Autism Campaigners are calling on the DfES to act on the bullying of autistic children in primary and secondary schools. According to parents, autistic children not only suffer bullying but have been excluded through ‘internal exclusions’ and ‘indirect exclusions’ with the onus on the autistic child rather than the bully. There have been instances of name calling of autistic students in mainstream secondary schools.

The Autism Awareness Campaign UK asked Lee Scott MP to raise the issue of bullying in his landmark debate on autism held in Westminster Hall on 7th March. Ivan Corea, Chair of the Autism Awareness Campaign said: said: ‘Bullying of autistic children is going on in primary and secondary schools. This must stop, some schools are punishing the autistic child rather than the bully.We are asking the Secretary of State Alan Johnson to keep specific data of incidents of bullying and exclusion of autistic children and set up a mechanism where parents and carers of children with autism can register incidents of bullying because some autistic children with communication disorders may not even be able to tell their teachers about the bullies. We need real action on this and Lee Scott MP has already highlighted the seriousness of this issue in his debate on autism in parliament.’

The Prime Minister Tony Blair recently said in PMQs that Autism was a serious issue and bullying will be on the agenda when he meets with Lee Scott MP, Ivan Corea of the Autism Awareness Campaign UK and a representative of the National Autistic Society.

Recently the House of Commons Select Committee on Education highlighted the who alrea of bullying in a major report released by members of parliament.