According to a recent study conducted by AsIAm, an autism charity, autistic children frequently encounter seclusion, restraint, and reduced school schedules during their educational journey. The study, which took into account over 1,700 parents, carers, and autistic adults, showed that around 25% of parents voiced that their child was not provided with an apt school placement.
The report indicates that over half of the participants professed the current educational system to be exclusive to autistic children. They highlighted various obstacles, such as an inadequate number of teaching hours dedicated to special education and exclusionary school policies and behaviour codes.
Over 55% of autistic children, as per the study, have endured exclusion from the classroom environment. Furthermore, concerning instances like fabricating consent for physical restraint were reported by 12%, while nearly one-third (29%) spoke of their children facing a curtailed school day without their endorsement.
These measures, including shortened schedules and seclusion, are an infringement of a child’s legal entitlement to an inclusive education, as per educational law and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, asserts AsIAm. Presently, there aren’t formal school guidelines regarding seclusion and restraint but the Department of Education is believed to be working on one.
The charity stressed the dire need for tighter regulation of any physical intervention in schools and demands cessation of restraint. In the event of an emergency necessitating physical intervention, it must be undertaken by a well-trained professional, warrant documentation, external oversight, and must align with child protection regulations.
These results are part of AsIAm’s annual report, Same Chance, and is touted as the most extensive report on autism in Ireland. It additionally features an individual survey conducted by Core Research detailing the viewpoints of 1,000 general public members towards autism. It indicates an overwhelming favour (88%) for stronger legislative supports encapsulating a comprehensive societal and school inclusion model. However, such progressive attitudes seemingly contrast when respondents were presented with real-life situations in diverse areas like employment, social interactions, and education.
For instance, although the prevailing opinion (80 percent) is in favour of inclusivity in every aspect of life, nearly half (48 percent) would find themselves slightly perturbed if they witnessed an adult pacing or swaying in public. Although four out of five individuals wish to maintain a comfortable work environment for all, less than half (45 percent) would deem it excessive for a co-worker to ask for an advance picture of the meeting room. Further, while clear communication is universally regarded as important, more than half (around 60 percent) of people would feel uneasy interacting with someone who refrains from making direct eye contact.
The CEO of AsIAm, Adam Harris, pointed out the significant chasm that the report highlights; between the general public’s expectations of how the autistic community should be treated and the harsh circumstances they grapple with daily. Despite the rising ambition to promote increased inclusion, the actual experiences of many members are disconnected from these aspirations. The government policies also seem to overlook the needs of the autistic community. Much more effort is required to effect tangible improvements in the lives of autistic individuals in Ireland, Harris concluded.
The report also indicates an enhanced understanding of autism and a societal willingness towards inclusion. It states ‘your neurodiverse child may excel in mathematics, yet struggle with tying their shoelaces’. Three-fourths of the public believes that children should be assisted rather than reprimanded if they exhibit stress in a classroom setting, and four in five people are informed about autism as a diagnosis. A substantial majority (80 percent) support the idea that Irish society should be inclusive, with over half of the populace being acquainted with an autistic individual.