ENABLE Scotland reveal most children with intellectual disabilities are bullied

ENABLE Scotland is a member of Inclusion Europe. ENABLE Scotland are doing a survey to find out if people with intellectual disabilities are happy at school. So far they have found that most children with intellectual disabilities are bullied at school. Bullying stops people from learning at school or joining in with activities, such as sport or music clubs. Bullying makes people feel left out at school. Many children said they were scared to tell their teachers in case they did not believe them. This is not fair. ENABLE wants everyone to understand that putting children with intellectual disabilities in classes with other children is not the same as inclusive education. Children with intellectual disabilities need better support. ENABLE wants to get people talking about what inclusive education really means. What can we do in schools to make everyone more involved? ENABLE invites you to share your story of when they were at school. You can read other peoples stories here. You can invite your friends to talk about theirs also by sharing these links on social media.

Inclusion Europe’s Scottish member ENABLE Scotland has recently published a report revealing that over 96% of children with intellectual disabilities are bullied at school, an alarmingly overwhelming majority.

What are the consequences of this unsettling and disturbing truth? Everyone is aware of the traumatic effect bullying can have on an individual’s self-esteem and most people understand these experiences are often carried with someone. This suspicion of a ripple of results are reaffirmed by the study: 7 out of 10 children claimed their education suffered from being targeted, and over half felt their abuse kept them from taking part in extra-curriculum activities. Such social barriers undoubtedly continue to affect someone’s personhood throughout life. The answer is transparent; the effect of bullying is social exclusion for the victims.

ENABLE Scotland wants to emphasise the message that mainstreaming education does not instantly achieve inclusion. It is not enough to put a child with intellectual disabilities unsupported into a classroom with other children and conclude that they are socially integrated. The organisation hopes to instigate this discussion, by first having the issue heard and then demanding that the Scottish education system considers a progressive approach, dedicated to delivering truly inclusive education.

Support is required between the classroom and curriculum, amongst peers and staff, from activities and opportunities that mold everyday life for a young individual. Inclusive education is not about the physical placement or school setting – it is about learning in an environment that suits the developmental needs of each child. To curb intolerable behavior schools need to teach the severity of bullying and how such actions may easily be interpreted as a disability hate crime.

To initiate the conversation about the reality of educational experiences for young people with intellectual disabilities ENABLE Scotland has launched a national campaign: “Included in the Main?!” With this, they hope to encourage students, their parents and carers and teachers to open up about their experiences. Their testimonies will help to gain a clearer picture of the current situation and to understand what makes education truly inclusive, through positive solutions and effective practices.

You can follow the conversation so far by reading personal testimonies and case studies here, and support the campaign by sharing it with as many people as possible on social media