Promoting multidisciplinary teamwork for autism: an English school experience

This paper describes the positive and challenging aspects relating to the implementation of the SCERTS Model in an English residential school for children on the autism spectrum, with a specific focus on the professionals’ involvement and on the process of enabling staff to improve the way they work as a team. The paper highlights how SCERTS can be used as a pedagogical framework for working with children on the autism spectrum in a multidisciplinary way, thus empowering the professionals and strengthening their ability to understand the perspective of the child with autism

Training Needs and Attitudes of Greek Educationalists on Good Autism Education Practice for Children on the Autism Spectrum

The current scoping study conducted in Greece aimed to explore the training needs and attitudes held by educationalists on inclusive education for pupils with autism. Whilst educational policies and practice advocate for inclusive education for children with autism, actual provision is segregated between mainstream, special schools and multi-disciplinary therapy centers. These centers operate under the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and are certified by the Ministry of Education. They collaborate with schools to ensure the seamless inclusion of children with autism into school. Whilst Greek educationalists believe on principle that inclusion is essential in the quest to foster community presence and integration for children with autism, in practice there are barriers to inclusive education; primarily these include the current financial crisis and budget cuts in Education as well as an anxiety on the part of teachers on how best to practice inclusive education, whilst protecting and maintaining the safety of autistic children. This ambivalence stems from insufficient knowledge, skills and experience and has significant implications for children with special needs, their families and for society as a whole. The current study aimed to address this ambivalence by, as an initial step, ensuring that all teachers are granted appropriate training and professional support so that children with autism are given the opportunity to flourish within inclusive educational settings