Vulnerable pupils are missing out due to a lack of autism-specific education in Northern Ireland.
That’s the view of Shirelle Stewart, Northern Ireland co-ordinator for the National Autistic Society (NAS).
Shirelle Stewart of the NAS wants to see autism-specific education in Northern Ireland
The NAS’s call for autism-specific education comes after the Department of Health issued statistics. These showed that the number of children diagnosed with the condition has rocketed.
One in 34 diagnosed with autism
The latest figures show around one in every 34 children in Northern Ireland has autism. This compares to one in 83 recorded in 2008/9, which means it has more than doubled.
Now, children with autism in Northern Ireland attend either learning disability schools, mainstream schools or units attached to mainstream schools.
Stewart said some academically able students with autism also have sensory issues. These children would benefit from autism-specific schools with smaller classes.
Also, those with more complex needs who struggle with challenging behaviours “need an environment that is better suited to their needs than a generic learning disability” school, she said.
Autism-specific education set up outside Northern Ireland
Elsewhere in the UK the NAS has set up its own autism-specific schools.
Stewart said in England the NAS has been able to set up free schools and academies to provide autism-specific education.
But there are no free schools or academies in Northern Ireland. Stewart said setting up autism-specific education would require a “complete change of policy” by the Department of Education and the Northern Ireland Education Authority.
Services at ‘breaking point’
Kerry Boyd is the chief executive of the charity Autism Northern Ireland.
She said pressure on services in Northern Ireland was putting them at “breaking point”.
A spokesperson for the Department of Education said autism-specific classes are expanding “across all primary and post-primary schools”.
Any proposal to open an autism-specific school would be for the Education Authority to consider. It would need to submit a case to the Department of Education, added the spokesperson.
Related:
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- N Ireland pay hikes at top despite cuts
- Parents take action over N Ireland cuts
- Cuts hit ‘crucial help’ in N Ireland
- Parents defy dire services in N Ireland
- Huge increase in diagnosis in N Ireland
Published: 8 June 2018
