Rapid Impact Fund

The number of autistic young people classed as severely absent has more than doubled since 2019. In 2023/24, 63,348 autistic students were recorded as persistent absentees in schools in England - almost one third (31%) of autistic pupils enrolled.

The Sheila Coates Foundation are seeking creative, targeted projects that improve and sustain attendance for autistic students. Projects should support identified individuals or groups while also encouraging wider changes in school or college practice.

The Sheila Coates Foundation are particularly interested in approaches that strengthen collaboration between schools and colleges, autistic students, and parents or carers, ensuring that their knowledge, ideas and aspirations shape decisions about how attendance is supported.

Find out more on the Sheila Coates Foundation website