The future of six childcare centres that support autistic children has been secured, with Tony Abbott announcing more than $16 million in funding to keep them operating for at least 3½ years.

The Prime Minister’s announcement came just in time for childcare manager Kathryn Fordyce, who was concerned she would lose staff while waiting for new funds for her centre in Burnie, northwest Tasmania.

By Jonathan Andrews

A survey released to 5 live Breakfast has found that more than three-quarters of disabled students and graduates are afraid to let potential employers know about their disability. It is a classic dilemma for people with disabilities - and it's one I've been facing myself.

By Jacob Kagi

A purpose-built clinic in East Fremantle providing "applied behaviour analysis" (ABA), run by a private operator called The Complete Advantage was set to cease that service within months.The West Australian Government is being urged to ensure the survival of a provider of a type of intensive autism therapy which is set to shut down.

March 1, 2015 Julia May

Federal government delays a 40 per cent funding cut to the disability sector amid allegations it was in breach of United Nations convention.

The federal government has made a partial backflip on its cuts to disability groups, granting a temporary reprieve to eight bodies whose funding was due to run out on Saturday.

A LONG-running legal battle between the Education Department and a former student who blames it for his illiteracy could be resolved as early as tomorrow.

Twenty-one-year-old Beau Abela wants $300,000 from the department, claiming they failed to teach him properly and that he should have never been able to progress from primary school.

Mr Abela launched the action in 2007 when he was just 14, but failed and is now appealing to the full bench of the Federal Court.

Police are looking for a 32-year-old autistic man who went missing in Gungahlin on Friday.

Zac De Jonge from Kaleen is highly autistic and has limited speech.

Mr De Jong has been missing since noon and was last spotted at the Gungahlin bus interchange.

He is described as tall with blonde hair.

Police are asking anyone who has seen him to call 131 444.Police said he was wearing a red Levi-brand T-shirt.

Zac turned up later that day, safe and well.

One of the hottest topics in autism is the notion that some children outgrow their diagnosis, achieving a distinction dubbed the ‘optimal outcome.’ This small group has captured the imagination of researchers and parents alike, sparking a slew of studies into the factors that might set ch