THE RISING number of children diagnosed with autism in the Bradford district could require the creation of a new special school in the next few years.

By 2018 it is predicted there will be another 111 young people in Bradford with communication or interaction needs who require a specialist school place. Although the council has plans for 27 new places, 84 spaces still need to be found.

If facilities are not built before then, these children may have to be placed in schools outside the district.

Tomorrow, the Bradford Schools Forum will discuss how the district is dealing with the current and forecasted growth of children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder needs.

The forum, made up of representatives from primary and secondary schools and officers from Bradford Council, will hear that there is a "significant annual increase" in the number of children with Autism in Bradford.

To run an 80-place special school would cost £2 million a year.

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A report to the committee, written by local autism experts, says: "If new specialist provision is not developed within Bradford there is the risk that an increased number of children and young people will need to be placed out of the district.

"Ensuring appropriate resources are available, in the right places, to support the most vulnerable children across the district must be a key focus for the forum."

Bradford has a higher than average level of young people with autism, but autism groups say this is partially due to more awareness of the condition among professionals. There are at least 188 children diagnosed with autism in the district each year.

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Existing council plans for more places include an additional 15 places at High Park Special School in Heaton.

The report submitted to the forum describes the type of specialist provision that will be needed in the coming years: "New provision will need to offer mainstream curriculum in a building with a highly specialist environment for children with the most complex autism.

"Challenging behaviour should reduce if pupils have access to an appropriate environment and provision, hopefully allowing mainstream access to develop over time."

Councillor Ralph Berry, executive for children's services, said: "This is quite a significant issue. As a council we are doing quite a good job with Autism and making sure a range of needs are met. We need to find a way to build additional space as well as other forms of appropriate provision. We have to press for more funding for this, and parents of children who have just been diagnosed will be looking at what provision we will be providing." He believes that a new school may be required, rather than expanding existing schools.

The schools forum meets at 8am at City Hall.