School bully 'hell' for disabled kids

BY SUNIL PECK

Children with autism and Asperger’s syndrome are much more likely to be bullied than non-disabled children, MPs have been told.

A National Autistic Society (NAS) report* says children with autism are four times more likely to be bullied at school than their non-disabled peers, while children with Asperger’s syndrome are six times more likely to be bullied.

The figures were presented to the education and skills select committee’s review of the current system for dealing with complaints about bullying.

Benet Middleton, NAS director of communications, said: “Many children and families report damage to self-esteem, mental health and progress at school as a result of bullying. Some children withdraw from school altogether; others never fully recover from their experiences.”

Joshua Muggleton, a young person with Asperger’s syndrome mentioned in the report, was bullied at primary and secondary school.

He said: “It made my secondary school life absolute hell. The teachers didn’t take me or my parents seriously; they did nothing to help me. After I made serious threats to kill myself, I was signed off school for four years and studied via the internet.”

The children’s commissioner for England, Professor Sir Albert Aynsely-Green, has also produced a report on bullying of all children.

He said he recognized that disabled children were more vulnerable to bullying, and is set to make recommendations to Alan Johnson, secretary of state for education and skills, aimed at improving the way schools deal with the issue.

The NAS said it hopes all teachers will receive training in autism and that schools will include the interests of children with autism in their anti-bullying policies.

* B is for Bullied; for a copy, tel: 020 7923 5799 or email: campaign@nas.org.uk