It’s important that the public accepts the idea that autism is a natural part of being human, and it always has been here. The good news is we’re finally recognizing what has always affected children at whatever the current rate of autism happens to be.

As top expert, Dr. Walter Zahorodny recently said in an interview, autism numbers will continue to climb, and no one will be worried about it.

Autism prevalence for 2022—that is for the next surveillance cycle—will be higher than found previously. This is inevitable because autism prevalence has not peaked.

 Most likely the next report will mention better awareness and recognition as possible factors bearing on higher estimates.

Back in 2007 when the rate of autism went from one in every 166 children, one in every 102 boys to one in 150 children, one in 92 boys, the public was worried. It was a big story in the news, and there were even congressional hearings looking into the autism rate.

Not so today.

Over the years as doctors and health officials scratched their collective heads about autism, we’ve gotten used to always bigger numbers. There’s a puzzle piece to remind us that autism is this mysterious condition we have all the time in the world to figure out. One in 150 might have been cause for concern, but the current rate of one in 36 is something to thank doctors for.

Somehow we’re going to learn to live with autism and be happy about it.

In the U.S. we hear about all the places that are becoming Certified Autism Centers and “autism friendly.” We dress up autism and call it a form of neurodiversity that everyone should embrace.

April is especially important if the world is going to accept autism as a fact of life. That’s when we see famous places flooded with blue lights and smiling puzzle pieces posted everywhere.

What was once Autism Awareness Month is now Autism Acceptance Month.

I will end this with a recent announcement from the Norfolk County Council in east England. For these people, the rate is one in 100, but no matter, the message is the same: Autism affects adults at the same rate as children. Autism isn’t really a disability; it’s a difference.

They’re celebrating both autism and neurodiversity.

Norfolk Autism Acceptance Week

What is Norfolk Autism Acceptance Week?  

Norfolk Autism Acceptance Week is taking place from 2 April to 8 April 2024! This aligns with World Autism Acceptance Week which aims to increase awareness and acceptance of autism, helping to build a more inclusive world.  

One in 100 people are on the autism spectrum, with around 700,000 autistic adults and children in the UK alone. Autism can present itself in different ways, and it's important to recognise that not one single autistic person is the same, and all have their own unique personalities and skills.  

As Norfolk Autism Acceptance Week falls in the Easter holidays this year, educational settings are being encouraged to take part from 18 March, which neatly coincides with Neurodiversity Celebration Week. There are teaching resources, training and activities to help them raise peer awareness and acceptance published on the Norfolk Schools and Learning Providers website.  

There's lots of autism-friendly events going on across Norfolk for families to enjoy, as well as a keynote speaker and activities to raise awareness and increase acceptance of autism. Support and guidance is also available, so explore the categories below to find out more. 

INCREDIBLY, this same Norfolk County Council in England has been dealing with the crushing cost and soaring numbers of disabled children in local schools.

Oct 16, 2023, AUTISM is behind the 'broken system' of special education in England 

Frustrated by the broken system, Lucie has organised a protest in Norfolk and has signed up to SEND Reform England, group of parents campaigning for better support of SEN kids….

Meanwhile, Norfolk County Council say they’ve created over 650 new SEN places in the last five years, with 15 new school support teams….

"Alongside the [Norfolk] DfE, we're investing £100 million [$121M] in a six-year programme that will support children in mainstream school and develop more specialist places for those with the highest needs.

Dec 4, 2023 Britain only sees MORE DISABLED KIDS, MORE COMPLEX NEEDS but no one is ever worried

Norfolk County Council wants to move Fred Nicholson School from its current home in Dereham to Swaffham.

The school would be based on a new site on Lynn Road, to ensure it can better meet the needs of its growing number of pupils….

The school's Orchard Autism Specialist Resource Base (SRB) would also move as part of the plans and pupil numbers could grow from 173 to 225 from April 2025.

The move is part of the council’s £100m [$126M] investment with the Department for Education, to support children with special educational needs and disabilities.

Known as Local First Inclusion, the programme builds on the £120m [$151M investment already made by the council, which has seen the creation of 650 new specialist places over five years….

“Growing demand for places means that Fred Nicholson has completely outgrown its current building and the school needs to move, so that it can continue to provide the brilliant education it offers its children…

The explosion in the number of disabled children is fueled by AUTISM and it’s bankrupting local councils and schools across England.

Feb 10, 2024, Guardian: Teachers facing redundancy as record number of English schools fall into deficit

Heads warn of ‘broken system’ as staff are laid off or not replaced to balance the books

Schools across England are warning they will soon be unsafe because they are having to cut teachers and support staff to save money, with record numbers now in deficit.

With escalating behavioural problems, soaring numbers of children with special educational needs, and increased pupil numbers, schools say staff are already stretched to the limit. Yet heads across the country say they now have no choice but to plan redundancies or not replace leaving staff in order to balance their books. . . .

One in eight local authority maintained schools were in deficit in 2022-23, the highest number on record since schools took control of their own bank balances in 1999, according to data released by the Department for Education at the end of January. This was a big jump from one in 13 schools the year before, fuelled largely by spiralling energy costs and fully or partially unfunded staff pay rises. There has been a steady upward trajectory of schools being pushed into the red since the Conservatives came to power in the coalition government of 2010. In 2011 one state school in 20 was in deficit.

The National Education Union is predicting that deficit figures for this year will be “much worse” when they are released by the DfE next January and shedding more staff will be “the only way out” for many schools, leading to larger class sizes and more stressed staff leaving the sector.

The council members in Norfolk seem to be so focused on celebrating autism and neurodiversity that they haven’t noticed the time bomb ticking.

Anne Dachel is Media Editor for Age of Autism.

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