For Immediate Release, 23 December 2014

‘Disability Peaks Forced to Close Doors on People with Disability’ said Matthew Wright, Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Federation of Disability Organisations and spokesperson for the disability peaks Ten peak organisations run by people with disability will be left with no choice but to either close their doors or reduce services, with seven organisations subject to drastic funding cuts by outgoing Minister for Social Services, Kevin Andrews.

Two recent articles Autism diagnosis rises 18/12/2014 and Soaring demand for autism, ADHD assessments 12/12/2014 mention increased autism diagnosis.

VCE RESULTS

High-achieving VCE students deserve to be congratulated, but the future is not so rosy for some students with a disability. My grandson is high-functioning autistic. He got a healthy ATAR score, despite the anxiety that accompanies him during exams. However, he will not be able to undertake his first-choice university course – or any university course – because his English score does not meet their prerequisite.

Thu 11 Dec 2014, 1:12am

December 6, 2014 Goya Dmytryshchak

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has intervened in the case of a man with autism who has been shackled to a hospital bed for two weeks.

James Pascoe was taken by police to The Northern Hospital in Epping on November 21. He has been sedated and restrained in his bed since then.

Mr Pascoe had moved back to his the Greensborough house of his parents, Bronwyn and Allan Pascoe, in August after his Department of Human Services accommodation closed.

James Pascoe shackled to a bed after his parents? pleas for more appropriate care were ignored.

A MAN with severe autism has been shackled to a hospital bed after his parents say repeated pleas for more appropriate care were ignored by authorities

Minister Mary Wooldridge - Missing in Action

24 November 2014

This is our beautiful son, James.

What is wrong with him you may ask? Nothing - unless the Department of Human Services can be classified as a disease.

Our son has Autism Spectrum Disorder. Despite our attempts to protect him throughout his life, the authorities we entrusted with his care have caused him trauma throughout his life. From being locked in an empty courtyard at Bulleen Heights School, to being shackled in a hospital, James has rarely had the benefit of the expertise our health system, disability system and school system claim.

In September 2013, from sheer exhaustion due to the lack of support from DHS, we asked DHS to accommodate James. At the end of August 2014, still without permanent accommodation, DHS told us that at the end of the week the house he was staying at would close and he would be transferred to a house that we had already deemed unsuitable. When we objected, DHS gave us three days notice that they would be bringing James home. Three days notice of a major life change for a person with severe Autism. Three days notice for parents who both worked and had to prepare a house.

By Robert Virtue (with Diane McCracken)

For 32 years, Wendy and Henry Ponsen have been dealing with the challenges of caring for a child with a disability.

The Ponsen family of Newcastle are up-front about the difficulties in raising a child with a disability.

Wendy and Henry have been caring for their six-foot tall, 32 year-old son Jonathan for all his life.

There've been ups and downs and a myriad of challenges along the way.