World Autism Day Next Week
26th Mar 2025
In preperation for World Autism Day next Fran, one of the Sna's here in the school wrote a lovely piece on Autism.
‘If you can imagine expecting a child, the excitement, the preparation, the stories among friends
and family around the expectations of where this child will be in the world, expecting how we all
do – perfection. Then when the child is born you notice some differences to other children, you
realise after a long process of assessments that your child has autism. If we can imagine how
the expectation of ‘perfection’ is like planting a seed, expecting a rose, and watching as
something completely unexpected grows instead, a wild, twisting vine with vibrant blossoms
you’ve never seen before.
At first, there’s confusion, maybe even disappointment, because it’s not what you planned. You
grieve the rose you thought you’d have. But as time goes on, you start to notice the beauty in this
unexpected bloom, the way it reaches for the sun in its own way, the unique colours it brings, the
way it changes the whole garden around it.
And then, one day, you realise this was never a lesser flower. It was just different, just as
wonderful, and maybe even more breathtaking than you ever imagined. You wouldn’t trade it for
a whole field of roses’
(Anonymous, 2025)
As we enter Autism awaremness week, we are reminded of just how wonderful the world of
difference we have in our lives.
Autism Awareness Week is more than just a time to recognise autism, it is also an opportunity to
celebrate neurodiversity, challenge the misconceptions within our society and promote inclusion,
examine it deeper than we ever have before. Whether you are personally connected to autism or
simply want to learn more, this week is about embracing different ways of thinking,
communicating, and experiencing the world.
Autism, or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects
how a person perceives the world and interacts with others. Because autism exists on a spectrum,
each autistic individual experiences it uniquely. Some may have heightened sensory sensitivities,
others may communicate differently, and many have unique strengths, but one thing that rings
through every time is the beautiful individuality of every child that we are lucky enough to have
in our lives or in the environment in which we may work.
In Ireland, we have approximately 1 in 20 school aged children diagnosed with ASD, this figure
is a need to highlight further the need for greater awareness and support. In a world filled with
unconscious and conscious bias, the perceptions around autism as a ‘problem’ to fix’ needs
weeks like this to change this mindset.
By incorporating the idea of Inclusion, true progress can begin, Inclusion is not only creating
environments that the child feels valued, supported and loved, but also an environment where
that vine of flowers blossom into the most magnificent splendor our gardens have ever seen.
Autism Awareness Week is a time to celebrate autistic individuals and advocate for a more
inclusive world. Let’s move beyond awareness to acceptance and action. By embracing
neurodiversity, we create a society where everyone, autistic or not, can thrive.
In St Joseph’s Primary School, we embrace difference, we embrace Inclusion, and most
importantly we embrace knowledge.
Fran Trehy
‘If you can imagine expecting a child, the excitement, the preparation, the stories among friends
and family around the expectations of where this child will be in the world, expecting how we all
do – perfection. Then when the child is born you notice some differences to other children, you
realise after a long process of assessments that your child has autism. If we can imagine how
the expectation of ‘perfection’ is like planting a seed, expecting a rose, and watching as
something completely unexpected grows instead, a wild, twisting vine with vibrant blossoms
you’ve never seen before.
At first, there’s confusion, maybe even disappointment, because it’s not what you planned. You
grieve the rose you thought you’d have. But as time goes on, you start to notice the beauty in this
unexpected bloom, the way it reaches for the sun in its own way, the unique colours it brings, the
way it changes the whole garden around it.
And then, one day, you realise this was never a lesser flower. It was just different, just as
wonderful, and maybe even more breathtaking than you ever imagined. You wouldn’t trade it for
a whole field of roses’
(Anonymous, 2025)
As we enter Autism awaremness week, we are reminded of just how wonderful the world of
difference we have in our lives.
Autism Awareness Week is more than just a time to recognise autism, it is also an opportunity to
celebrate neurodiversity, challenge the misconceptions within our society and promote inclusion,
examine it deeper than we ever have before. Whether you are personally connected to autism or
simply want to learn more, this week is about embracing different ways of thinking,
communicating, and experiencing the world.
Autism, or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects
how a person perceives the world and interacts with others. Because autism exists on a spectrum,
each autistic individual experiences it uniquely. Some may have heightened sensory sensitivities,
others may communicate differently, and many have unique strengths, but one thing that rings
through every time is the beautiful individuality of every child that we are lucky enough to have
in our lives or in the environment in which we may work.
In Ireland, we have approximately 1 in 20 school aged children diagnosed with ASD, this figure
is a need to highlight further the need for greater awareness and support. In a world filled with
unconscious and conscious bias, the perceptions around autism as a ‘problem’ to fix’ needs
weeks like this to change this mindset.
By incorporating the idea of Inclusion, true progress can begin, Inclusion is not only creating
environments that the child feels valued, supported and loved, but also an environment where
that vine of flowers blossom into the most magnificent splendor our gardens have ever seen.
Autism Awareness Week is a time to celebrate autistic individuals and advocate for a more
inclusive world. Let’s move beyond awareness to acceptance and action. By embracing
neurodiversity, we create a society where everyone, autistic or not, can thrive.
In St Joseph’s Primary School, we embrace difference, we embrace Inclusion, and most
importantly we embrace knowledge.
Fran Trehy
