A recent rise in disablist abuse in England’s schools has been fuelled by growing misunderstandings about autism and other neurodevelopmental conditions, according to mental health advocate ZeZe Sohawon.
ZeZe, who has autism herself and serves as CEO of Emotion Dysregulation in Autism (EDA), a mental health charity supporting young autistic people, says that as autism diagnoses increase, so too does the misuse of the term among pupils, with insults shifting from “you’re so dumb” to “you’re so autistic.”
Her comments come after a report by the BBC revealed a rise in school suspensions for racist, ableist and homophobic abuse.
Department for Education data documenting reasons for suspensions shows schools in England logged disablist abuse about 1,600 times between 2020-21 and 2024-25.
ZeZe explains that while more children are being assessed for autism, far fewer are being given meaningful education about what their diagnosis means for them.
“As waiting lists have grown, so has stigma,” she says.
“Disablist abuse has increased in tandem with the influx of autism assessments, but young people lack the insight to understand the true meaning of autism and SEND,” ZeZe adds.
Calls for Immediate Change in Schools
ZeZe believes the most impactful change schools could make is helping autistic children understand their own diagnosis. Too often, she says, a child is simply told they are autistic without any explanation of how autism affects their strengths, challenges or daily life.
“Support to understand this better would be transformative,” she says. “Knowing what aspects of autism they struggle with, and what aspects offer strength, would be game‑changing.”
Ending Discrimination Through Collaboration and Role Models
ZeZe argues that tackling discrimination requires a whole‑school approach involving teachers, parents and pupils. At her charity, EDA, peer mentors provide mental‑health support and act as visible role models for autistic and disabled young people.
“For a young person to know that someone can be autistic and be a fully integrated member of society is powerful,” she says, adding that seeing mentors who have “been there” and navigated school with its challenges helps remove harmful language and attitudes.
“We need to break down this abuse,” she adds, “and it starts with the language used by peer mentors and leading by example.”
Narrowing the gap between policy and school delivery
Rachel Wright, founder of Born at the Right Time, a Community Interest Company with a vision to create a world where families of individuals with complex needs are valued and supported, also reacted to the BBC report.
She says that teachers need to be provided with resources and capacity to help end disablist in schools, not simply training and expectations.
“Increasing awareness of standards without the ability to deliver it, only further reduces moral in teachers and creates a culture of conflict between staff and parents. If the Ofsted standards rewarded inclusive policies, schools would be better empowered to make the changes needed.”
Naidex speaker spotlight
When ZeZe Sohawon was younger, she was diagnosed with autism, psychosis and a personality disorder and spent time in the care system. Now she’s a mental health advocate and founded her charity EDA in 2022 at the age of just 20. She’s also a Ted Talk and received British Citizen and Diana awards for services to healthcare. In March 2026, ZeZe delivered a talk on early identification of neurodivergence at Naidex.
Rachel Wright is qualified nurse and parent of three, one of whom has complex disabilities. She’s the author of The Skies I’m Under, host of The Skies We’re Under Podcast, an award-winning blogger, and Personalised Care Institute Ambassador. During Naidex 2026, she joined a panel discussion on understanding the needs of parents of children with complex needs.