The British Medical Association claims
“It is estimated that around 700,000 people in the UK have a diagnosis of autism. One in 100 children in the UK have a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder.”
The BeyondAutism organization found:
- 7 in 10 autistic children and young adults said school would be better if more teachers understood autism.
- 31.3% of pupils with EHCPs have autism listed as their primary type of need. That works out as 103,400 pupils and is the most common type of need listed among EHCPs in the UK.
- Each year, the UK spends around £32bn in care and lost earnings to support autistic children and adults. With the right early intervention and support, autistic people can live more independently.
I believed it was incredibly important to share these insights with you, underscoring the significance of the Golf Trust bringing the Ernie Els #GameON Autism Golf program to the UK with the invaluable support of The National Lottery.
The Golf Trust has been collaborating with Els for Autism since 2017 when it became the country’s first delivery partner for the charity established by Ernie Els and his wife Liezel in 2009.
As well as delivering the program to individuals, The Golf Trust has trained 110 sports coaches using the Els4Autism Game on Framework, including 75 PGA members.
This joined-up approach has significantly increased access to golf programs for people with autism.
Agenda
The first National Lottery-funded program will take place in September at The Shire London, The West London Golf Centre, and The Pavilion in Stonebridge.
In addition to 12 golf sessions, there will be additional Autism clinic days, which will cover a number of topics, including sleep, diet, and behavior.
These sessions will be run in conjunction with Autism Clinic London a consultant-led service for providing Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnostic assessments and post-diagnostic support.