Parents of autistic children are being pushed into poverty and forced to leave work because they are not receiving enough educational support for their children, according to new research from Ambitious about Autism.
The survey of 1309 autistic people and parents looked at the impact of lost learning on families, defined as any situation where a child misses out on education – such as exclusion, suspension or being put on a part timetable.
It found that 10% of parents had lost their jobs due to their autistic children missing out on education, and more than half had to take significant time off work to support them.
In addition, 90% of parents said that lost learning had negatively affected their personal or professional lives, and nearly half of parents said that other siblings had also been negatively affected.
The survey also found that 71% of autistic young people had experienced some form of lost learning, and of this, 60% said it had damaged their academic achievements and their mental health.
Nearly 80% of survey respondents said if teachers and staff had improved autism knowledge it would be transformative.
Jolanta Lasota, Chief Executive of Ambitious about Autism, said: “Parents are facing financial and emotional turmoil as they try to support their children whose needs are not being met at school. We’ve spoken to parents who have gone through marriage break-ups, are struggling to pay the bills and are seeking help from foodbanks. Many have been forced to reduce working hours or give up their career completely.
“Lost learning among autistic pupils in mainstream schools remains a hidden crisis. Schools must be equipped to provide meaningful support so that autistic pupils are not only present in mainstream education but actively engaged and able to succeed. Autistic young people and parents have told us that autism-specific training in schools could help improve understanding and support for autistic pupils.
“We need to think and do things differently. We must take this opportunity to push forward and ensure that autistic pupils are meaningfully included in mainstream education.”
