Ofsted is being urged to drop ‘absurd and dangerous’ guidance which suggests autistic children should be closely monitored in case they become terrorists.
In training notes for inspectors, the education standards body states: ‘Children and young people with autism are at increased risk of being susceptible to extremism.
‘This is because they are more likely to develop special interests. Due to this and any social communication needs, children with autism are more likely to experience social isolation and so use the internet as a way to find friends.
‘They trust the information they read and the ‘‘friends’’ that they find online and so can be drawn into extremism.’ Teachers who are concerned about a pupil have a duty to refer the child to the anti-radicalisation Prevent programme as quickly as possible.
But comedian Paul Whitehouse, who co-hosts a podcast called I’m ADHD! No You’re Not with his wife, condemned the guidance and urged Education Secretary and Labour deputy leadership hopeful Bridget Phillipson to intervene.
