated that despite the reduction in the social services owing to the cut in the government expenditure, the initiatives of the local government towards supporting parents’ involvement for children with autism in their educational environment has significantly been undertaken. Nonetheless, the role of parents is considered to be vital for the achievement of better outcomes arising from the performances of their children with autism (Social Care Institute for Excellence, 2011; Potter & Whittaker, 2001). Unarguably, the involvement of parents for children with autism is crucial in the mainstream educational environment whether there is an increase or decrease in the government expenditure on the social services (Department for Children, School and Families, 2010). Conclusion Autism is firmly related with collective brain disorder which is known as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Children and young people diagnosed with autism face severe lifelong impacts due to this medical condition. However, the intensity of autism symptoms may vary from one individual to the other. Usually, autism can be related with impairment in communication, imagination and social interaction. In general, it has been identified that autistic children suffer from mental retardation. In this relation, Morton has illustrated three models namely biological, behavioral and cognitive under which autism can be associated and defined. It has been stated that over the last few decades, autism prevalence has dramatically increased in the UK. Correspondingly, the role of parents’ involvement for autistic children in their mainstream educational environment has been perceived to be of great importance. It has been identified that parents in partnership with schools can act effectively in changing the behavior of autistic children and thereby they can assist in improving the life of autistic children and young people. In the recent times, the UK government has initiated several policies in order to seek significant engagement of parents towards the mainstream educational environment of autistic children and young people. Nonetheless, cut in the government expenditure on economic and community development has immensely increased the strain of parents and children with autism. 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