REFERRAL PATHWAY

Children already placed in WCED schools follow the national Screening Identification and Support (SIAS) Policy and are referred to the ASD Database via the District Office, whereas children not yet in WCED schools can be referred directly by hospitals or professionals. The WCED ASD Referral form must be be completed by a professional in the field of ASD and sent to waitinglist.asd@gmail.com.

The learner will be immediately added to the Provincial ASD Database and allocated to an ASD school/unit, depending on the area in which he/she resides. The allocated school will then contact the family to arrange a screening interview and observation period to determine the child’s level of support and make recommendations regarding school placement.

The information from the observation period will be presented at the WCED’s Sifting and Placement meeting where a final decision will be made regarding placement. The placement options are: Mainstream with support for children with low/moderate support needs; School for Learners with Specific Learning Disabilities for children with moderate support needs; Autism School/Unit for children with high support needs.

The allocated school will then communicate the outcome of this meeting, as well as recommendations based on the assessment, via a feedback session with the family.