Are you concerned about the growing number of children diagnosed with autism in your local authority?
Are you committed to reducing school exclusions and improving outcomes for autistic children and young people?
Would you like to enable hundreds of education professionals in your local education settings to better support autistic children and young people?
Support autistic children and young people
Build capacity in mainstream education settings
Reduce demand on specialist services
Save money
What is the AET Partnership?
The Autism Education Trust (AET) Partnership helps local authorities upskill leaders and staff in mainstream and specialist education settings and enable them to better support autistic children and young people.
The AET Professional Development Programme enables local authorities to build capacity in mainstream education settings, prevent school exclusions and reduce the need for specialist autism services for autistic children and young people, saving money and resources. It is a framework that promotes and supports sustainable changes in practice.
Find out how other local authorities – including Birmingham, Leicestershire and Lincolnshire County Councils – achieve outstanding results with the AET Professional Development Programme from an impact study created by the Institute of Public Care, Oxford Brookes University: IPC and AET managing demand report October 2020.
Local authorities can purchase an exclusive licence to implement the AET Professional Development Programme and deliver AET training to professionals working in education settings for children and young people aged 0-25. As a not-for-profit, social franchise we can offer highly accessible licence fees.
Why become an AET Partner?
Become an AET Partner to:
Keep more autistic children and young people in mainstream education in your local authority by providing education professionals the skills, knowledge and tools to fully support them.
Deliver a well-established, quality-assured, evidence-based, DfE-supported and CPD certified autism training programme to all education professionals in your local authority.
Provide a 360° holistic offer to your local schools and education settings including a training programme, a comprehensive Autism Competency Framework, high-quality Autism Standards and a wealth of practical resources including the AET Progression Framework.
Use frequently updated, interactive training materials of the highest quality featuring videos, case studies, problem-solving scenarios and strategies.
Be part of a community of respected organisations establishing Good Autism Practice nationwide.
Benefits of becoming a partner
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Quality
Research and evidence-based, the award-winning AET Professional Development Programme was developed by autism education specialists, autistic people, parents of autistic children and education professionals and is continuously being updated.
The training materials are rich, interactive and engaging. They contain exclusive videos, case studies, practical strategies and tools. Delegates value the high-quality materials.
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360 approach
Our Partner Community includes many highly regarded organisations with established expertise in the field of autism education.
All our partners have access to networking opportunities and receive continuous support from regional partners and from the AET.
We share information and best practice and provide personalised marketing support.
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Legal and regulatory compliance
Appropriate SEND provision is becoming increasingly important for regulators, like Ofsted.
The AET training materials and resources support education professionals to meet their statutory duties. They are linked to the SEND Code of Practice, the Equality Act, the Teachers’ Standards, and the Ofsted Common Inspection Framework.
The materials are frequently updated to reflect current policy and the latest research.
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Value
As a not-for-profit organisation, we make the cost of our licences as accessible as possible whilst maintaining the highest level of quality.
Many local authorities realise huge savings to the public purse thanks to the AET Professional Development Programme. Find out more: IPC and AET managing demand report October 2020.
The programme is nationally recognised and endorsed by the Department for Education, the National Autistic Society and Ambitious About Autism.
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Positive ethos
The AET Professional Development Programme is respectful, person-centred and strength-oriented. It is built on the principle that autism is a difference, not a deficit.
The development of materials and resources is overseen by the AET Autistic Young Experts Panel, a group of autistic young people who influence and advise our organisation and a board of governors featuring prominent autism specialists and advocates.
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Community
Our Partner Community includes many highly regarded organisations with established expertise in the field of autism education.
All our partners have access to networking opportunities and receive continuous support from regional partners and from the AET.
We share information and best practice and provide personalised marketing support.
Testimonials
Dr Carla Stavrou
Senior Educational Psychologist for Autism & SLCN, Huntingdon
SEND Service 0-25, Huntingdon and St Ives District Team,
Cambridgeshire County Council
Nicola Morgan-Nash
Lead Advisory teacher Autism & Communication
Somerset & North Somerset
Pamela Simpson, Autism Advisor and Former AET Training Partner Lead for Birmingham CAT
“The AET Professional Development programme focuses on autism as a difference not a deficit. It puts the child and young person at the heart of the process. It is their voice that is heard through the training. The programme is evidence-based and offers a framework for schools to include in their SEN Information Report.
Evaluations indicate that 98 per cent of those attending strongly agree that the training will have a positive impact on practice and their ability to support children with autism. Demand for the training continues to be high.”
Gary Morrissey, Teaching School Director at The Bridge London
“As a National Teaching School that operates beyond our alliance boundary, we recognised the tremendous potential and seized the opportunity of becoming an AET partner.
The AET frameworks and standards alongside the meticulous training programmes have added real value to our work in supporting schools. To be a partner in delivering and developing a licenced, quality assured, national programme developed by specialists in the field of autism education gives our trainers and all of our stakeholders' pride and confidence in the integrity, structure and effectiveness of the support and advice we provide.”
