Children today are noticeably different from previous generations, and the proof is in the news coverage we see every day. This site shows you what’s happening in schools around the world. Children are increasingly disabled and chronically ill, and the education system has to accommodate them. Things we've long associated with autism, like sensory issues, repetitive behaviors, anxiety and lack of social skills, are now problems affecting mainstream students. Blame is predictably placed on bad parenting (otherwise known as trauma from home).
Addressing mental health needs is as important as academics for modern educators. This is an unrecognized disaster. The stories here are about children who can’t learn or behave like children have always been expected to. What childhood has become is a chilling portent for the future of mankind.
Loss of Brain Trust features over 9,000 news stories published worldwide since January, 2017
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What will happen in another 4 years? How can we go on like this? This is a national (and international) problem of monumental proportions. We have an entire new class of children who cannot be accommodated by the system: many are manifestly neurologically impaired. Meanwhile, the government and the medical profession sleep on regardless. John Stone, UK media editor, Age of Autism
The generation of American children born after 1990 are arguably the sickest generation in the history of our country. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
It seemed to me that with rising autism prevalence, you’d also see rising autism costs to society, and it turns out, the costs are catastrophic. They calculated that in 2015 autism cost the United States $268 billion and they projected that if autism continues at its current rate, we’re looking at one trillion dollars a year in autism costs by 2025, so within five years. Toby Rogers, PhD, Political economist
Wales: "Specific increase in younger [ASD] pupils"; "in the number of pupils with complex ASD needs"
Feb 23 min read
Jan 31, 2025, Wales Online: New permanent classes for pupils with autism in Merthyr Tydfil
Classes to cater for increasing numbers of pupils with autism spectrum disorder could soon be made permanent at two Merthyr Tydfil schools. A proposal going to the council’s cabinet on Wednesday, February 5, looks to formally establish the autism spectrum disorder (ASD) learning resource base (LRB) at Dowlais Primary School and a key stage three and four complex ASD learning resource base at Cyfarthfa High School.
The report said this was to cater for increasing numbers of pupils with ASD. The council proposes to establish a 10-place foundation learning resource base for pupils with autism spectrum disorder at Dowlais Primary School.
It will accommodate pupils with ALN requiring a specialist class placement and cater for pupils with a primary need of ASD. The council also proposes to establish an eight-place key stage three and four learning resource base for pupils between years seven and 11 with complex ASD at Cyfarthfa High School.
The LRB will accommodate pupils with ALN requiring a specialist class placement and cater for pupils with complex ASD. Places in both LRBs will be available to pupils across Merthyr Tydfil and will not be limited to catchment pupils alone. . .
Pupil admission to both LRB classes will be based on an assessment of need by the council’s ALN Panel. The ethos of the LRBs is to provide specialist support to the individual pupil based on their level of need with the intention, in some instances, of reintegrating the individual back into a mainstream class where appropriate.
There are currently 11 learning resource bases (LRBs) in mainstream primary schools across the county borough, providing places for up to 118 pupils with a range of needs, and one LRB in a mainstream secondary school, providing places for up to 25 pupils with ASD needs that require more specialist provision than can be provided in mainstream. The report said that the capacity of primary-age LRB provision had increased over the last three years due to an increase in the number of pupils with needs that required a more specialist provision.
There has been a specific increase in the number of younger pupils, in foundation phase, with ALN related to ASD and this is why a pilot provision was set up in Dowlais Primary School from September 2023. Dowlais Primary School is currently a single-form entry primary school with capacity for 158 pupils of statutory school age with a pupil admission number of 22 and a nursery class able to accommodate 28 full-time equivalent pupils. . . .
But there been a specific increase in the number of pupils with complex ASD needs requiring more bespoke specialist provision, within a smaller setting and a higher staffing ratio than the existing provision can provide or accommodate and this is why a pilot provision was set up in Cyfarthfa High School from September 2023. Cyfarthfa High School currently has a capacity of 890 pupils of statutory school age and has a pupil admission number of 178.
The school had available space within the school’s overall capacity that could be used for an LRB provision, the report said. With the support of both schools suitable areas were identified to accommodate the LRB provisions within each school and arrangements were agreed to start both pilots in September 2023.
The report said that the pilots had been considered successful leading to the conclusion that the provisions were effective, correctly sited, and staffed. To make these arrangements permanent the council is required to formally consult on the establishment of both provisions.
If approved by cabinet a statutory notice detailing the proposal would be published followed by a 28-day objection period. Following this a final report will be brought to cabinet for a final decision with the idea being that they take effect from April 2025.