JEAN-Marie Hetu was forced to pull his nine-year-old autistic son out of an eastern suburbs school because his child was being bullied and teachers were struggling to support his disability.
The Mitcham man said his son, Jean-Louis, has now been home-schooled for 12 months.

``He now produces art to the level of his age group, when upon leaving school all he could do is smother paint,’’ Mr Hetu said.

``... It is not blaming the other children, it is not blaming the school staff, but there needs to be more awareness and understanding of autism.’‘

LAUREN NOVAK, POLITICAL REPORTER February 01, 2010 12:32PM

THE Liberal Opposition has pledged to set up a school specifically for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder if elected next month.

Leader Isobel Redmond announced this morning the party would establish a school staffed and designed to "meet the needs" of those children while also putting resources towards special needs children who remain in mainstream schools.

She said there was great demand from parents, who had been lobbying the government for such a solution.

Dozens of people have rallied on the steps of Parliament House in Adelaide to demand more support for children with autism.

Some parents cried as they described the emotional and financial toll of finding treatment for their children.

They are lobbying for more State Government money for medical support, to reduce waiting lists and for more special education classes in schools.

Rally organiser Daryl Barkhazen says the children deserve a better deal.