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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/feb/17/my-stepson-autism-new-zealand-refused-residency-asd
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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| My son’s autism meant he was refused New Zealand residency – so we’re leaving | My son’s autism meant he was refused New Zealand residency – so we’re leaving |
| (7 months later) | |
| It is largely an accident that the case of my autistic stepson Peter – refused residency in New Zealand on health grounds by the country’s immigration authorities – has become a cause celebre. We never planned it that way, and for personal reasons we do not intend to fight what we see as an invidious decision with far-reaching consequences, posing questions that go to the very heart of what constitutes a just and caring society. | It is largely an accident that the case of my autistic stepson Peter – refused residency in New Zealand on health grounds by the country’s immigration authorities – has become a cause celebre. We never planned it that way, and for personal reasons we do not intend to fight what we see as an invidious decision with far-reaching consequences, posing questions that go to the very heart of what constitutes a just and caring society. |
| When I saw in the New Zealand Herald of 31 January an article about Juliana Carvalho – who has been denied residency because she is in a wheelchair, despite the fact that she works here and has all her family here – I contacted her. She put me in touch with the journalist Regan Schoultz, who published our story in the Herald on 14 February. Her article has provoked a huge reaction, not only on social media in New Zealand but also abroad. | When I saw in the New Zealand Herald of 31 January an article about Juliana Carvalho – who has been denied residency because she is in a wheelchair, despite the fact that she works here and has all her family here – I contacted her. She put me in touch with the journalist Regan Schoultz, who published our story in the Herald on 14 February. Her article has provoked a huge reaction, not only on social media in New Zealand but also abroad. |
| Immigration New Zealand rejected our residency application on the grounds that my stepson Peter does not have the required health standards. We decided not to appeal as we chose to move forward for the good of our family. Peter is autistic and is going through a difficult time. His condition got worse while our application was still pending, and he then required special care. | Immigration New Zealand rejected our residency application on the grounds that my stepson Peter does not have the required health standards. We decided not to appeal as we chose to move forward for the good of our family. Peter is autistic and is going through a difficult time. His condition got worse while our application was still pending, and he then required special care. |
| This type of care is nonexistent in New Zealand, so we have been obliged to take him back to Belgium. Since then we have had to travel a great deal to see him, creating a difficult situation for our family. By going back to Brussels, we will all be reunited, and I am very lucky to get back an excellent position at the Université Libre de Bruxelles. | This type of care is nonexistent in New Zealand, so we have been obliged to take him back to Belgium. Since then we have had to travel a great deal to see him, creating a difficult situation for our family. By going back to Brussels, we will all be reunited, and I am very lucky to get back an excellent position at the Université Libre de Bruxelles. |
| Peter's condition got worse while our application was still pending, and he then required special care | Peter's condition got worse while our application was still pending, and he then required special care |
| My wife and I did not contact the press for personal reasons, but in the general interest. It seems to me, as an academic, that it is one of our duties to denounce what is going wrong in our society. By going public and sharing our story with the media, my goal is to open the debate on immigration rules and their injustice, but also on the rights of people with disabilities, and more precisely on the lack of consideration for autistic people. | My wife and I did not contact the press for personal reasons, but in the general interest. It seems to me, as an academic, that it is one of our duties to denounce what is going wrong in our society. By going public and sharing our story with the media, my goal is to open the debate on immigration rules and their injustice, but also on the rights of people with disabilities, and more precisely on the lack of consideration for autistic people. |
| New Zealand is, by the way, not the only one to blame here. Most governments continue to look away from what it is time to call a public health emergency. Today in most western countries, on average one child out of 100 is diagnosed with ASD – autism spectrum disorder. It is more than time to try to understand why the condition is growing, and also to adapt our societies, our schools and our health systems to that 1%. Instead, we are leaving families facing difficult and often dramatic challenges without proper support. | New Zealand is, by the way, not the only one to blame here. Most governments continue to look away from what it is time to call a public health emergency. Today in most western countries, on average one child out of 100 is diagnosed with ASD – autism spectrum disorder. It is more than time to try to understand why the condition is growing, and also to adapt our societies, our schools and our health systems to that 1%. Instead, we are leaving families facing difficult and often dramatic challenges without proper support. |
| Concerning the question of the injustice of immigration criteria, it is clearly stated in the United Nations convention on the rights of persons with disabilities that disability should not prevent people’s right to emigrate. Yes, the cost of caring for these people will have to be taken on by the rest of the population, but is that not the foundation of a civilised society? Moreover, in most cases these persons are contributing. | Concerning the question of the injustice of immigration criteria, it is clearly stated in the United Nations convention on the rights of persons with disabilities that disability should not prevent people’s right to emigrate. Yes, the cost of caring for these people will have to be taken on by the rest of the population, but is that not the foundation of a civilised society? Moreover, in most cases these persons are contributing. |
| We have been encouraged by all the supportive messages we have received and read on discussion forums. But we have been shocked to note that a lot of people have defended our case because of my position as an associate professor, but then criticised the welcoming of refugees who, I quote, “bring nothing to the society”. In our opinion, this is nonsense. The big difference is that we chose to emigrate. That is not the case for refugees, and it seems to us that welcoming them is a duty for every healthy society. | We have been encouraged by all the supportive messages we have received and read on discussion forums. But we have been shocked to note that a lot of people have defended our case because of my position as an associate professor, but then criticised the welcoming of refugees who, I quote, “bring nothing to the society”. In our opinion, this is nonsense. The big difference is that we chose to emigrate. That is not the case for refugees, and it seems to us that welcoming them is a duty for every healthy society. |