"Awareness that people with autism are among us has improved somewhat thanks to the availability of information and awareness programmes, but there is still not enough real knowledge of their needs, not only among the general public, but also among those who come into contact with them in their official capacity. These are primarily health professionals, education and training staff, but also law enforcement authorities, employers and many others," said Ombudsman Peter Svetina on the occasion of International Autism Awareness Day on 2 April.
The Ombudsman believes that education about autism and specific approaches to the needs of people with autism should be a key element in action plans for integration. "Only by learning about difference can we build a society that sees everyone and finds a place for them," the Ombudsman stresses. He adds that people with autism and their families have the right to live in full and with all their rights, which are enshrined in the European Charter on the Rights of Persons with Autism and adopted by the European Parliament in 1996. "As their specific characteristics can hinder their integration into society, it is important that the State, through its mechanisms, identifies and removes these barriers," stresses the Ombudsman.
For many years, the Ombudsman has been suggesting to decision-makers that they should develop systemic programmes to increase the number of professionals working professionally with people with autism and their families, and to make the regular treatments and therapies that people with autism need more accessible through other measures. The Ombudsman sees no progress. The Ombudsman considers that the integration of people with autism, as well as of other social groups, is insufficient in Slovenia. Too often, it depends only on programmes that have been put out to tender, without adequate analysis or a systemic approach, and there is no will to make a radical shift in the way we care for the vulnerable.
The Ombudsman points out that autism is a lifelong condition and that it is therefore urgent to pay special attention to the systemic care of adolescents and adults with autism. They are at the mercy of their families' ingenuity and possibilities as they transition to adulthood. Although this is a state obligation, the state does not provide programmes to ensure that people with autism have adequate accommodation in which to exercise their right to independent living, and there is a lack of appropriately trained professionals who can support adults with autism in their independent living. The labour market is still too rigid, making it more difficult for people with autism to integrate into it. It is essential to broaden the range of education or training available to them. Many people with autism have a range of abilities that are not formally valued in the system, so there are still only a handful of examples of good employment practices where they can demonstrate their abilities and persevere with appropriate professional support, according to the Ombudsman.
The Ombudsman is convinced that the State should focus its efforts on raising awareness and providing incentives to employers, in order to give people with autism a better chance of joining the labour market. It is also necessary to enable young people and adults with autism to live independently, and the State must develop programmes and facilities to make this possible. And as many people with autism drop out of school or employment, they also need day centres. These centres would provide them with opportunities for social and other skills training, employment, creativity, alongside targeted and professionally guided activities, and would also be a space that would allow them to interact with and enter the rest of society, the Ombudsman stresses.
"We learn about the difference of the people we meet. Only by truly knowing our fellow human beings and by being genuinely connected can we prevent many hardships," said Peter Svetina, Ombudsman, on the occasion of World Autism Awareness Day.
