Playdates & friends?

hi

apologies if this is in the wrong section- new on here!

my son is five with asd and dyspraxia diagnosed last year.  He started his new school in jan as they are more special needs aware/friendly.  He has an amazing one to one and is statemented.

I don't know how to get other children to our house for playdates.  At his old school in a small rural community there was a real stigmitism over the autism so the parents never let their children come and play etc as one admitted they were worried their child would 'catch it'!

the new school is great but very big and no one talks to each other.  I don't have many friends myself as the asd is very isolating in itself.  

any ideas of advice really appreciated.