When Are They Going To Learn?
A mother and her son disappeared last week. Today, it was confirmed that a body found floating in the River Humber is that of her 12-year-old. He had Autism, and the mother, who is still missing, was suffering from depression.
Health services and social services are still failing to provide the support and assistance that families need when their children have Autism. Obviously it is too early to comment on the exact circumstances of this tragedy, but why should parents of children with Autism up and down the country have to demand, fight, go to legal appeal and beg for support?
It’s far too easy to dismiss Autism as a behavioural disorder, to ignore the needs of parents and families, to cut back budgets for social services. There is no other way of describing what is happening to children with Autism: they are the victims of abusive neglect by local governments throughout the country.
Some local authorities get it right. They try to deliver respite, social services support, OT assistance in the home, early years therapy and support. It might be slow in most of these areas, but at least it is there.
When we lived in Co. Durham, it was literally a case of, “Your son has Autism. But at least you can apply for free nappies. Now please leave my office.” When you consider what can be done, this is criminally irresponsible.
I am just too angry to even think clearly.
“It’s far too easy to dismiss Autism as a behavioural disorder”.
That is so true for me and him and in some respects, he is still labelled as that by professional teachers who ought to know better but do not. You and Mic and ASDF gave us the support we needed back then for free and your time was unlimited and endless. Why does it have to take a support group set up by parents FOR parents to do what the medical professionals should be doing for ALL of us? Where is the support and advice from the professional? Here’s your diagnosis, now go away and get on with it and by the way, no extra help will be given UNLESS your child tries to kill himself and your GP is prepared to block your telephone lines for over an hour until you commit to an appointment to see this child and his mother.
I cried when I read the story tonight. It should never, ever, ever have been allowed to happen.
Comment by Nicola — April 17, 2006 @ 9:05 pm
I’m so sorry. That is truly terrible. Too many people have no idea.
But having walked through Lent with a friend trying to get support for her bipolar 19 year old, I’m fast losing all faith in any aspect of The System. So glad that at least York is giving you better support.
Comment by Kathryn — April 21, 2006 @ 7:00 am