***Sept 12, 2019, (UK) Portadown Times: Top teacher warns on mental health time bomb over autism training https://www.portadowntimes.co.uk/whats-on/entertainment/top-teacher-warns-on-mental-health-time-bomb-over-autism-training-1-9069439 Susan Thompson, vice principal of Hart Memorial Primary in Portadown and President of the Ulster Teachers’ Union, made the claim recently at an autism lobbying event in Stormont. “Education is the most powerful weapon in changing the world today,” she told an audience made of MLA’s and representatives from the Department of Education, autism charities and the Education Authority. “Equality and inclusion are what is driving this debate. There should be no more segregation and discrimination against children. “If we are to tackle the rising tide of failing statistics which dog our country then it’s time we brought nurturing back to the classroom. “Northern Ireland has the highest rate of poor mental health among young people yet mental health charity Young Minds NI states that teachers are struggling to support the needs of children with complex emotional, behavioural and learning needs - including autism. “The diagnosis of autism is on the rise here. Autism NI’s most recent research indicates that the increase has trebled in some areas. “If we ignore what is happening in our schools now, then we are to blame when the rise in poor mental health and well-being continues to grow among young adults in the future. “I have been teaching for 17 years and a Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator for the last three so I know the struggle teachers and classroom assistants face if they haven’t been able to understand when a child with autism is over stimulated by noise, by peers around them or maybe due to the classroom routines.” She added, “In order to teach well, set, meet and exceed high academic and pastoral care goals, teachers need essential training to support children with autism.”
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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.)
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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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