The Clare Association Dublin– Muintir an Chláir is pleased to announce Dr. Susan Crawford, Autism Advocate, as the Clare Person of the Year for 2020.
Susan is being recognised for her efforts to address quality of life issues for children and adults with autism.
Through her commitment to education, research and the provision of practical programmes she is striving to make a real difference in the lives of those on the autism spectrum. She promotes the necessity of fundamental movement skills in regulating behaviours especially those of people with autism.
Susan’s interest in the area of autism was inspired by her own son, Tomás, being diagnosed with autism in 1998.
She specialises in focusing on autism from research, policy and practice perspectives. She has been actively involved in addressing the learning and overall development of education, health and activity programmes for children and adults with autism for over 20 years.
She completed a PhD in the field of Fundamental Movement Skills and Autism in 2007. She is a two time Fulbright Award winner for her work on development of autism awareness programmes. She has researched and developed the Get Autism Active online programme.
Get Autism Active is committed to developing skills of movement for children and adults on the autism spectrum. Research has demonstrated that having a repertoire of movement provides opportunity for further development of health related physical activity, participation in exercise and sport and social inclusion. It also enhances inclusive practice and development of opportunity particularly for children and adults with diverse needs.
The objectives of the programme are to attain equality of access for all especially in the areas of skill development, education and health. Its specialty area of expertise and research includes fundamental movement skill development for children and adults with autism and health related research across the lifespan.
Susan is actively involved in fundraising and developing awareness of and for Autistic Spectrum Disorders. She has completed marathons, half marathons and 10k runs all over the world including one in the Antarctic. Susan’s son Tomás is also a keen runner and has joined her to complete several 10km runs and half marathons nationally and internationally. In 2019, she undertook a 2,500 km walk, run and cycle along the Wild Atlantic Way from Kinsale to Donegal in a bid to build awareness around autism and to promote Ireland as “autism active and autism aware”