Absence Notes
For autistic young people, being absent from school can take many different forms.
It's being denied a school that’s right for your needs.
It’s being in class but not included.
It’s being sent home because autistic traits are misunderstood.
Young people are missing out on opportunities to learn, thrive, make friends and achieve.
They’re being let down by a one-size-fits-all education system that is denying them the future they deserve.
Our latest research found that over a third of autistic pupils have missed a month or more of school since September. This is not acceptable.
Let's turn absence into action.
What we are doing
Having to write an explanation for absence from school will be a familiar experience for many autistic children and young people and their families.
Through our ‘absence note’ campaign we are shining a spotlight on these experiences to highlight the many reasons why autistic children can’t access their basic right to education.
These notes also reveal how children can be absent even when they are in school due to a lack of understanding and support.
Instead of parents writing to schools, autistic young people and their families have written their own notes to the Government to call for change.
Read autistic young people’s absence notes
What we want
Now that the Government has published its Schools White Paper, we’re sharing these Absence Notes to help them make the right decisions.
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Put autistic voices at the heart of decisions, so support reflect real lives and rebuilds trust in the system
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Judge reform by whether autistic children and young people's lives improve, using evidence and data to drive change
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Set clear expectations from the top, showing through government policy and guidance that inclusion and excellence go hand in hand, so schools are empowered to support autistic pupils
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Strengthen the SEND system to it works by design, not by fight, upholding rights, improving joint working across education, health and care, and planning a full range of provision so children get the right support at the right time
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Properly fund and train for real inclusion, including ensuring every teacher and school staff member has the knowledge and confidence to support autistic pupils
Get involved
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Add your name to our collective absence note, calling on the government to seize the moment, reform SEND and create an education system that's inclusive for all.
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Share our absence notes on social media and help us to spread the word.
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If you’re not signed up to our campaign, sign up for more information.
Want to answer the Schools White Paper consultation?
The consultation is now open. These decisions matter, and autistic voices must be at the centre of it.
We developed consultation guides with autistic young people to make it easier to take part. Together, the guides explain how consultations work, break down what the Schools White Paper is asking in plain language, and support you to share your experience clearly and confidently.
You can dip in, use one guide, or use them together. Whatever feels most helpful.