Dec 13, 2024, Argus: Brighton mum takes call for better education to Westminster
S. England
Kirsti Hadley, who has a 13-year-old autistic son, attended the event in the House of Commons to share the challenges faced by autistic pupils in the education system.
Her son missed two years of education due to a lack of support in school.
The event, which took place on November 27, was hosted by the charity Ambitious about Autism.
It gave autistic young people and parents the opportunity to speak directly to MPs about their experiences and suggest changes to the system.
Ms Hadley was joined by other parents, autistic young people, and MPs from all major parties, including Chris Ward, MP for Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven, and Stephen Timms, the Minister of State for Social Security and Disability.
Ms Hadley said: "The vast majority of the decisions that impact autistic pupils are made by neurotypical adults. . . .
Students with autism are more likely to be absent than the average pupil in England.
According to the latest data, almost a third (32.9 per cent) of autistic pupils in Brighton and Hove were persistently absent from school, meaning they missed 10 per cent or more of their school term.
Jolanta Lasota, chief executive of Ambitious about Autism, said: "Every child and young person deserve an education that enables them to be themselves and realise their ambitions.
"Yet each day we hear heart-breaking stories from autistic children and young people and their families about how barriers in the education system are preventing them from attending school, learning and preparing for the future.
"This is not inevitable.
"The Government has the opportunity to create a more inclusive and effective education system, and we are committed to working with decision-makers to achieve this."
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