Suspension and explusion for autistic students

Navigating school discipline measures like suspension or expulsion can be overwhelming, and it's important to know how these processes work and what rights your child has.

This way, you can ensure your child gets the help they need to work through any behaviour problems without disrupting their education. 

The importance of school for autistic children

School is much more than a place for academic learning; it's crucial for a child's social and emotional development. If a child is suspended or expelled, it doesn’t just affect their academic performance; it impacts their mental health and ability to socialise with other children. This is particularly worrying for students with autism, as missing school can cause them to miss out on developing important skills, affecting their academic, social and emotional development, even beyond school. 

Behaviour support in schools

Schools are responsible for creating an environment that supports all students and proactively addresses any behaviours of concern. Understanding what a child’s behaviours of concern might be trying to signal to others is a key part of this process. 

What can seem like bad or attention-seeking behaviour might be a sign a child’s needs aren’t being met or they’re struggling to cope. Some students with autism, for example, might become incredibly upset if their routine at school changes without warning, or if their regular classroom teacher is unexpectedly absent. By creating predictable schedules and communicating change well in advance in a way the child understands (e.g., using visual supports and social stories), school staff can make autistic students feel much more supported and comfortable.

Implementing a Behaviour Support Plan (BSP) can also help address challenging behaviours in a positive and consistent way. Parents/carers should work with school staff to create these plans and make sure they reflect the child’s individual needs. This plan should include strategies such as:

• Modifications to the learning environment that reduce sensory overload.
• Clear, consistent routines that help the student manage transitions.
• Physical activities to help with emotional regulation.

Preventing suspensions and expulsions

Suspensions and expulsions should not be the first response to challenging behaviours, especially for students with additional needs. Schools must consider whether reasonable adjustments have been made to address challenging behaviours before moving to suspend or expel a child. In a truly inclusive learning environment, many of the behaviours that lead to suspensions or expulsions can be addressed positively, or in the best case scenario, prevented from occurring at all. 

Rights and support options during the suspension or expulsion process 

Every Australian school has an official process for handling suspensions and expulsions. Families have the right to access a school’s policies around these measures in writing, and if their child is suspended or expelled, families must be provided with the reasons for the decision and the steps that will follow. If a child has been suspended, the school must provide learning activities to be completed at home to prevent the child from falling behind in their education. 

If your child faces suspension or expulsion, here are some steps you can take to support them:

Know your rights

Understand your child and your family’s rights by communicating directly with the school. Doing your own research and reaching out to advocacy organisations can assist you in finding the information you need. For example, you are well within your rights to bring a support person to any meetings you have with the school to help you absorb and process information. 

Create a Student Support Group (SSG)

A Student Support Group (SSG) refers to everyone involved in your child’s education. This includes you, your child’s teacher/s, any therapists supporting your child and any disability advocates you may be working with. Your child may also wish to be a part of this group. Bringing these people together to discuss the challenges your child is experiencing can be much more productive than speaking to these groups individually. 

Seek external support

If a therapy team supports your child, work with them to address the challenges your child might be experiencing. 

The appeals process

If a school decides to expel a student, families have the right to appeal this decision. Families might appeal if they believe there is not enough evidence that their child received enough behavioural support, procedural errors or if they believe their child is being discriminated against. Appeals can be made to the family’s state or territory education department, and families will usually work with Department of Education staff in their state/territory and possibly an Expulsion Review Panel during this process. 

Planning for the future

When a child is suspended or expelled from school, both the child and their family will need ongoing support and planning. For expulsions, the school must take responsibility for the student’s transition to another school or an alternative education option, ensuring that the child’s education is disrupted as little as possible.

The education journey for a child with autism can be challenging, particularly when dealing with disciplinary actions such as suspension or expulsion. Families need to understand the processes, know their child and family's rights, and actively advocate for their child. By creating a partnership between the school and home, a child is more likely to have the support and understanding they need to have a good experience at school.