THE DILEMMA

Educating children with Asperger syndrome with other children can result in clashes that call inclusive practices into question.

A manager in charge of provision for children with Asperger syndrome at a residential special school explains what he did when a boy with Asperger's told a group of children off for swearing and smoking

I WORK AT A SPECIAL SCHOOL for children with extremely challenging behaviour but we also cater for children with Asperger syndrome.

One of our problems is that children with challenging behaviour have fairly poor language skills and they often swear.

We have a child with Asperger syndrome who came to our school from an autistic school. He heard the other children swearing and so he told them it was wrong to swear. They then swore at him.

Naturally he was very upset. He was teased and derided by the other children.

The child with Asperger's is very moralistic and has very strict views on what children should and shouldn't do. He also told them they shouldn't be smoking.

Because of his condition he didn't realise that you don't go up and say that to a group of children, especially ones with such challenging behaviour.

Problems like this are a daily occurrence for us as we have children with Asperger syndrome who are very naive put with children who deliberately flout society's rules.

The children who were smoking were wrong but we can't stop them as their parents permit their smoking. It is better they are on the premises so we can at least see what they're doing and deal with it.

We took the boy with Asperger's aside and made it clear that although he was right, it's not a good idea to take on a group of children like that. We suggested that next time he could take one person from the group aside or raise the issue during PSHE. He has now learnt not to deal with issues in this way. At the same time, the group of children he confronted learnt that there are children who disapprove of their behaviour.

I continually have the dilemma as to whether we should teach and care for children with Asperger's separately or follow the Government line and opt for total inclusion.

The school has a policy of inclusion but for me there is always this tension. I have now come round to the idea that part of the programme for Asperger children should be inclusive and part of it should be tailored for them.

- Have you ever faced a tough professional choice? Call Stovin Hayter on 020 8267 4767 or email stovin.hayter@haynet.com.