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t the tender age of one, Sophia’s son, Yannis, learned to read. He would read books for hours every day, mostly in silence. But there was no babbling, no words by 16 months, and no phrases at 24 months. At three years, Yannis was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, a development disability that can cause varying levels of social, communication and behavioural challenges.

Grappling with Yannis’s diagnosis, Sophia was further perturbed by complaints from kindergarten teachers about his “emotional and behavioural problems”. “We needed to fnd a school for him that would support his needs rather than label him a troublemaker,” Sophia recalls. Margaret, mother of Daren, encountered the same challenges: “While every parent has concerns about schooling for children in Hong Kong, having an autistic child raised added concerns that were fundamental to an academic environment, namely social skills and speech development. Without the ability to communicate effectively and follow appropriate classroom behaviour, my son would be even more challenged in comprehending classroom lessons.”

When a child is diagnosed with autism, a clinical psychologist can suggest appropriate school programmes depending on the child’s strengths and areas for

development. The psychologist may recommend a specialist school that provides direct, intensive education, or a mainstream school that offers an “inclusive programme”. Beacon Hill School, Small World Christian Kindergarten and The Harbour School all of fer integrated programmes for children with autism. While the programmes are dif ferent in their execution, the ethos is the same: to provide an inclusive school community that accepts, respects and celebrates each child’s strengths and dif ferences.

Beacon Hill School

Yannis, now eight, attends Beacon Hill School in Kowloon Tong (www.beaconhill.edu.hk), a member of the English Schools Foundation (ESF) and the longest-serving school in Hong Kong to support children with special needs.

Having previously worked with schools for special education needs across Australia, principal John Brewster is a frm believer in inclusion at all levels throughout Beacon Hill School. The learning support programme currently accommodates 21 students with special needs from Years One to Six. Eighteen of these students have moderate to high-functioning autism and are therefore, with appropriate support, able to cope in a mainstream classroom.

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