News/Announcements

By Maia Szalavitz, Jan. 22, 2013

There is more evidence that a minority of autistic children may eventually overcome their developmental issues, but experts caution that such recovery is rare.

UnitingCare's Social Justice Unit released a report/policy paper Addressing high rates of school suspension. It says ...

The right to education is enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. This includes taking measures to encourage regular attendance at schools and to reduce school drop-out rates.

UN text on Addressing Socioeconomic Dimensions of Autism, ...

... the Assembly addressed the socio-economic needs related to autism and developmental disorders by adopting a relevant resolution without a vote. By the text, the Assembly called on all States to enable persons with autism, developmental disorders and associated disabilities to learn life and social development skills to facilitate their full and equal participation in education and as members of the community.

Anna Patty, State Political Reporter

CHILDREN with autism are being inappropriately suspended from school, forcing their parents to abandon their jobs to care for them, research has found.

Karen Bevan, the director of social justice at UnitingCare, whose research found school long-term suspensions have increased by more than a third over the past six years, said children with autism are among those being suspended.

Rachel Browne Sun-Herald journalist

CHILDREN and young adults with disabilities are three times more likely to suffer abuse and neglect than their peers without disabilities, according to a policy paper released on Tuesday.

According to the paper, abuse can often occur in the form of behaviour management.

The paper, prepared by Dr Sally Robinson, of Southern Cross University's Centre for Children and Young People, cited cases of children who had been abused or neglected by school staff.

The ABC's Q&A program squibs on the disability questions that top its list of "most liked" question.

The ABC Q&A website invites people to submit questions online. And it has a list of "most liked" questions (see http://www.abc.net.au/tv/qanda/latest-questions-by-likes.htm). The extract below (accessed on 1/12/2012) shows questions about disability are at the top of their list of questions. Disability question are:

1. the top two questions
2. four of the top six questions

Media reporting of research often has its challenges. An research article¹ says:

Autism-Associated Mutations in ProSAP2/Shank3 Impair Synaptic Transmission and Neurexin-Neuroligin-Mediated Transsynaptic Signaling.
Arons MH, Thynne CJ, Grabrucker AM, Li D, Schoen M, Cheyne JE, Boeckers TM, Montgomery JM, Garner CC.

Abstract

Lauren Murada

Jokes about people with disabilities are no laughing matter for Marrickville resident James Eggleton.

Australia has its racial, homosexual and religious hate-crime laws, but Mr Eggleton can't understand why there are non for the disabled.

Mr Eggleton, who has a disabled family member, says he's sick of seeing vilification of the disabled in the community.

A FURIOUS father says his disabled daughter, 11, was tied up on a school bus, and is considering legal action.

Michael says Caitlyn was restrained by staff trying to stop unruly behaviour, including scratching at seats.

He said his daughter had told him force was used to bind her wrists with rope.

The principal of the Ballarat Specialist School said he believed shoelaces were used by bus staff to secure Caitlyn to her seat.

Police and the Education Department are investigating an August 29 incident.

A police spokesman said a Ballarat man was interviewed yesterday.