Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she has taken to improve educational provision for children with autism.

It is vital that all children are able to fulfil their potential. The Department for Education continues to fund the Autism Education Trust which provides training on autism to early years, school and further education staff. Since Spring 2012, approximately 50,000 staff have received training across all levels: level one basic awareness training and level two hands-on tools and techniques training. Level three training has also been provided for those who want to develop their knowledge of autism further or will themselves take on a training role, such as school Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators. The contract for this training has recently been extended for a further year, to the end of March 2016.

The Department has funded three autism organisations between 2013-15, including Ambitious about Autism, to work with four general further education colleges and schools to test innovative ways of supporting the transition of young people with autism from school to college. The Department has also provided funding to the National Autistic Society in order to help young people with autism take part in the development of local offers of services, to provide advice to professionals and to fund an exclusion adviser for parents and professionals.