One in every 16 schoolchildren in Northern Ireland has now been diagnosed with autism, according to new figures published by the Department of Health, highlighting a sharp rise in diagnoses over recent years.
The latest data showed that 18,472 children of school age up to 16 years old had an autism diagnosis during the 2025/26 school year — an increase of more than 3,000 compared with three years ago.
At 6.2%, the proportion of autistic schoolchildren is now more than 300% higher than it was 15 years ago, according to the Department of Health.
Officials said the rise reflects both greater awareness of autism and changes in data collection, while also noting that overall school populations have fallen in recent years.
The department described autism as “a lifelong developmental disability that affects how a person communicates with and relates to other people and how they experience the world around them”.
The figures also showed boys are more than twice as likely as girls to receive an autism diagnosis, with 8.6% of boys identified as autistic compared with 3.7% of girls.
The highest diagnosis rates were recorded among children aged 12 and 13, where more than one in 12 pupils had autism.
Children living in urban and more disadvantaged areas were also found to be more likely to receive a diagnosis than those in rural or wealthier communities.
For parents such as Dorothy Murray, whose daughter Sienna was diagnosed with autism, the growing numbers are “not surprising”.
Dorothy said she first became concerned during the Covid-19 lockdown when Sienna “wasn’t hitting the milestones”.
“We weren’t sure what was happening,” she explained.
Due to pandemic restrictions, Sienna’s assessment was delayed until she was two and a half years old.
“When they came out, they could see quite clearly that Sienna was struggling and needed support,” Dorothy said.
Sienna was later placed on a priority waiting list after being “missed and overlooked” during the pandemic.
Her mother described a lengthy diagnosis process involving paediatricians, speech therapists, play therapists and nursery staff.
“It wasn’t just one appointment and then a diagnosis, but another six months after the assessment before we officially got the diagnosis on paper,” she said.
By the time Sienna received a formal diagnosis, she was almost four years old.
Dorothy said her daughter initially attended a mainstream nursery despite being non-verbal and requiring specialist support because suitable placements were unavailable.
The family then spent two years fighting for a place at a specialist school.
Sienna eventually secured a placement and is now thriving in her second year at a special school.
“It’s a whole world of difference,” Dorothy said.
Northern Ireland’s independent autism reviewer Ema Cubitt said the figures should be “interpreted carefully”, warning that long waiting lists and difficulties accessing school placements may mean some autistic children remain uncounted.
“Autistic people have always been part of every generation and every community across our society,” Cubitt said.
“What this school-age prevalence publication reflects is improving visibility, recognition and understanding within education systems that were not historically designed to identify, include or respond consistently to autistic pupils.”
Cubitt also raised concerns about future support for autistic children and young people, particularly after they leave school.
Campaigners have warned that proposed reforms to Special Educational Needs (SEN) support could create additional difficulties for families already struggling to access services.