The Council of Europe has just condemned France for not having respected the right of autistic children to receive an education. This in violation of the European Charter.
” Great news ! Following the Collective Complaint of “OVERCOMING AUTISM“, in partnership with the AEH (1), the Council of Europe has just condemned France for violating the European Social Charter on the education of autistic children, and the professional training of autistic adults …” C ‘ is the announcement made this Wednesday on the facebook page of the association of families “Vaincre l’Autisme.” And according to the dean of the European organizations, France must deal with this problem with “urgency”. autism affects one in a hundred children at birth, ie around 650,000 people in France.
15 years late
The Council of Europe has in fact just condemned France for not having respected the right of autistic children to receive an education. The country had in fact ratified, fifteen years ago, the European Social Charter, which guarantees this right. In this decision, consulted by L’Express, the 13 independent experts brought together by this human rights body unanimously concluded that, in France, “there is a violation of the revised European Social Charter in this regard. which concerns the right of autistic children and adolescents to schooling as a priority in ordinary law establishments, and the lack of predominance of an educational character within specialized institutions. ”
2nd conviction against France
Moreover, the Council of Europe is particularly harsh towards the French government, accused of having made too little effort. This despite a previous call to order, for the same reasons, in 2003.
For M’Hammed Sajidi, president of Vaincre l’Autisme, interviewed in L’Express, the French state has just been placed under close surveillance. “From the end of 2014, each year, the Council of Europe will ask France for the measures taken to correct the situation. ”
However, these European experts also recognize a certain “progress”, with the increase in the proportion of autistic children in mainstream education. This reached just 10% when France was first convicted in 2003. It has now fallen to 20%. Despite these efforts, the European Council does not consider that any real progress has been made in this area, “with 80% of children excluded from the enjoyment of a right enshrined and guaranteed by the Charter. ”
Precarious school carers
In addition, the experts also regret that the Auxiliaires de vie scolaire (AVS), who assist autistic children during class in France, have been regularly hired by the Ministry of National Education through precarious employment contracts.
Finally, the Council criticizes the French State for contributing financially to the movement to Belgium of autistic children and adolescents of French nationality (…), instead of financing the establishment within the framework of specialized institutions respecting these standards and working on French territory.
As a reminder, the 3rd autism plan 2014-2017 presented in May 2013 by Marie-Arlette Carlotti, Minister for Disabled People, provided for the creation of 700 places in adapted, separate units in nursery schools. Among the other measures announced, there was also the training of 5,000 professionals in the medico-social sector in educational methods, but also the creation of 1,500 more reception places for autistic adults in already existing specialized structures.
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