Celebrating people with autism

  • Nicky Wagner
Disability Issues

Disability Issues Minister Nicky Wagner says World Autism Awareness Day is an opportunity to celebrate people with Autism Spectrum Disorder while highlighting ways to improve their quality of life.

“The theme for this World Autism Awareness Day is Employment. The skills, knowledge and unique perspectives of people with ASD that can be brought to the work place are great assets we can make better use of,” Ms Wagner says.

“The satisfaction and independence from gaining paid employment is something everyone should be able to enjoy, and people with ASD are no exception.

“The number of New Zealanders with ASD continues to rise across all racial, ethnic and social groups. Approximately 40,000 New Zealanders are on the Autism Spectrum. Despite this, awareness of autism remains low.

“Early identification and intervention for children on the Autism Spectrum is key to improving their opportunities to ensure quality support for children and their families.

“The generation of people first diagnosed with autism in childhood is now reaching middle age, and mature adults are being diagnosed for the first time.

“This means we must also face the challenge of adapting services that traditionally concentrated on the needs of children, to extend their reach to equally help adults with ASD.

“People with autism bring unique views and observations of the world and in doing so they help make New Zealand a more innovative and refreshing place to live,” Ms Wagner says.