Implementation of children's rights in practice is necessary to maximise their potential to improve the lives of children. This study aimed to develop a set of indicators to evaluate critically current practice in relation to Individual Education Plans (IEPs) for pupils with autistic spectrum disorder (asd) in Ireland from a children's rights perspective. The study was conducted in two stages using both qualitative and quantitative approaches. The first stage focused on the development of a set of indicators for the IEP process based on a children's rights framework and informed by the perspectives of children, parents and teachers, alongside the literature on best practice on IEPs. In the second stage, a survey questionnaire was designed, based on the children's rights indicators, to evaluate current IEP practice in Ireland for pupils with asd. The main findings indicated that current IEP practice is compliant with indicators relating to participation ofparents and to the appropriateness of IEP goals and targets. Significant non-compliance was evident with respect to the right ofchildren to be given an opportmiity to express their views in relation to their IEP, but also that these views must be listened to and taken into account. The findings also indicated a serious shortfall in accessing resources to implement and co-ordinate the IEP. This study presents a strong argument for the importance of giving meaning to the application and implementation of children's rights in IEP practice for pupils with asd, in a climate of impending legislation on IEPs in Ireland.