Reforms required for ASD & DISABILITY Session
We made a booking for the ASD & Disability Friendly Session on Monday, 22/07/2024, from 6 pm to 7 pm. Our expectation was for a quiet and inclusive environment exclusively for disabled children and their carers/parents. However, I was shocked to witness that alongside one disabled child, they permitted two adult carers and any average child, including teenagers up to 14 years old. This raises the question: What is the purpose of an ASD session if ASD children cannot fully engage due to the presence of normal children playing, making excessive noise, and causing distress to autistic children?
My daughter could not remain at the session for more than 15 minutes. There is a critical need for a review of their policies to be more sensitive towards ASD or any disabled child. This world is not exclusively for typical people; those with special needs also have the right to enjoy life. I strongly question their policy that allows any number of normal adults and their normal kids with one disabled child, resulting in a crowded and noisy environment.
Carers must be considerate when bringing both a typical child and a disabled child to a care facility. The typical child's behaviour must not impede the experience of the disabled child. I was thoroughly disappointed with the behaviour at the Preston Branch, and while I am willing to give them one more chance, they must improve their treatment of autistic children. While I understand the business aspect, it is essential to prioritize the needs of disabled individuals.
At present, there is only one session dedicated to children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) on Monday from 6 pm to 7 pm, with the remaining time allocated to mainstream kids. The one-hour ASD session is exclusively for disabled kids, and under no circumstances should mainstream kids be allowed to participate without valid justification. They must behave appropriately and learn alongside ASD kids.