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Council of Europe concludes that France fails to meet its obligations to people with autism


The Council of Europe has just made public the decision taken by the European Committee of Social Rights of 4 November 2003, whereby France was found to have failed to fulfil its educational obligations to persons with autism under the European Social Charter.

This decision, which was analysed by the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers on 10 March 2004, thus upholds the collective complaint that Autism Europe lodged against France denouncing the non-provision of education to people with autism due to the lack of integration in mainstream education on the one hand and the dramatic shortage of specialised educational institutions on the other hand.

The European Committee of Social Rights’ decision concluding that France fails to meet its obligations to people with autism (article 15, 17 and E) stresses the following points:

- a restrictive definition of autism than that adopted by the World Heath Organisation,
- the proportion of children with autism being educated in either general or specialist schools is much lower than in the case of other children, whether or not disabled, and
- there is a chronic shortage of care and support facilities for autistic adults.

Related links:

- http://www.coe.int/T/E/Human_Rights/Esc/
- http://www.coe.int/T/E/Com/press/News/2004/ResChs(2004).asp

Please find below the complete press release by Autism Europe.

Last modified on March 18 2004.

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6 February 2005 10:58, by Dylansplace

> Council of Europe concludes that France fails to meet its obligations to people with autism

This article could be just the ammunition I need, only I need it in French ! Is that possible. The reason is as follows. I am mother to a 13yrs Asperger Syndrome daughter. We are British, but live and work in France. My daughter’s difficulties at school are profound. To my horror I was told on Friday that she is to be excluded from school as they have NO knowledge of a/s, NO special needs facilities, and therefore do not want her in school. The only alternative that they are offering is that she can stay in school to carry out menial tasks such as cleaning toilets or the canteen. I’m furious, my daughter is heartbroken. I wan’t to put her into a special needs facility for a/s kids but am told that there are none in La Manche, Normandy. This article may just help me keep her in mainstream education until I can find an alternative. No-one I speak to, teachers or Dr’s in my department (50) have heard of a/s. However no-one speaks English at the school so this article, as great as it is, is no use unless I can get a translation, quickly. Thanks for listening

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7 February 2005 03:17, by Francesco Longu, EPHA Staff (Admin)
> Council of Europe concludes that France fails to meet its obligations to people with autism

Dear Madam,

many thanks for your message. I have updated our article with the French version of the Autism Europe press release on the collective complaint. You will find there a background note and some interesting links on the COE website.

I wish you all the best for your daughter.

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