An Exploration of Parents' Experiences of Home Educating Their Autistic Children

Abstract

This study explores the experiences of parents who home educate their autistic children, addressing a gap in educational research where the intersection of autism and home education remains underexplored. Despite increasing numbers choosing this option, existing literature has focused primarily on either home education broadly or autism in traditional school settings. This research, guided by an interpretivist framework, employs a mixed-methods triangulation design to investigate parents' motivations, challenges, strategies, comparative experiences with traditional schooling, and recommendations. Data was collected via questionnaires (n=37) and semi-structured interviews (n=3) from parents currently home educating autistic children. Analysis revealed that severe emotional distress in traditional school settings frequently motivated the transition to home education, with multiple parents reporting their children had expressed suicidal thoughts while in school. For many families, home education was a critical intervention for their child's psychological well-being, with 86.5% reporting decreased anxiety after transition. Parents reported high satisfaction with home education and improvements in their children's academic progress, behaviour, and communication skills. However, they faced substantial challenges, including financial strain and limited access to specialist resources. Despite these obstacles, parents developed effective strategies through flexible, child-centred approaches. The findings challenge assumptions that traditional classroom settings are most appropriate for autistic children. Results demonstrate how personalised environments enhance both academic progress and emotional well-being while also revealing inequalities in access to resources and services. This study contributes original insights into home education’s systemic barriers, including reduced access to specialist services, challenging relationships with local authorities, and administrative burdens that transfer stress from children to parents. The research has implications for policy development regarding the proposed 2024 legislative changes to home education oversight in England, suggesting that understanding these families' experiences could inform more supportive approaches.

Date of Award	25 Jun 2025
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of Winchester
Supervisor	Kerry Ball (Supervisor) & Miriam Walker (Supervisor)