The report, A place in society: the importance of planning for life for people with autistic spectrum disorders, published to coincide with Autism Awareness Week (17 to 24 May), said the most common reason given for excluding children was that 'the school was unable to cope with the child'.
The report added that as a result, children with autistic spectrum disorders (ASD) contributed heavily to the Social Exclusion Unit's finding that children with special educational needs are seven times more likely to be excluded from school.
NAS has called for the creation of a lifelong plan to protect those with autism. In its report the charity highlighted the difficulties experienced by people with ASD and those who care for them, and said, 'Many children with ASD are only diagnosed once at school age, and adults who suspect that they are on the autistic spectrum struggle to access specialists with expertise in autism.' A 1999 study that found the average age of diagnosis was five-and-a-half for children with 'classic autism' and 11 for those with Asperger syndrome.
The report said that awareness of autism among primary health professionals remained a barrier to its diagnosis and that NAS had found that four in ten GPs did not have enough information about autism to make an informed assessment. 'The later a child's needs are identified, the less time is available for effective future planning,' said the report.
Stuart Notholt, director of policy and public affairs at NAS, said the statutory entitlements that were 'at least theoretically available to children and young people with an ASD disappear in adulthood'. He said, 'While a statutory framework exists in all the UK nations for transition planning after compulsory education, its implementation is at best patchy.'
A number of events are being held across the country for Autism Awareness Week, including a conference, corporate fund- raising challenges and regional awareness-raising activities. For more information, either visit the website www.nas.org.uk, telephone 020 7833 2299 or e-mail nas@nas.org.uk.
