Sherryn Groch

One of Canberra's last remaining providers of respite care is closing its doors to people with high needs, as advocates warn funding shortfalls under the NDIS are becoming a "looming crisis" for the ACT.

Autism Aspergers Advocacy Australia (A4) sent a submission to the  Joint Standing Committee on the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) for its Inquiry into Provision of services under the NDIS Early Childhood Early Intervention Approach. 

Pallavi Singhal ​

A primary school student with autism was restrained by teachers and locked in a time-out room for more than an hour, during which time the student wrapped an electrical cord around their neck, a NSW Ombudsman's report reveals.

A teacher standing outside the room ignored the student during the isolation, despite instructions that the student was not to be restrained and was to be checked on after three minutes if placed in time-out.

Transcript

LAUREN DAY: For Lachlan Murrell's family, every day is a battle. 



EMILY DIVE: Do you want us to wait inside while you head outside? 



LACHLAN MURRELL: Go away. 



LAUREN DAY: But the daily struggles are nothing compared to the bigger fight on his mum's hands. 



How would you describe your experience of trying to get him an education? 

Media Release

The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA), who runs the NDIS, revised the membership of is Independent Advisory Council (IAC). Autism Aspergers Advocacy Australia, known as A4, observes that the NDIA’s IAC does not include (effectively excludes) anyone with a substantial interest in autistic people.

Media Release

The Australian Federation of Disability Organisations today condemned comments by Senator Pauline Hanson who suggested that children with disability should be removed from mainstream schools.



Senator Hanson told the Senate this morning that children with disability did not belong in mainstream classrooms because they were disruptive and, as a result, teachers spent too much time with them at the expense of other students.

Matthew Killoran

ONE Nation leader Senator Pauline Hanson announced this morning that her party will back the Federal Government’s $18.6 billion school funding package.

But she also said “we need to get rid of” autistic children from mainstream classrooms, arguing teachers had to spend too much time with them at the expense of other students’ education.

She said parents and teachers had raised the issue with her of children with disabilities or autism in mainstream classrooms.

The Hon Malcolm Turnbull MP

Prime Minister

Parliament House

CANBERRA ACT 2600

Dear Prime Minister

Subject: call for a Royal Commission into abuse of people with disability

Carly Dolan

The parents of a severely autistic teenager, who is being housed in Launceston General Hospital’s acute mental health unit, say the experience has been “excruciating” for the family and staff.

The 15-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has been at Northside Mental Health Clinic for nearly 12 weeks, which has resulted in beds being closed to other patients. He is due to be moved into accommodation at Latrobe next week.