There have been 176 complaints received at ‘autism school refusal’s’ hotline. The Eindhoven Start Foundation’s hotline is for students that have been refused at a vocational education school on the grounds of their autism while they meet the admission requirements.
The reports concern vocational schools and half of the complaints come from the Brabant area. The Summa College and Saint Lucas College are among those on the list of complaints. According to the Start Foundation, the schools have given another reason for refusal while the real reason for rejection is autism. The reasons behind the rejections are probably due to the lack of communication skills among autistics and the special guidance that a school must provide for these students.
The foundation says this has a great impact on these young rejected students, they feel excluded. It also causes a great amount of uncertainty for parents concerning their children’s future.
In 2014, a new law will be in affect concerning this education matter. Young people displaying autism must be allowed to flow into the mainstream education system.
Research shows that there is a relatively high incidence of autism in the Eindoven area. This is probably due to the extensive technology sector.
