How autistic NDIS recipients could solve our cybersecurity skills gap

By bobb |

Tess Bennett

Autistic NDIS recipients are willing and able to work but fear if they get a job and lose it they will be ineligible for any future financial support from the scheme, a disabled rights activist says.

Rhett Ellis is an autistic entrepreneur with an interest in technology and cybersecurity who has lobbied the government to introduce autistic employment programs.

Government agency accused of being 'at war with those it should be supporting' as appeals against NDIS cuts spike

By bobb |

Kaden McCarthy, 10, lives with autism and has difficulty using and interpreting verbal and non-verbal communication.

Key points:

  • There has been a big increase in the number of NDIS participants reporting their plans are being slashed
  • Lawyers say they cannot keep up with the demand for assistance and the appeals system is congested
  • The government says the increase in appeals reflects the overall growth in the NDIS

Free Webinar: What's in the Senate Inquiry Report on Autism?

By convenor |

The Australian Autism Alliance is holding a webinar on Tuesday 29 March (from 12.15pm-1.00pm) at which Chair of the Select Committee, Senator The Hon. Hollie Hughes, and Deputy Chair, Senator The Hon. Carol Brown will outline the report’s key findings and recommendations.

A4's Monique Blakemore will be chairing.

Click here to Register.

 

Autism Alliance welcomes bold Senate Report to deliver positive change for all Autistic Australians

By bobb |

Amaze: Media Release

The Australian Autism Alliance today welcomes the release of the Senate Select Committee Inquiry’s history-making report on Autism. This is the first time there has been such a broad-ranging national inquiry into the issues facing Autistic Australians with recommendations for positive change.

DSM-5 revision tweaks autism entry for clarity

By bobb |

Peter Hess

Two changes to the criteria for diagnosing autism are slated for release tomorrow in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-5-TR), published by the American Psychiatric Association. The small changes add clarity and nuance to how the reference text defines autism, but they are unlikely to change diagnostic practice, experts say.

Melbourne autism researchers develop world's most effective early screening tool for children

By bobb |

A screening tool developed by Australian researchers has been found to be the world's most effective tool for diagnosing children who are on the autism spectrum.

Key points:

  • A study of more than 13,500 Victorian children found the La Trobe University tool to be the most effective in the world
  • The tool teaches health workers to use a checklist to identify key behaviours when children come in for routine appointments
  • Children as young as 11 months old have been identified as having a higher likelihood of autism

Greater training needed for health professionals caring for people with cognitive disability

By convenor |

The Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability has released a Commissioner’s report on Public Hearing 10: Education and training of health professionals in relation to people with cognitive disability.

The report makes 9 findings and 12 recommendations in relation to the education and training of health professionals across Australia including nurses, dentists, pharmacists, psychologists and speech pathologists.

New job led to ‘broken life’ under disability scheme spruiked as success story

By bobb |

Luke Henriques-Gomes

Woman tells inquiry how her experiences at ‘coffee school’ in $1bn-a-year federal program damaged her health and left her heartbroken

On her first day in an exciting new job, Mzia walked in to find a small “Breville-style” coffee machine placed on a computer desk in the reception.

Next to the machine was a container of long-life milk.

Mzia looked at the small Breville machine and told a senior manager: “This is not a commercial machine.”