Following the initial success of Autism Inclusion Teachers (AITs) in public primary schools, the Malinauskas Labor Government will today introduce a new initiative to build autism inclusion in secondary schools.
The pilot will trial three models of support particularly focused on supporting autistic students as they transition to high school. Outcomes from the trial will help shape the Department for Education's future autism inclusion initiatives.
It is estimated more than 2250 autistic students will transition from public primary schools to public secondary schools over the next three years.
The transition to secondary school can present additional barriers for autistic students as they navigate changes in the school environment including new teachers and peers, movement between classrooms, and greater levels of independence.
The Department will work with nine secondary schools that will have autistic students transitioning to their schools in 2025. The trial will run from the end of this year to December 2025, to help determine an appropriate model of support.
It comes as the government expands training in autism support at TAFE SA for people working in schools and the early childhood education and care sector.
A unit on autism will be delivered to all students undertaking the Certificate III in School Based Education Support at TAFE SA – an Australian-first.
It's important that graduates are better skilled to support children and young people with autism and South Australia is leading the nation in this work.
At the same time, new non-accredited training including a micro-credential is being developed for students in the Early Childhood Education and Care program through the newly established TAFE Centre of Excellence.
The unit 'Provide support to students with autism spectrum disorder' has previously been an elective subject but is now compulsory for all new students in the Certificate III in School Based Education Support.
All TAFE SA students undertaking the Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care will be required to do the module, and it will also be made available for people already in the sector.
These initiatives will complement the previous work in this space, including Autism Inclusion Teachers in primary schools across the state, a $50m investment in mental health and allied health supports and an easier funding application process for students with a disability.
The Autism Inclusion in Secondary Schools initiative will focus on building transition processes that support neurodiversity in conjunction with the school community. This will be delivered through professional learning and support to each school's leadership and year 7 staff.
The department will collaborate with autistic students, school leaders, educators, professional learning bodies, Office for Autism and other members of the autistic and autism communities to deliver the initiative.
The expansion of Autism Inclusion Teachers in high schools, reflects feedback from the autistic and autism communities detailed in the South Australian Autism Strategy which encouraged the state to identify ways to improve transition pathways between educational settings.
The schools in the trial are:
- Roma Mitchell Secondary College
- Findon High School
- Clare High School
- Golden Grove High School
- Modbury High School
- Springbank Secondary College
- Marryatville High School
- Seaford Secondary College
- Murray Bridge High School
As put by Blair Boyer
I'm proud of the nation-leading work being done in this space to support autistic students and shape their future learning.
This latest project builds on our $28.8 million commitment to have an AIT in every primary school, who are then upskilling their whole school community.
School can be challenging for autistic students and it's important that we as an education system, and as a government, put in the resources and support to ensure they are given the best opportunities not only at school, but for their future.
Our state has a strong focus on autism inclusion and as TAFE SA is the public provider of vocational education and training so we have a key role in helping people develop the skills they need to support young people with autism.
Based on employer feedback we know there is strong demand for these skills in education settings and in response we'll be delivering a unit on autism spectrum disorder to all new students in the School Based Education Support course.
As put by Emily Bourke
After the success of Autism Inclusion Teachers in public primary schools, we know the autistic and autism communities have been calling for the expansion to secondary schools.
This initiative will see our secondary school teachers provided with additional knowledge and resources to support autistic high schoolers.
It is a key step forward for autism inclusion which will benefit the autistic student, their families, their schools and the broader community.
As put by Seaford Secondary College Principal Harry Stassinopoulos
Seaford Secondary College is keen to be involved in this trial to ensure the best possible support for our local students as they transition to high school.
By providing our staff with the opportunity to undergo additional professional training, this will build additional knowledge and understanding across the whole school, which in turn provides a benefit to the whole school community.
This work will continue to support our view that students need a safe and supportive environment in which to learn, and we remain committed to providing that environment now and into the future.
