July 5, 2019, British Medical Journal: Social care: Are the autistic dependent becoming more numerous than the aged? https://www.bmj.com/content/366/bmj.l4564/rr Have we sounded the true depth of the problem [1]? Recent reports suggest not. This is from an article about parents suing the government over Special Educational Needs Funding (SEND) [2]: "Jenni Richards QC, for the families, told the court during a hearing on Wednesday that there was “clear and incontrovertible evidence” of a “substantial national shortfall” in funding...She said the figures showed there were 25,540 young people aged 16-25 in January 2015 with a statement or Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan, which had increased to 84,260 by January 2018...Government lawyers said the increase in demand was recognised by the ministers and that Mr Hinds had “made it clear” that High Needs would be one of his priorities ahead of the 2019 Spending Review." Another report in the Independent states [3]: "Analysis from the National Education Union this week revealed that more than 8,000 young people with SEND are awaiting provision for a school place." Just two years ago I wrote in these columns about a rise of "1,710 in 2016 to 4,050 this year" remarking [4]: "What might not be immediately obvious is that this not only a very large rise it is also a very large number. A similar rise next year would give an above 1% figure for all children entering the education system being on a waiting list for Special Educational Needs places, on top of those who are being accommodated within an already stretched system." So, this figure has now doubled to perhaps to the equivalent of 1.3% of all children now entering the system. It should also be said that despite the many funding disputes government has not stood still: I read almost daily in the British mainstream media of new special needs facilities being opened amid local celebrations but the situation is apparently completely out of control, and it is only secondarily a problem funding - it is primarily a problem of mushrooming incidence. Much of this is to do with autism. This year, for instance, the Northern Ireland census of ASD in schools disclosed that the rate had risen from an already staggering 2.9 to 3.3% [5]: this is the figure for the total school population not just the intake. The Department of Health and Social Care remain silent on the causes of this epidemic set to engulf us all and cause endless human misery [6]. I believe they have some explaining to do.
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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.
Loss of Brain Trust features over 9,000 news stories published worldwide since January, 2017
Anne Dachel, Media editor, Age of Autism
http://www.ageofautism.com/media/
(John Dachel, Tech. assist.)
CHECK OUT MY SUBSTACK:
https://annedachel.substack.com/
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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