Autism and Halloween: Blue bucket is the trick to treat

A mother of an autistic child says her son will be carrying a special blue bucket this year when he goes out to trick or treat this Halloween.

Noa, six, does not speak due to his condition, and it has led to some households accusing him of being rude when they hand over sweets.

Blue buckets are used in the United States to signal a child has autism, and Noa's mother hopes it can be adopted in the UK.

"It's just a small little thing for us as a family that you don't have to explain about your children - about their disability," said Sophie Underwood-Jones.

She first spotted the blue buckets while scrolling through social media, and saw an advert for them in US supermarkets.

"It's a great idea, you've got so many children locally that would benefit from these," she said.

Sophie, of Pwllheli, Gwynedd, managed to find blue pumpkin-shaped buckets in an online store in the UK and hopes it will help Noa have a better experience.

"I'm very fortunate with Noa, he does love parties, different activities going on through the year - when we decorate the house, he notices the difference," she said.

She said she had been taking Noa trick or treating since he was a baby, but said sometimes the experience "wasn't the best".

"I have had little comments being made towards Noa that he didn't thank the people for the sweets, or he never said 'trick or treat'.

"It's very hard for me to accept it as a mother. I don't like going places and having to explain that I've got an autistic child that is non-verbal.

"We're in 2023 now and I feel children like Noa - and adults - should be accepted. They shouldn't have to explain who they are or if they do have a disability."

Sophie has been documenting Noa's challenges as a child with autism on the social media platform Instagram, external, to raise awareness of the condition.

"It's just a little bit about us and our family, about Noa, where we take him for days out - what works - what doesn't work," she said.

The latest posts show Noa's trip to a pumpkin farm to pick out his own halloween pumpkin.

"It's about sharing experiences, making new friends, sharing the load I suppose, because it can be pretty difficult at times," she said.

"But at the same time, it's the most rewarding job for myself as well."

The push to make more people aware of the blue buckets has been welcomed by the head teacher at one of the county's largest special schools, Ysgol Pendalar in Caernarfon.

Bethan Morris Jones said it was about helping educate others: "It just lets people know, without having to explain, that your child may have autism or any other special educational needs.

"It's just an opportunity for families to enjoy this event, of just having fun and going around their local community, without being scared of knocking on doors."

Noa's mother said she just wanted to "get the word out" in time for Halloween.

"Please appreciate that if you do come across anybody with a blue bucket - or not a blue bucket - that can't talk, doesn't want to talk, who might scream at you doorstep - just accept those children," she said.

"For me as a mother, I want my child to see the world and have every experience possible - and be happy and safe."

Additional reporting by Llyr Edwards and Ffion Lloyd-Williams