On November 17, parents who attended the seminar “Autism and Education. Access for all” in Attard, Malta, gave a heartfelt plea for national and European policy makers to provide the necessary support to children with autism and for schools to be as inclusive as possible.
Autism-Europe’s Vice President Pietro Cirrincione, who participated in this event as a panelist, highlighted that the lack of education by the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, since States Parties recognise the right of persons with disabilities to education and to effective individualised support.
AE member Autism Parents Association from Malta and self-Advocate Alistair de Gaetano also participated as panelists.
The event was organised by Member of the European Parliament Miriam Dalli. She said that education in Malta should include more benefits and provide more access to those people with autism. “People with autism who are so determined to succeed inspire me and show me that the education institutions in Malta need to adapt more. (…) In EU member states, autistic persons benefit from more access to education and respect to their rights. It is high time that these much needed measures are included in the local scene. We are speaking about determined students who want to succeed. We want this seminar to address and discuss how our educational system can help persons with autism.”