In our experience it closes many doors.

I acknowledge the work that my colleague, Michael, does every day in trying to improve access and inclusion within our education system. We have allowed people to go to school but we have not changed the rules on how schools operate. One simple change could be made with the governance of schools. Boards of management have enormous powers including the power to decide whether to open an autism class. Very often nobody on the board of management has knowledge or experience of disability. Therefore, a group of people with no qualifications are deciding whether an autistic person who had a meltdown should be expelled. We believe there should be somebody at the table who is responsible for diversity and inclusion, and who has training in these areas.

This may be something to consider for the report. Even within our own community we need to do much better. Many of the instruments used for diagnosis are based on white middle-class boys, the research from the 1940s that underpins our world. Girls, people of different genders and sexuality have often been overlooked, in particular, members of the Traveller community. Within the Same Chance report, we only heard from a tiny number of Travellers. We need to look at how groups like ours can reach those harder-to-reach communities and can ensure that our services are inclusive and accessible. There needs to be a focus on that.