Many parents question whether they should get school support when their twins are autistic. All families are different, so the decision will be up to you. Let’s talk about some of the questions we hear about this topic.
What is school support?
Getting support at school means that you are creating an agreement or contract with the school that includes the types of educational supports and services that your twins need to be successful at school. These are useful for all sorts of disabilities, including autism. children who have been identified as having a disability that affects their learning. A support plan is usually created with input from the twins parents, teachers, and other professionals.
Support plans will generally include some information about the child’s current strengths and weaknesses at school, goals that the school will help the child achieve during the school year, what supports will be provided to help the child reach their goals, a plan for how progress will be monitored over time. The plans are usually reviewed annually to make sure the child’s needs are being met and the right levels of support are in place. It’s important to remember that plans can include supports for all aspects of education, including social skills, school trips, lunchtime support and more.
What is it called?
It may be called different things depending on where you live, for example:
- Individual Education Plan (IEP) – USA, Canada
- Educational Health Care Plan (EHC) – UK
- Health Support Plan (HSP) – Australia
How do I get it?
To get school support, you will need to apply. Most often, this process will start by expressing any concerns to the school. Discuss the twins’ challenges with their teacher or a specialist education department lead. Your twins will not need to have a diagnosis to qualify for support. The school will then conduct a comprehensive assessment to determine if your child qualifies for special education services. Once eligibility is established, a team will be formed to create a personalized education plan that addresses your child’s unique needs and goals.
Many times parents are told their child “doesn’t need supports” or they are doing ok without them. Remember you are the twins advocate, and it is important for you to know their rights throughout the process. Seek support from professionals or an advocacy organization if you think you need it.
Can I change my mind?
Your support documents should frequently be reviewed and adapted as your twins needs change. You may find over time that they will need more or less support in different areas. For example, transitioning from primary to secondary school can be a big jump and extra support may be needed. You may also find as they learn and develop they need less kinds of supports like 1:1 supervision.
What if my twins, triplets or quads need different kinds of support?
It is likely that your twins will need different kinds of support. Even identical twins can show different levels of support needs for autism, so be sure to think of the individual needs that each child shows instead of trying to get the same support for both of them. These supports can range from different types, different classrooms, to different schools.
You may also want your support plans to be very specific in the language agreed upon in the support plan. One twin mom shared that her twins support plans stated they were entitled to 30 minutes of speech and language support per day. She later found out that the school was combining the twins into one session with one therapist, meaning each child was not getting their allocated 30 mins daily. Ask questions, communicate with your twins teachers and ask the twins yourself about what happens during their support time.
How do I know if it is working?
If the supports are working, your twins should be meeting their educational goals, thriving socially at school and generally enjoying their experience. Some schools tend to blame parents or children for not succeeding, using phrases like “they didn’t try hard enough”, “they refused to participate” or “they refused to sit down”. Many of these “refusals” are clear indications that your twins are not being supported in the right ways, so be sure to advocate for their needs (and rights) to receive an education just like a child that doesn’t have a support plan.
Do your autistic twins, triplets or quadruplets have school support? Share your experiences in the comments below.
Subscribe to get the latest news and updates!
This website uses affiliate links. I may make a small commission from purchases when you use these links, at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
