How do I prepare my autistic child for a new school year?

How do I get my child ready for the new room, teacher and bus?

Ask your child whether a short visit, pictures or a video of the school would be useful. If possible, meet a trusted staff member and explore where your child can ask for help or take a break.

How do I build a countdown and practice the new morning?

Some children like a calendar or a short picture sequence. Choose together whether to practice any part of the morning and stop if practice is uncomfortable. Leave room for unexpected changes.

What should I put on a one-page sheet for the new teacher?

With your child's participation, share what your child enjoys, how your child communicates, what support helps and who to contact. Ask what information your child is comfortable sharing and keep it to what the school needs.

How do I make sure the new team has my child's IEP or 504 plan?

In the US, ask the new school and case manager whether they have the current IEP or 504 plan and how supports will be provided. IDEA has rules for obtaining records and providing services during transfers. Outside the US, ask both schools how records and supports transfer.

What does a hard first week mean, and what doesn't it mean?

A difficult first week can have many causes, including a missing support or safety concern. Listen to your child and contact the school promptly about concerns; do not wait a set number of weeks. Talk with the pediatrician about health or wellbeing concerns.

Try a visual routine together

For example, draw: breakfast → pack a bag → travel to school. You can draw the steps on paper or use the free visual schedule maker. The maker asks for contact details before it opens; your paper version stays free.

For the methods behind a routine, Journey to Independence: ABA for Parents includes 27 recorded sessions and downloadable slides. A seven-day free trial is available; previous trials of included material may affect eligibility. If you choose to buy, access is for 12 months in one payment; see the current price on the course page. See the course and trial.

Already started a trial or bought the course? Try signing in with the email you used, then return to the course list link. If you cannot find your lessons, contact us. For help, email info@special-learning.com.

Source: National Autistic Society. This page is general information; ask a professional about your child's situation.

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Other store resources: Getting Ready for School Boy Visual Schedule · Getting Ready for School Girl Visual Schedule. See each product page for current details.

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• American Academy of Pediatrics, HealthyChildren.org, "Back-to-School Tips for Families" (current) https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/gradeschool/school/Pages/Back-to-School-Tips.aspx
• American Academy of Pediatrics, HealthyChildren.org, "Autism" (current) https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/Autism/Pages/default.aspx
• U.S. Department of Education, sites.ed.gov/idea, "Sec. 300.323 When IEPs Must Be in Effect" (current) https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/d/300.323
• National Institute of Mental Health, "Autism Spectrum Disorder" (current) https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/autism-spectrum-disorders-asd
• MedlinePlus, "Autism Spectrum Disorder" (current) https://medlineplus.gov/autismspectrumdisorder.html

Last updated November 3, 2026.