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Strong across the cases is that what parents get from sharing education with their

autistic child is additional time. TE says that '[with full-time school it was] very hard to

give … the one to one time that I felt was important.' and CY says that Coby comes out

of school 'completely exhausted.' DN explains in more detail:

[Ben will say] “We've learnt about this” and then we go and dive in and make it this big thing. On top of full-time schooling, that's not possible. That's not possible because, when Ben was in school more … we were up 'til ten, eleven, twelve o'clock at night, trying to figure out what it is so [he] could actually go to bed.

For SS, the time at home is an opportunity to provide the therapy that Edward

needs in a more focussed way:

There were issues about therapy at the school ...When they did try to do 1:1 stuff with him they were trying to squeeze him into corridors … or they just could not find a room to do it in or by the time they set it up, so much of his day was being eroded by you know moving from one room to the other ... So, all of that was removed, all of that was done at home.

SS has been able to use the time that Edward is out of school to work on his

We went to see this wonderful Speech and Language therapist … and she said, if she had her way … no child would go to school until they had mastered PECS [Picture Exchange Communication System]. And she advocated Edward coming out of school.

Another advantage of the additional time for the parents to spend with their

autistic child is that it means that it can 'free up' after school and weekends for the rest

of the family. CY comments, 'I actually have more time for my daughter, and family

time because I'm not dealing with screaming and crying.' She also believes that

enabling Coby to have time at home during the week makes him more able to interact

with his sister when she comes in from school. 'He has a lot of time with [his little

sister] actually, and he does play with her.' The effect on sibling relationships is echoed

by TE who says, '[Shared education] meant Elliot was happier the whole week through

and knew he was getting some time without his brother around too.'' SS explains how

shared education has enabled her to 'spend time with one child and then the other … so I

have a better independent relationship as well as joint relationship with my children.'

This additional time is felt by the parents in the study to facilitate the bonds

between them and their autistic child. CY describes their at-home time: 'It's a real

closeness. We're usually cuddled up together, you know … I see that as a really special

time.' TE expresses that more time at home with Elliot meant that they had 'more time

to talk and listen to each other and share books and play computer games and follow his

interests.' Elliot reinforces this, saying in his feedback that shared education means that,

'you get to see more of your family.' For SS, the additional time with her children is

important for her to develop her relationship with them, and for them with her and with

What [shared education] gave for us is time as a unit. And how to be as a unit, a family unit. Because otherwise, we'd only have the weekends … I think it's given Edward and me the relationship that we wouldn't otherwise have had ... I've got a much better understanding of my son and my daughter through this process.

The parents' readiness to accept the autistic child is important to GE. She says

that Adpar's autistic behaviour 'didn't really bother us. He was slightly different to his

brother, you know, but until he went to school and interacted with others it - it wasn’t

really a problem.' TE shares this emphasis on acceptance, saying, 'Parents

love/understand a child more than anyone else. This acceptance is vital.' SS believes

that it essential that parents are the ones who are involved in working with their autistic

children, rather than this falling to professionals in school. As she explains, it means

that 'you are the one who develops that relationship with your child.'

DN values the time she spends with Ben because she feels that 'without restoring

this bond [with her] on a daily basis there is no safe place for him and anxiety becomes

overwhelming and debilitating.' The idea of the parent as a 'safe place' is echoed by

CY: '[Coby] sees me as home, really. Like I am 'home' ... There's just so much

safeness.' She is aware of the vulnerability which autism brings her child:

Children with autism can struggle to know their place in the world and the parental unconditional acceptance is therefore paramount … You've got all these kinds of issues and then you've got that one person who totally gets it and you love completely and you just totally trust.