Mainstream or special education or somewhere in‐between? What do parents of autistic students want and why?

Abstract Limited evidence is available on school placement types that Australian parents of autistic students prefer. This mixed methods study explored parents' school placement preferences, the impact of student characteristics on these preferences and parents' reasons for their preferences. Surveys with closed‐ and open‐ended questions were used to gather data from 656 parents of autistic children, including parents of 83 children yet to start school, 400 primary school‐aged children and 173 secondary school‐aged children. Regular mainstream school classes were preferred by around half the parents, with the remainder preferring a range of specialised school options. Parents who preferred regular mainstream classrooms often wanted their child to learn to manage in real‐world settings. However, many parents believed that their child needed more specialised support. Specialised school placement options were significantly more likely to be preferred by parents of autistic children who (a) are older and in the later stages of schooling (b) have conditions that impact on learning or mental health. As regular mainstream classrooms are not perceived by a sizeable proportion of parents to be accommodating their autistic child's needs, substantial systemic reform to ensure that schools are inclusive and sufficiently supportive is a priority.