Elected officials and competent authorities met at the La Fontaine school in Vals-près-le-Puy, for the official inauguration of the first class in Haute-Loire dedicated to children with autism spectrum disorders.
There were five of them at the start of the school year. There are now six of them. And there are still four places left. The first autism unit in elementary classes in Haute-Loire has been operating since September 2023 at La Fontaine de Vals school.
It welcomes children from nursery education units, others from Ulis classes (Localized unit for educational inclusion), for schooling from CP level to the second year middle course. They have a dedicated support space for all levels, but also time for inclusion in their reference class.
A multidisciplinary team supports the children on a daily basis
It is made up of two people from National Education (a teacher and a support person for students with disabilities, or AESH) and two others from the medico-social sector, employees of Adapei 43 (a specialized educator and a educational and social support).
This team is joined by a psychologist, a psychomotor therapist and an occupational therapist, who intervene occasionally in the school according to needs.
“The project was built in partnership with the ARS, and National Education, as well as with Adapei 43. The search for a school that could accommodate this unit was done taking into account the desire, but also reception capacities,” explains Anne-Marie Gachard, director of the children’s center at Adapei 43.
“It was the meeting of medico-social and national education,” summarized Chantal Pelissier, president of Adapei 43, during the official inauguration on Thursday morning.
“I am very proud of this collaboration between multidisciplinary teams who have worked hard and who continue to do so. A common goal that is exciting drives us: access to school for all children. It is a duty for us and a right for the children,” she concluded.
Cedric Dedieu
#French
