SEN Education consultants for children with an autism diagnosis
Do you need help finding the right school for a child with an autism diagnosis?
By the time families contact us many are exhausted from trying to advocate for their child without feeling heard.
Because finding the right school for a child with an autism diagnosis can feel overwhelming, particularly after a recent diagnosis or when a child is struggling in their current environment.
Our experienced SEN education consultants work with families exploring a wide range of options, from mainstream schools that support children with autism, inclusive schools for SEN, to specialist provision. Whether your child would benefit from a nurturing mainstream state or independent school or specialist provision, we help families understand the pros and cons of different pathways and identify the options that will give children the best chance to flourish, fulfil their potential and be happy.
Speak to a SEN education consultant
If you need expert guidance on choosing a school or understanding different pathways we are here to help.
How we support families
We tailor each service depending on which stage you are in the process, but typically we will:
Arrange an initial consultation to understand your child, their needs and your concerns
Discuss your child’s strengths, challenges, sensory profile and educational experiences
Explain the different types of SEN provision available within both state and private schools where appropriate
Research schools likely to suit your child’s profile
Advise on transitions between schools and key educational stages
Support families navigating initial diagnosis or navigating the EHCP process.
Liaise with schools and ask the right questions about support and provision
Provide ongoing support throughout the process
Our services
We offer a wide range of consultancy services and the type and level of support is tailored to each family with as much or as little hands-on involvement as you need.
For some families, a one-off virtual meeting is enough. For families needing something more tailored and in-depth, our consultants will work with you to research possible schools based on all the factors that are important to you, from location to timings, academic results to support, ensuring that these are as good a fit for your child as possible.
We can be with you every step of the way, from the initial conversation to short-listing schools and the stages of the admissions process - everything you need to guide you through this important decision from start to finish.
Some ways we can help
- Identifying the right mainstream school for a child with an autism diagnosis
- Advising on inclusive schools for autism and supportive SEN environments
- Exploring whether a child may benefit from specialist provision
- Helping to navigate conversations and relationships with schools
- Advising on transitions between schools after an autism diagnosis
- Supporting families whose child is unhappy, masking or struggling at school
- Identifying state schools with strong pastoral care and emotional support
- Helping families understand EHCPs and levels of school support
- Shortlisting private schools with strong SEN support
Our heritage
When we launched the first edition of The Good Schools Guidein 1986, we quickly realised that many parents needed more than school reviews.
Families of children with additional needs were asking questions such as:
Why isn't my child thriving at school?
Would my child be happier somewhere else?
Does my child need specialist provision?
What support should I be expecting from a school?
Our consultancy service was founded in response to demand from parents to have these questions answered and, for almost four decades, we have supported families to make educational decisions with confidence.
We know the schools, understand the different types of SEN provision available and have a deep understanding of the environments in which children with autism are most likely to flourish.
Most importantly, we understand that no two children with an autism diagnosis are the same.
Who are our SEN education consultants?
Our SEN education consultants are specialists in supporting families of children with one or more diagnoses and have extensive experience advising on both mainstream and specialist school placements for children with autism.
Families come to us when they feel uncertain about what their child needs from a school environment, are worried that their child is misunderstood, or are concerned that their current school is no longer the right fit or are reaching a transition point – moving from primary to senior school, for example.
Whether exploring mainstream schools that are supportive of autism or specialist provision, our consultants provide calm, practical guidance based on years of experience and a deep understanding of how different schools support children with an autism diagnosis in practice.
We focus on helping families identify schools where children will feel safe, understood and able to thrive, considering each child’s strengths, challenges, personality and emotional wellbeing.
We provide:
Totally unbiased, independent advice — we don’t receive payment or commission from schools
Deep expertise across mainstream, independent and specialist SEN provision
Advice focused on emotional wellbeing as well as academic outcomes
Discreet, family-focused consultancy
All our consultants are also writers and reviewers for The Good Schools Guide - which means that as a team we have first-hand insights into a large number of schools in specific areas.
Talk to us about choosing a school
We can help you understand your options and find the right school for your child.
Finding schools for children with additional needs can be extremely challenging and parents often come to us when they are at a low ebb. Schools that sound like the perfect fit on paper may not have places or can't offer the support that a child needs. Working with families and finding schools that will help a child to flourish, make progress and be happy is incredibly rewarding and our SEN education consultants work very hard to identify them. Trust matters. We are realistic and transparent with parents so they start off with a clear idea of what we may be able to achieve and any compromises that might be needed along the way. Knowing that we have done everything possible to ensure a child is in a setting where they can gain in confidence and fulfil their potential is incredibly satisfying and makes our work completely worthwhile.Charlotte Phillips, SEN consultancy manager
Some of our team
Charlotte Phillips
SEND consultancy manager
Before joining The Good Schools Guide, specialising in SEND, Charlotte wrote about education and family life for The Telegraph, Times and Guardian and more.
Grace Moody-Stuart
Consultancy director
Grace is director of The Good Schools Guide Education Consultants and has worked for The Guide for 20 years.
Selina Boyd
International director
An experienced education consultant with over a decade in international education, Selina Boyd has been with The Good Schools Guide since 2020.
Other services we offer
Education consultants for children with ADHD
Our experienced SEN education consultants support families looking for the right school for a child with ADHD.
Education consultants for EHCP support
Our SEN education consultants support families navigating the EHCP process, understanding their options, and with school choices.
Private school consultancy
Our experienced private school consultants help families navigate the world of private schools.
FAQs about our supportive schools for autism consultancy
How do I choose the right school for a child with an autism diagnosis?
It’s important to think about what ‘right’ means here – this is all about finding a school that is the best fit for your child. So what you’re looking for is the school that is a good match for your child based on a range of factors – academic ability, environment and ethos as well as support. We can help with this.
Can a child with autism thrive in a mainstream school?
What you’re looking for is a school where your child can thrive. So it’s all about them – what they need from a school and whether that school will provide it. We know schools and can help you find the right school for your child.
Can you help if my child is struggling in their current school?
We can work with you at whatever stage you are at. Some families approach us when their child is struggling to attend school or on the point of being excluded or when the school is not able to provide appropriate levels of support. We are here to help.
What is the difference in autism provision between mainstream and specialist schools?
Mainstream schools can be extremely inclusive and welcoming but inevitably there will be a limit to what they are able to provide in terms, say, of classroom adaptions and access to therapists. In special/specialist schools, every child will have a diagnosis and all aspects of the way the school is structured will have a therapeutic dimension.
Can you help us move schools after an autism diagnosis?
Sometimes it can be in a child’s best interests to stay at a school so the pros and cons of staying vs moving will always be something to consider. Where moving schools is likely to be in the best interests of the child, we can absolutely research possible options.
Are there mainstream boarding schools which support children with autism?
You will find children with autism in every school in the country, including boarding schools. However, every child with autism is different. For some children, the routine and structure offered by a boarding school can work well. For others, living in a community with all the social expectations that come with this can be challenging. Our consultants will work with families to get a real knowledge of their child and the school that is the best fit for them, including boarding schools.
Can you advise on schools for high functioning autism in the UK?
High functioning autism is a widely used term (but non-clinical term) to describe autism without intellectual disability. However, children who fit this profile and who are academically able cover a huge range. They can also have other challenges such as communication difficulties. As consultants, our role is to look at each child as an individual and to work with the family to decide what type of school is right for each child.
How do schools support neurodiverse children socially and emotionally?
Support can vary widely depending on what each child needs and whether the school is mainstream or specialist. It can vary from access to therapists to providing a safe haven when children are feeling overwhelmed. Each school will have an inclusion or SEN policy which outlines the level of support that is offered. While these are helpful, they form part of the overall picture. Our consultants are experts at advising on what the reality of the SEN offering is and whether it is suitable for an individual child.
Can you help us understand EHCPs and school support?
Getting an Education, Health and Care Plan is a big step for any family. Our consultants can advise on what is involved and how the support provided by an EHCP differs from what is available in schools without one.
What happens in a consultation with an SEN education consultant?
Many families start with an initial online Advice and Guidance Meeting. Our consultant would prepare for this by reading the information families provide, which will often include recent school reports as well as assessments by education psychologists and other therapists. If a family has an EHCP we will ask to see this as well. The meeting is designed to get a feel for the child’s personality, what they enjoy, their interests and challenges. We would then talk through how support looks now and how it should evolve so we can build up a really detailed picture of what a future school might ideally offer and discuss the next stages in the child’s education and what type of school might be right (we would not recommend specific schools at this point). We would also talk about the timescale. After the meeting we send through a summary outlining the main points and suggesting next steps. The cost of this meeting would also be deducted from the cost of any schools research.
Do you only recommend special schools for autism?
Every child is an individual. Before we research schools for a family, we will have talked through the environment that is likely to be the best fit for their child right now. That might be a special or a mainstream school and sometimes both.
Can you liaise with schools on our behalf?
Yes. Our research always includes speaking to schools and with your written permission we can liaise with them on your behalf. Some families prefer us to share reports with schools, others may undertake this themselves. We always work with families in the way that is best for them.
How confidential is your SEN consultancy service?
We do not share information without your written consent and are very careful to ensure that confidential reports are safely stored. We will share reports with schools if we have your written consent to do this.