 |
| Stephen Metcalfe MP with Carol Homden, Director of the National Autistic Society |
Stephen Metcalfe, local MP for South Basildon & East Thurrock,
is backing a new charity campaign
calling for more support for people with autism from black and ethnic minority
(BME) backgrounds.
Stephen is supporting the National Autistic Society (NAS), the UK’s
leading charity for people with autism, in its efforts to highlight the
obstacles that often prevent people from these communities accessing the
support and services they need to live with the lifelong developmental
disability.
The prevalence of autism is thought to be the same across all
ethnicities, with around 1 in 100 people in the UK having the condition. This
means that over 100,000 people living in the UK who have autism are from a
black or ethnic minority community. But despite this figure, individuals and
families from BME backgrounds who are affected by autism have told the NAS that
they often have to battle to receive appropriate support from their communities
and local authorities.
The campaign was formally launched in Parliament this Tuesday,
with MPs and Peers from across the political spectrum meeting individuals and
families from BME backgrounds affected by autism. The NAS now hopes to carry
out the largest ever survey into the experiences of people with autism from BME
backgrounds.
Stephen said: “Listening to professionals, family members and
people with autism from black and ethnic minority communities was moving
and inspiring. I am backing this campaign as it’s vital that people from
these communities receive the support and understanding they
need. Everyone affected by autism has the right to live the life that
they choose."
Tom Madders, Head of Campaigns at the NAS, said: “Anecdotally, we
know that people with autism from ethnic minority backgrounds face huge
challenges. We frequently hear from individuals and families who say that
cultural and language barriers prevent them from accessing the support they
desperately need.
“But there are no robust statistics to show the true state of
affairs for people from BME communities. This needs to be urgently assessed, so
that local authorities can properly map out how they can deliver the support
and services people with autism need.”
