Dec 12, 2018, Dublin Echo: School places for autistic children still a problem http://www.echo.ie/news/article/school-places-for-autistic-children-still-a-problem ISSUES with securing school places for children on the autism spectrum is a common occurrence, according to Fianna Fáil TD John Lahart, who raised a question in the Dáil about a Dublin 24 family whose son is on the autistic spectrum and who was turned down by 24 different schools. Deputy Lahart raised a parliamentary question, where he asked Richard Bruton, the Minister for Education and Skills, if he considered it “acceptable” that a parent in Dublin 24 had been turned down by 24 different schools when they sought a place for their child, who has autism. In response, the minister stated in part that: “The enrolment of a child to a school is a matter, in the first instance, for the parents of the child and the Board of Management of a school. “My Department has no role in relation to processing applications for enrolment to schools and it does not maintain details of waiting lists in schools. … According to Deputy Lahart, the issue that his constituent is facing in trying to get a school place for their child is not an isolated incident. Speaking to The Echo, Deputy Lahart said: “This is a common [problem] across my constituency, from Dublin 24 to Dublin 6W. … “We’re still a while away from preparing adults and children with autism for employment,” said Deputy Lahart….
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Childhood Lost
Children today are noticeably different from previous generations, and the proof is in the news coverage we see every day. This site shows you what’s happening in schools around the world. Children are increasingly disabled and chronically ill, and the education system has to accommodate them. Things we've long associated with autism, like sensory issues, repetitive behaviors, anxiety and lack of social skills, are now problems affecting mainstream students. Blame is predictably placed on bad parenting (otherwise known as trauma from home).
Addressing mental health needs is as important as academics for modern educators. This is an unrecognized disaster. The stories here are about children who can’t learn or behave like children have always been expected to. What childhood has become is a chilling portent for the future of mankind.
Anne Dachel, Media editor, Age of Autism
http://www.ageofautism.com/media/
(John Dachel, Tech. assist.)
What will happen in another 4 years? How can we go on like this? This is a national (and international) problem of monumental proportions. We have an entire new class of children who cannot be accommodated by the system: many are manifestly neurologically impaired. Meanwhile, the government and the medical profession sleep on regardless.
John Stone,
UK media editor, Age of Autism
The generation of American children born after 1990 are arguably the sickest generation in the history of our country.
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
It seemed to me that with rising autism prevalence, you’d also see rising autism costs to society, and it turns out, the costs are catastrophic.
They calculated that in 2015 autism cost the United States $268 billion and they projected that if autism continues at its current rate, we’re looking at one trillion dollars a year in autism costs by 2025, so within five years.
Toby Rogers, PhD, Political economist
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