Nursery World - Positive engagement

Without any requirement for specialist intervention, how can early years settings integrate children with autism? Karen Faux finds out Last year the National Autistic Society (NAS) helpline received more than 35,000 calls from individuals seeking help and information about autism in childhood. Not all of these were from families; many calls came from teachers and early years professionals who are struggling to overcome a profound lack of understanding about the disability.

Last year the National Autistic Society (NAS) helpline received more than 35,000 calls from individuals seeking help and information about autism in childhood. Not all of these were from families; many calls came from teachers and early years professionals who are struggling to overcome a profound lack of understanding about the disability.

With autism now affecting one per cent of children, it's clear there is a need for more widespread training, and the NAS has been working hard to raise awareness of this.

In particular, it has drawn attention to the fact that there is no duty on Special Education Needs Co-ordinators (SENCOs) to have any specific training in autism.

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