An open letter has been issued to the Government following to help prevent suicide rates in autistic people, following the inquest into the death of 16-year-old Caitlyn Scott-Lee.
The teenager was found dead at Wycombe Abbey Boarding School on April 21, 2023, just hours after playing a set of drums in the performance arts centre of the establishment.
Caitlyn had a history of mental health issues, as she was diagnosed with depression in 2020, anxiety in 2021, and autism in 2022.
However, senior coroner Crispin Butler concluded that ‘no-one is to blame’ for her tragic death as ‘no-one other than Caitlyn herself would have known what she was going to do’ that evening.
The 16-year-old had been due to sit a detention one day before her death, after a bottle of vodka was found in her locker several weeks before.
Following the inquest, the Autism Centre of Excellence, which is based in Cambridge have called the Government to try and do more to help similar.
According to their statistics, one in three autistic people have experienced suicidal ideation and nearly one in four have attempted suicide.
Additionally, autistic people are seven times more likely to die by suicide than non-autistic people, and suicide is one of the two main causes of death in autistic people.
Tom Purser, CEO of the Autism Centre of Excellence at Cambridge, said: “Caitlyn’s inquest has demonstrated that despite schools and the NHS doing their best, it is too frequently not enough to prevent the most tragic of outcomes.
“Our letter, signed by charities, academics and ambassadors, demonstrates the strength of feeling and resolve that more action is needed to turn the tide on the national scandal of the number of autistic people dying by suicide.
“The Government must listen, both to the people signing our letter and to the countless stories like Caitlyn’s which send a loud and clear message - work with us and help save autistic people’s lives.”
The charity are hoping the following changes can be made:
- The Government to publish the number of deaths by suicide of autistic people annually, to show the scale of the issue and to acknowledge the increased risk of suicide autistic people face.
- A stronger focus on autistic people within the Government's Suicide Prevention Strategy, with timely and targeted actions that drive meaningful change.
- A guarantee of new and appropriate funding and resources to deliver these actions.
- Improved guidance for coroners and medical examiners about the risk of suicide in autistic people and how to take this into account as part of their work.
Samaritans
If you've been affected by this story, please contact the Samaritans helpline number on 116 123.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here