Preparing Your Autistic Child for Entry to School

Starting school can be scary for any child.  We parents of autistic children worry about how our child will succeed given their challenges with communication and social interaction, emotional regulation and behavioural issues.

What are the most common concerns about school readiness?

Lisa Binns, Vice President of Children Services at Surrey Place, one of Canada’s leading autism services providers, and Darryl Nurse, Director of Autism and Developmental Services at Strides Toronto, a multi-service agency in the city, list the following significant concerns parents bring them:

• What if my child is not fully toilet trained?
• Will my child be able to communicate with their peers and teacher?
• What if their learning objectives don’t work?
• Can my child have an Educational Assistant?
• What if they are sent home while I have to work?
• Will my child have friends and be invited to birthday parties?

Is your child ready to start school?

Darryl defines school readiness as “the ability to be successful and navigate a classroom setting with peers, with minimal support.”  Lisa adds that readiness means that a family actively helps their child prepare for a successful school year. Readiness is related to reading, writing, and math, as well as emotional regulation, social development, cognitive skills, physical capabilities, and language and communication skills.

Most schools expect incoming students to be able to handle a wide range of skills. For example:

• Paying attention and listening
• Following multi-step instructions
• Transitioning between activities
• Waiting their turn and raising their hands
• Working both independently and in a group
• Sharing
• Taking turns
• Understanding personal boundaries and space
• Self-help skills, such as dressing, toileting and washing their hands on their own

I remember being concerned about my son because I knew Andrew couldn’t pay attention, sit still, wait his turn or understand personal boundaries.  He melted down whenever there was an unexpected or unplanned change in activities.

I was fortunate to intuitively know to be proactive, meet with his principal and teacher before the school year began and establish a relationship with the school, but I was largely winging it. There were no school readiness programs at the time to help us.

What are Entry to School programs?

Today, most governments and autism service providers have extensive school readiness programs.

Most of these are six months long.  Both Surrey Place and Strides Toronto, for example, have programs that support families with autistic children who are entering kindergarten or grade 1 for the first time.  Surrey Place’s six-month group program is fully government-subsidized and helps the child adapt to school routines.  It has two major components:

Entry to School Skill Building

This builds skills in the areas of communication, play, social interaction, behaviour, pre-academics, attention and listening.

Transition Planning Supports

Their team works with both the school and the family to help a child succeed over their first six months in the classroom.

Surrey Place and Strides Toronto also both have a Core Autism Services treatment program for families who have government funding or who are willing to purchase services themselves.  A registered behaviour analyst/BCBA and the parent(s) jointly set individualized goals and plans for the child.

Entry to School programs help a child reallocate attention and work through transitions.  Darryl notes this is an essential skill as a school day includes many transitions, both big and small, particularly when a child is asked to move from a preferred activity, such as using an iPad, to a less preferred task or group-based activity, such as circle time.  Autism consultants also work on improving executive functioning and self-regulation, using visual supports, simple instructions and positive reinforcement.

Caregivers actively participate in each session.  Autism professionals initially model desired behaviours and then have parents practice at the clinic so we can later replicate this at home.

Eligibility criteria differ across jurisdictions, so don’t forget to check.

I didn’t think about school six months ago, and now it’s August:  What can I do?

If you’ve missed the six-month deadline and find yourself at the 25th hour, don’t despair: autism service providers like Surrey Place and Strides Toronto can still guide you.

It’s no great surprise, but consistency and routines are keys to success. Start establishing routines, ranging from wake-up and bedtime routines to tidying up and asking to go to the bathroom. Practice those difficult transitions with your child. These activities help them feel safe, lower their anxiety, and get them used to expectations.

In addition, Lisa and Darryl advise parents to implement the following strategies:

Prepare the school

Contact them as soon as possible, let them know your autistic child is registered, and schedule a joint meeting with the principal and teacher to develop an entry-to-school plan.  Write down your child’s routines, likes and dislikes, capabilities and needs to give them a better sense of your child.

Visit the school with your child before the school year starts, even if it’s not open.

Have them meet their principal, teacher and support staff.  Arrange a tour inside and outside so they become familiar with the environment.  Remember to use the same mode of transportation (i.e., Dad’s car) that you will use every day and take the same route.

Discuss with your child what happens at school using social stories or similar tools.

Their teacher can provide you with details about a typical school day.

Create a visual calendar and shop together for school items

Things like backpacks, lunch boxes and supplies, and make it fun.

Don’t forget ongoing positive reinforcement

Autism Speaks’ highly regarded Community School Kit can be accessed online at https://www.autismspeaks.org/tool-kit/school-community-tool-kitwe, as parents are the experts on our children.  No one else knows them better.  As Andrew grew up, I always insisted on an integrated partnership/team approach with his principal, teacher, psychologist and my husband and me.  The best outcomes occur when we are all on the same page, sharing information and listening to each other’s perspectives. Reflecting on Andrew’s first day at school, I am reminded of A. A. Milne’s quote: “Remember on this first day of Kindergarten: You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.”   With preparation and practice, we can help maximize our child’s success at school.  The road will sometimes be bumpy, but it’s a new beginning.