"We need a European strategy that promotes research, detailed studies and the use of best practices based on scientific evidence so that our children can eventually be treated in the best possible manner, and adults be provided with the required support and rehabilitation services," MEP Miriam Dalli emphasized.
2of April marks World Autism Day both on a national and a European level, MEP Miriam Dalli is doing her utmost to give a voice to all those people and children who fall within the Autism condition spectrum.
The MEP is calling for a more precise diagnosis so that affected people can be identified at a very early stage. Dr Dalli is insisting on a holistic strategy to help Autistic people overcome challenges they have to face every day.
In the past weeks, Dr Dalli spoke out about the difficulties that Autistic students have to face in their academic life. Quite a number of them face difficulties to advance further in their educational career not because they lack intelligence or they are not capable to specialize in their studies but because of lack of flexibility in our educational system.
Dr Dalli is focusing on the introduction of a European strategy on autism. Together with other MEPs, she presented a written declaration to the European Commission, which was supported by 418 MEPs to push the European Union and Member States to adopt a strategy.
With the aim to address Autism and the wide spectrum of this condition, the European Union took a number of initiatives to promote research and to evaluate different aspects of social integration.
However, in the last decade, one of the greatest challenges faced by the EU to properly address autism is its wide spectrum that constantly changes. This means that there are various types of autism, which vary according to symptoms and age amongst others.
The EU's Health Programme supports the European Autism Information System, which aims to support an early diagnosis and to evaluate the necessary tools. So as to have an effective system, the European Parliament allocated funds to the European Commission to implement a pilot project spread on 12 zones. This initiative was adopted in 2015.
Horizon 2020 (2014-2020) is investing €24 million on 21 research projects about autism, whilst the European Commission is supporting the Autism Europe association to safeguard the rights of autistic people through programmes such as PROGRESS, Grundtvig and programmes that focus on social integration, equality and to fight discrimination.
Dr Dalli, emphasized that, whilst all these initiatives are positive, we still require a European strategy on Autism. "We need to have a European Strategy on Autism and it is extremely important that Member States have their own strategy focused on this condition. What Malta is doing in this regard is extremely positive. Having a law on autism should provide all the possible opportunities to Autistic persons," Miriam Dalli concluded.
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