New figures from the CSO Irish Health Survey 2025 (Children’s Health) show that 6.3% of children aged 3–14 in Ireland have an autism diagnosis. That is around 1 in 16 children.
But behind that number are thousands of individual children. Children learning in our schools, joining our clubs, growing up in our neighbourhoods and being part of communities right across Ireland.
Awareness alone isn’t enough
Awareness has helped us start the conversation, but it can’t be where the conversation ends. What autistic children and their families need is:
- Understanding
- Support
- Opportunities
- And most importantly, belonging
Every child deserves to feel that they are not simply included, but that they truly belong. At the Keith Duffy Foundation, awareness is only the beginning. Belonging is the goal.
Source: CSO, Irish Health Survey 2025 – Children’s Health.
