Istanbul Autism Volunteers Association made a call with the title “Awareness is not enough, we need a system” on the occasion of April 2nd Awareness Day and Awareness Month.
The statement signed by the President of the Association, Sarah Basar, is as follows:
365 days of Autism.
Not a day, but a lifetime.
And one day of awareness is not enough for a lifetime of situations.
Autism is a neurodevelopmental difference that is congenital and persists throughout life.
But autism is not a deficiency, a disease or a “defect to be cured”.
With the right support, the right education and a strong social system, autism can change the life of the individual.
is a difference that can be meaningfully and independently sustained.
Today, the reality in Turkey is different.
At the age of 3, the struggle begins...
Families wait for months for an appointment for early diagnosis within the health system.
Even with a diagnosis, access to the appropriate educational institution is often not possible.
Special education hours are insufficient, the number of qualified specialists is limited, and the economic situation we are in
expensive in the circumstances.
School age
Inclusive education remains on paper in most places.
Classrooms are crowded, teachers are unsupported.
There is no support education for a student with autism; if a class is opened, there are no materials.
There are many classrooms without camera systems.
Peer bullying, exclusion and systematic segregation and isolation become commonplace.
In adolescence
With inadequacies in the education system, behavioral problems increase and support mechanisms decrease.
Families are often left alone.
In adulthood
Education ends, life falls into the void.
Employment is almost non-existent.
Daytime social life and support services are inadequate.
The number and quality of care centers is inadequate, and it is often not possible to access accessible and safe services.
And in old age
There is almost no planning for people with autism.
“The question ”What will happen after us?" remains unanswered.
This picture is not a coincidence, it is a system problem.
The problems we face on the ground today are common, not exceptional:
- Families unable to access an appointment
- Inadequate special education services
- Unsupervised care centers
- Lack of response mechanism in emergency crisis situations
- Children with autism that we lost due to lack of timely and appropriate intervention in cases of assault, violence and neglect
- Hundreds of thousands of children cut off from education
- Lost generations in the absence of systems for adult individuals with autism.
We are not the only ones saying this.
The field spoke, civil society reported, the Parliament listened.
The Autism Action Plan, prepared by non-governmental organizations working in the field of autism, is a roadmap created with data from the field for years.
This plan is not just wishful thinking; it is based on real cases, real families and real needs.
Moreover, these problems were openly expressed by the representatives of our association in the “Commission on Strengthening the Participation of Persons with Disabilities in Social Life” established in the Turkish Grand National Assembly and were recorded in the minutes.
It was stated in the Commission deliberations:
The problems are known.
Solutions are also known.
What is missing is implementation.
Autism is not a matter of awareness, it is a matter of rights.
Autism is not an individual struggle, it is a public responsibility.
Autism is not a topic of the day, it is a state policy.
Real change only:
It is possible with implemented action plans, audited systems and accountable public policies.
OUR DEMANDS
- Accelerating early diagnosis and evaluation processes
- Quality and number of hours accessible special education over 2 hours per week
- A truly inclusive education system
- Tracking children disengaged from education
- Life and employment models for adults
- Emergency response and crisis support units
- Sustainable support mechanisms for families
- Reliable, auditable maintenance and training systems
- Concrete state reassurance on the question “What will happen after us?”
Because the truth is this;
#AwarenessNotEnoughSystemNeed