ASC Youth and Street Safety

FACTS: National Autistic Society Autism is much more common than many people think. There are around 700,000 people on the autism spectrum in the UK – that's more than 1 in 1001. If you include their families, autism is a part of daily life for 2.8 million people.

17% of autistic children have been suspended from school; 48% of these had been suspended three or more times; 4% had been expelled from one or more schools.

Where do I start? What goes through many parents and carers minds when they send their autistic teen to go out to the shop? And they have a habit of going somewhere else.

At times as parents we can be oblivious, too trusting with our ASC children's judgement and have to realise many factors when they are associating with neuro typical friends and this includes family members too.

Social media, smart phones, serious youth violence, domestic abuse and peer pressure is a major challenge for youths but for ASC children in mainstream schools, college and local provisions. How are these services supporting those without any additional support and guidance? Many are denied the support as they seem to look like they are coping. Do you know their friends? As fitting can be dangerous, when not accepting or understanding the challenges that ASC children may experience.

Mainstream services are not equipped in supporting, advising, providing and offering support for ASC children and their families. These mainstream services are so quick to blame any mishaps on the autism and not look at other factors in supporting their needs, families are overwhelmed, if services are denied.

Refusals, denials of accepting the diagnosis. ASC children and families are told they do not meeting the criteria in getting support and do not meet the threshold in accessing the services. When support is denied? This causes more distress and anxiety.

Everywhere you turn, we hear of many seminars, workshops, conferences, training, new groups, new foundations related to knife crime but are aimed at mainstream children.

There is an urgent need for specialists in working, supporting and mentoring ASC children and young people. There are many ASC specific events I have attended or spoken at, but very little mention of Street Safety and Keeping Safe. Without the support of BAME Community and influential Leaders there will constantly be culturally biased views and disheartened families asking for help but told no such services exist.

Black on Black crime, increase in stabbings amongst our youths and is getting younger. Knife crime don't see colour, race, age and class, but when you look at the facts that over 80% of ASC children are in mainstream schools. Let's talk about pupil referral units and NEET's.

How many have a hidden disability? How many of these ASC children and young people have been involved in knife crime? And would parents and carers disclose this to anyone so not to feel ashamed? As much as this is a sensitive topic, we need to speak out and not keep quiet. There are many reasons why children keep quiet, but for ASC children how can we get them to feel safe to disclose what they know.

There is urgent need to raise awareness on county lines, social media influences, exploitation and abuse that many young people with hidden disabilities are being exposed to, have experienced or a need for specialists services to be put in place as the local services are unable to accommodate or signpost to such services. I am told they don't exist.

I am concerned how academies, free schools and even homeschool children are tackling the social safety and healthy relationship programs for ASC children and young people. Parents and carers need to be educated, no child is immune to being exploited or targeted.

Mainstream services are lacking representation and connecting with individuals, outreaching to grassroots services that are able to connect with neurotypical youth and ASC youth. They certainly do make a difference. We need proactive service providers who are making an impact and not just offering lip service. ASC youth need mentors, key workers and organisations who have knowledge of autism and not scared to go the extra mile. Consistency is the key.

Too many volunteers believe they can work with autistic children and young people then leave half way through project without any explanation. Every ASC child is unique and the volunteer needs to be aware of the different aspects of autism.

Parents and carers are oblivious to what can happen under their noses and whilst their ASC child and their siblings may seem to think they are safe. How many are really tuned into what is happening on the streets.

I attended an event early in the year Behind the Blade hosted by Gary Younge, lack of representation from Black Community Leaders and the community. Not all behaviours is due to bad parenting but we need to be able to attend events where Autism seems to get overlooked and connected with Learning Disabilities (LD). Not all Autistic people have a LD.

I remember several years ago, I got a call from a mother concerned about her autistic teen son who was arrested, charged and sentenced by association. The sad thing was that he was not prepared for what had happened, the sudden change and no proper support was not given. He trusted his friends but he would not reveal who they were. He was stabbed 7 months before the case went to trial but the story did not get any news coverage. He is one of many young ASC youths who are in prison and get no support. How many are undiagnosed? And who really cares?

Inclusive services for ASC children and youth is not always going to be suitable for all, not all want to socialise. Parents we need to speak with actually autistic people who are the best advocates for their ASC child than relying on mainstream services 100% of the time. This is why so many ASC children are failed.

Last week 13 years olds got into a fight, I don't know the full story but one of the girls was autistic. The autistic girl didn't see the situation as of importance as no one was stabbed and wanted to just forget about the incident. These such incidents need to be followed up, parents spoken to and schools to run programs and workshops for parents and child.

When the story did unfold, it was reported that the girl with the knife accidentally scratched or made a mark on her friends face and slashed the autistic girls friend on the finger. There were people in the park where incident took place, someone did call the police and the girls got arrested but do we really hear of such stories? And what happens to these girls after?

We need to keep our children safe any child in fact! But how many parents and carers to even the professionals are really addressing the real issues of how to support autistic children in mainstream education and pupil referral units.

To be honest even ASC children in residential schools and special schools are not immune to this.

1. What support is put in place for ASC children and young people who experience knife crime?
2. How do schools deal with when they hear that a pupil in their school have carried a knife? Do they ignore it or do they follow through with safeguarding procedures?
3. Are local authorities and social services really address the social safety aspects of keeping safe for ASC children who are in foster care, looked after child or care leavers?

Life with Aspergers - Autism and Crime (2018) - Most people with autism are unlikely to commit crimes but their upbringing most certainly will have an impact on this. Interactions with negative people and proximity to dangerous weapons while dangerous for most people, are particularly dangerous to people on the autism spectrum. Expose anyone to a violent upbringing and you'll significantly increase the chances of them becoming violent themselves. 

There are so many factors to how ASC youth are missed and are exploited, abused and traumatised by what they are exposed to. Mainstream services are unable to offer the right support for ASC youth and their families. Yet local ASC groups will not able to signpost or connect with such groups than may run such sessions, if they are offering it.

A2ndvoice will be partnering with Soapbox, Groomsafe and Cassandra Centre dealing with the issues that mainstream services may not address. Parents need to know the facts, ASC children and their siblings need to come together with their parents and have room to talk.

Local authorities, social services, education and health services need to look at other factors on the impact of the autistic children and young peoples learning and wellbeing. Autistic children do become autistic adults and need to be aware of their social surrounding.

Special Educational Needs and Disabled Children were not mentioned in the (if I am wrong, please correct me) - Safeguarding children and young people in education from knife crime Lessons from London - March 2019 - 62. A child who is a risk to other children in one school is likely to be a risk to children in others and outside of school. Children who are excluded from school to PRUs have self-reported higher instances of knife-carrying than children who are not excluded. The 2018 MOPAC youth survey found that: ‘When looking at PRU attendees, 47% (92 of 196) say they know someone who has carried a knife with them, compared with 25% of nonPRU attendees (1188 of 4673). Once again, it is a similar picture for exposure to gangs, with 46% of PRU attendees saying they know someone in a gang (87 of 191) compared with 22% of non-PRU attendees (1022 of 4585)’.34 63.)

Thousands of troublesome youths will be sent to new schools under government plans to tackle knife crime epidemic Almost 40 new schools are to be built for troubled children as part of the Government’s response to the knife crime epidemic. Damian Hinds, the Education Secretary, will announce today that 3,500 extra school places will be created, many of which will go to pupils who have been expelled from mainstream schools.

House of Commons Hansard Knife Crime - January 2019 Extracts

David Lammy Tottenham "There is another group of young people. I care a lot about them. They are the kind who might be in a park after school, following the crowd. Often they have special needs such as dyslexia, ADHD, mild Asperger’s or autism".

Lyn Brown - West Ham "I do not intend to blame a genre of music for the deaths of children."

David Lammy - "However, there are issues about what it is acceptable to put on social media—what it says and what it is driving—and there is a real question about regulation. That is absolutely clear."

Some information:-

National Autistic Society - Criminal Justice System and Autism - Autistic people are more likely to be victims and witnesses of crime than offenders. They experience difficulties with social communication, social interaction and social imagination. They may have sensory difficulties and some coordination problems. Their behaviour may appear odd and can sometimes draw unnecessary attention, but in general autism is a hidden disability and it may not be immediately obvious to other people that the person has a disability.

First county lines drug dealing gang jailed using modern slavery laws - The three men were eventually charged with trafficking three girls aged 14, 15 and 16 and three boys aged 15, 16 and 19. Only one victim - the 19-year-old man, who suffers from autism - gave evidence in court, from behind a screen.

Aspergers Syndrome/Autism Network - Aspergers Syndrome in the Criminal Justice System (2009) All criminal justice professionals who have contact with individuals with ASDs will need to establish clear and consistent communication methods, verify facts, make appropriate accommodations, and ensure fair justice and consequences for all concerned. 

Britain's Criminal Justice System doesn't know what to do about Autism (2017) - Prison is not an easy ride – not least for those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We know from experience that some prisoners are more vulnerable to bullying and victimisation, more likely to be easily led and manipulated, and more vulnerable to sexual and physical abuse

How was the 'pimping out' of an autistic girl allowed to happen (2018) - It is very hard to read the Times’s lead story today about the alleged sexual exploitation of a young autistic woman with the consent of her carers, a court and the local council. Perhaps I have an excess of sensibility, but it made me feel ill. The case, if accurately reported, strikes me as being in the Rochdale/Rotherham league of sexual abuse, except that instead of the female victim concerned being a young girl, she is autistic, 23, with severe learning difficulties and an IQ of 52.

For more information:- A2ndvoice: Autism Services [email protected] Groomsafe: Need help? (0) 7496 246 594 / [email protected] Cassandra Centre: Counselling Services: (0) 203 601 7475 / https://cassandracentre.org.uk