There are 120,000 school-aged children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC) in England alone - that is one in every 100.

Around 73% of these children, who come into the category of SEND (special educational needs and disabilities), are in mainstream schools.

It is already recognised that, through structured PE lessons and sports clubs, autistic young people are helped to develop physically, emotionally and socially. 

PE and sport give strategies to help young people manage their emotions and behaviours. 

Physical activity, said Dr John Ratey, M.D., in 2017, optimises learning, helps emotional regulation and is the ‘spark’ for the brain.

It can also inspire young autistic people and their families to raise aspirations and encourage them to adopt an ‘I can’ approach to achieving their goals. 

"Noah, 14, inspired us at Gosford All Blacks to offer sessions that would be accessible..."

To help understand misconceptions about these young people taking part in sport, we must, first of all, challenge the cultural and social barriers preventing all people from participating.

We can do this by creating safe, nurturing environments that recognise that it is okay to have a bad day, or fail, as long as we learn from it.

The Gosford All Blacks story

Noah, a 14-year-old player, is autistic and unable to participate in age-grade rugby safely.

However, he attended every weekend to watch the seniors play and always asked when he could join in. 

This inspired us at Gosford All Blacks to offer sessions that would be accessible. The process involved strategy, management and governance. The board of directors provided support and information, as did other clubs that offered SEND provision. 

Luckily, after conducting a needs assessment, the existing facilities were suitable. We also received support and assistance from Oxfordshire County Council, Cherwell District Council and the Activity Alliance.

It would have been easy to continue as we were, but we decided to take a step forward and offer inclusive sessions.