Lachlan Roberts

The Ricky Stuart Foundation is looking to open a third respite centre for people with autism and other disabilities across the ACT border in Queanbeyan.

Having already established two respite houses – the Ricky Stuart House in Chifley and the Emma Ruby House in Cook, Canberra Raider’s coach Ricky Stuart is now hoping to establish the same service in his town of birth.

Ben Fordham

The amount of students with a disability in schools is on the rise and teachers aren’t properly trained to handle the increase.

Autism rates across NSW schools are climbing 15 per cent each year, but only nine per cent of teachers are equipped to support them.

University of Newcastle lecturer David Roy helped to develop a new disability scheme and calls for all teachers to be properly trained.

“We just want to help kids,” he says.

Autism support groups have warned of an impending national crisis, as growing numbers of children diagnosed with autism reach high school age, with few options for specialised education and public schools with a dramatic shortage of trained staff.

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LEIGH SALES, PRESENTER: Finding the right school for a child with autism can be difficult and frustrating for parents, and it's even harder when students reach high school.

Some families resort to home-schooling or teenagers may drop out altogether.

Jordan Baker

Schools in NSW are facing "unprecedented pressure" due to soaring disability rates, with the number of students with autism increasing by almost 15 per cent per year and those with mental health needs growing by more than five per cent.

Yet there are fewer staff trained to support them as the number of special education graduates fall and more than half of teachers admit to a lack of confidence in the area.

Angie Tomlinson

Work goes beyond financial independence. It often goes to the heart of a sense of satisfaction, self-worth and the ability to contribute to the community. It can be key to our well being.

Just as it applies to you or me, it is exactly the same for the one in 100 people with autism spectrum disorder.

Recognising the importance of employing those on the spectrum, and the benefits a neurodiverse workforce can offer, has never been more important as an increasing number of young adults diagnosed with ASD hit the job market.

Angie Tomlinson

Jacinta Reynolds is a terrible liar and a master storyteller. She has a science degree, majoring in physics and specialising in astrophysics. She also happens to have autism.

While her autism has seen her struggle with social behaviour, it has also been the 23-year-old’s not-so-secret weapon in excelling first at Scitech as a science communicator and today at West Perth software development company Optika Solutions as a data scientist and technical writer.

Gian De Poloni and Kate Leaver

Miniature farm animals are being used to provide respite and support to children and teenagers with autism.

INKA respite farm stay at Lake Clifton, 110 kilometres south of Perth, is home to the fun-size animals including pigs, sheep, goats and horses.

Groups of children and teenagers with autism bunk at the homestead and work together to care for each other and the animals.