plowunited.net – Northern Ireland’s education system remains unchanged since the industrial revolution, according to independent autism reviewer Ema Cubitt. Speaking to Stormont’s Health and Education committees. Cubitt emphasized that autistic students continue to face significant barriers in schools that are not designed to accommodate their needs.
“Autistic people are telling us with their behavior that school is not an easy or safe place for them,” she stated. Cubitt also raised concerns about students who refuse to attend school due to trauma caused by their experiences in the education system.
She stressed that every child has a natural curiosity to learn but emphasized that without feeling safe, they cannot thrive. She urged decision-makers to reassess the education framework to ensure schools can properly support students with Special Educational Needs (SEN). As more children with additional needs are entering mainstream education.
Call for Autism Awareness Across All Government Departments
Appointed as Northern Ireland’s first independent autism reviewer in 2024. Cubitt’s role involves assessing the adequacy of services for autistic individuals. She criticized the lack of consistency in how Stormont’s departments approach autism-related policies.
“If any department touches on the lives of people, you have to be thinking about autism,” she stressed.
Cubitt pointed out that the absence of a unified strategy to support autistic students results in fragmented services and inadequate educational provisions. She urged policymakers to prioritize systemic reforms that address these longstanding issues and create a more inclusive learning environment.
Her remarks highlight the urgent need for Northern Ireland’s education system to evolve. Ensuring that all students, including those with autism, receive the support they need to succeed.
Autistic Young People Left Without Support After School
Parents of autistic children have consistently voiced concerns about the severe lack of support available for their children in Northern Ireland’s education system. Independent autism reviewer Ema Cubitt emphasized this issue. Cubit describes the transition from school to adulthood as an “abyss” where no proper support structures exist.
Cubitt stated that it is fundamentally wrong to exclude an entire section of the population from having a place in society.
Parents like Alma White have highlighted this alarming gap. Speaking out about the difficulties young people with Special Educational Needs (SEN) face after leaving school.. Without clear pathways for further education, employment, or social integration, many autistic individuals struggle to find their place in society.
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Calls for Systemic Change in Northern Ireland’s Education System
During a committee hearing, Cubitt urged policymakers to rethink their approach to educating autistic students. She expressed disappointment in the SEN reform plan recently published by Education Minister Paul Givan. Calling it “quite disappointing” and lacking real implementation strategies.
“There’s a lot of it that sounds really good on the surface, but I just don’t see how it delivers,” she explained.
Cubitt criticized policymakers for categorizing autism as a medical condition in educational policies. Arguing that this outdated perspective blocks meaningful cultural and systemic change.
“Autism is not an illness, a medical condition, or a flaw. It should not be seen as a deficit,” she stressed.
She emphasized that as autism diagnoses rise in Northern Ireland, policymakers must take urgent action to ensure education policies meet the needs of autistic students at every stage of their learning journey.
Outdated Disciplinary Practices in Schools Must Change
Independent autism reviewer Ema Cubitt has strongly criticized Northern Ireland’s education system, stating that its approach to discipline remains stuck in the past. She argued that schools still rely on punishment-based methods that fail to support struggling students, particularly those with Special Educational Needs (SEN).
“From the industrial revolution where we’re pushing individuals in one end and out the other, it hasn’t changed—and that’s a fact,” Cubitt said during a recent education committee hearing.
She questioned why schools continue to focus on punishment rather than addressing the underlying issues affecting students. “Why are we still talking about punishments now in 2025? Children who struggle with school attendance often experience overwhelming fear of these punishments.”
Cubitt also warned that the current system is traumatizing students, stating, “You’ll never teach a child who doesn’t feel safe or happy.”
Call for Reform in Special Education System
During a discussion with DUP MLA Peter Martin, Cubitt reiterated her concerns, saying she fundamentally disagrees with schools that punish students instead of providing meaningful support.
“I will never agree with a school that says, ‘Your child has been bad, and we’re punishing them,’” she said. “That approach is outdated, and I’m really uncomfortable with that language.”
Her comments came during a joint meeting of the Committee for Education and the Committee for Health, held at the Middletown Centre for Autism in County Armagh. The center, which has received cross-border funding from both Northern Ireland’s Department of Education and the Republic of Ireland’s Department of Education since 2007, plays a critical role in supporting autistic students.
Although the meeting was not streamed or broadcast due to technical issues, Cubitt’s remarks have reignited discussions on the urgent need to modernize Northern Ireland’s education policies and ensure schools create safe, inclusive environments for all students.
