The first step towards supporting anyone with autism is to put together a support plan for them, their parents and carers and anyone else involved in their education.
Person-centred planning
In Essex, we call these plans ‘One Plans’ and it’s how we help children and young people achieve their goals.
Schools should develop a ‘One Plan’ in partnership with children and young people, their parents and carers and other professionals where appropriate.
Use the following document and online guidance to find out more about One Planning:
For support with One Planning contact your SEND inclusion partner.
Guidance for families can be found on the Essex Local Offer website, Make a plan of action to support your child.
Assessment and diagnosis
To find out more about the assessment and diagnosis process visit the following websites:
- Ambitious about Autism - How assessment and diagnosis works
- NHS - How to get an autism assessment
- National Autistic Society: Pre-diagnosis support - A guide for teachers
- National Autistic Society: Diagnosis
It’s important to remember a diagnosis is not a requirement for many forms of support.
Schools should develop a One Plan to outline SMART targets and the support they will implement to achieve those targets.
Education, health and care (EHC) needs assessment
Some children and young people have severe and complex needs and may need to undergo an EHC needs assessment.
Visit the Request an EHC needs assessment for further information.
Individual Pupil Resourcing Agreement (IPRA)
We want to make sure mainstream schools can provide an appropriate local offer for children with additional needs.
We can provide additional resources without having to carry out a statutory assessment and issue an education health and care (EHC) plan.
This is known as an individual pupil resourcing agreement (IPRA). To find out how to get an IPRA visit the SEND funding web page.