The latest Autism Plan does not respect patients’ rights and underlines the French delay in treatment, according to Vaincre l’Autisme. The association appealed to the Council of State.
Inadequate care, non-respect of rights … The association Conquer Autism has seized the Council of State this April 23. It requests the annulment of an application circular of 3e Autism Plan, sent last February. The psychiatry approach is still too dominant there, while the right to schooling of children is not respected, denounces the association.
” A flashback “
The Autism Plan sets up “a flawed system that is not adapted to the specific needs of autistic children,” according to Vaincre l’Autisme. The former minister in charge of people with disabilities, Marie-Arlette Carlotti, expressed her desire to include behavioral approaches in the 3e Autism Plan (2014-2017). Instead of this advance, it is a “step back” that is proposed in the circular; she underlines that it is “essential to ensure the mobilization of the actors concerned, in particular the structures of psychiatry (infanto-juvenile and general) whose role […] must be supported. It is precisely because of the preponderance of psychiatry that France is singled out by the international community. “Behind a displayed goodwill, it is a whole system that endures,” protested in a statement the president of the association, M’Hammed Sajidi.
An infringement of the right to education
As for schooling, the Autism Plan does not do better: it “infringes the right to schooling for autistic children”, denounces Vaincre l’Autisme. It only provides 700 additional places for children, 1,500 for adults. But above all, these places will be created, in a privileged way in medico-social structures “whose initial capacity allows to benefit from an insignificant extension for 7 places”, specifies the circular. “It definitively blocks the possibility of placing these units within ordinary schools, again blocking the effective schooling of autistic children in France”, deplores M’Hammed Sajidi. He also regrets the inaction of France in terms of experimental approaches.
Vaincre l’Autisme therefore calls for the outright cancellation of the circular of February 13, 2014, and demands that the needs of people affected by autism be taken more into account. “It is once again shocking that the representatives of the users […] have not been consulted, ”points out M’Hammed Sajidi.
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