The Bishop of Barking supports the first UN World Autism Awareness Day
Ivan and Charika Corea, pictured with their son at their home in Buckhurst Hill, Essex
The Right Reverend David Hawkins, The Bishop of Barking, has thrown his support behind the declaration of 2 April as UN World Autism Day. In his former role as Vicar of St Georges, Leeds, he was a founder director of Ashlar Home – a Leeds based charity for the care of autistic adults – and as such he has long been aware of the challenges faced by autistic children and adults and those that care for them.
Bishop David says, “I warmly welcome the declaration of Wednesday 2nd April as World Autism Awareness Day and hope that it has a positive impact on the lives of all those affected by autism. I am all too aware that life is a hard struggle for the many thousands of children and adults with autism and Asperger’s Syndrome and am confident that the attention that will naturally result from the focus of World Autism Awareness Day can only bring good news for the 500,000+ UK residents who suffer from the condition.”
Ivan and Charika Corea, co-founders of the Essex based Autism Awareness campaign, have been instrumental in reviving the Bishop’s interest in autism and they, like him, is committed to highlighting the needs of autistic people and promoting World Autism Awareness day.
Ivan and Charika Corea launched the Autism Awareness campaign in 2000. The decision to do so came out of their own personal struggle to access public services for their 12-year-old son Charin, who has autism spectrum disorder. They also initiated Autism Sunday, which falls on the second Sunday in February, to remember people in prayer.
Recently MPs of all parties put their signatures to an Early Day Motion, tabled by Andy Love MP, calling on Prime Minister Gordon Brown to ‘open every door’ to all children and adults with autism and Asperger’s Syndrome (AS). This has long been the clarion call of Ivan and Charika who are urging the government to launch a national strategy on autism together with a 10-year plan of action.
Ivan Corea explains a little of why he feels government intervention and action is so important: “Autism is a 24/7 condition and, for parents and carers, it is a 24/7 job. We can never completely ‘switch off’ and it would great is there were more understanding of our needs and concerns. I’d like to see a focus on the needs of young people with autism and AS, particularly the provision of educational support and employment opportunities.”
He continues, “There is plenty that we can do as a society to help those in our own community who are dealing with the challenges of autism. We need to ‘open every door’ to those who are suffering in local communities. Possibilities include setting up befriending services for children with autism and volunteering to give parents some respite. We need to look at our structures, our services, and our resources and make them more inclusive.”
Bishop David concludes, “Let us mark the United Nations World Autism Awareness Day by raising awareness of these serious education and health issues and lobbying for better public services for every child and adult with autism and Asperger’s Syndrome. Let us be guided by Jesus Christ’s actions and remember how He reached out to the outsiders in his society. Let us strive to follow His example and be an inclusive church, welcoming parents, carers, children and adults to our churches, services, coffee mornings, carer and toddler groups and youth fellowships. Let us make a start on World Autism Day and let us carry it on throughout the year.”
