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Novel protocol captures autism voices across the spectrum

By bobb |

Rebecca Horne

Visual aids and other strategies make it possible to interview young autistic people with intellectual disability or other communication challenges and to draw out valuable responses for research purposes, researchers at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, reported in May. The team piloted their flexible interviewing protocol, called Autism Voices, with 33 participants pulled from the longitudinal Pathways in ASD study.

International - Autism and the Criminal Justice System: Policy Opportunities and Challenges

By convenor |

Preventing, reducing, and improving interactions between autistic individuals and the criminal justice system are urgent research and policy priorities. Research should guide evidence-based programs and policies that limit unnecessary interactions between autistic individuals and the criminal justice system and address documented high rates of victimization among autistic individuals.

Government brings forward planned NDIS review, urges bigger focus on disability scheme's benefits

By bobb |

Evan Young and Penny Timms

A planned review of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is being brought forward to this year, with the federal government promising to work alongside people with disability after a significant breakdown of trust in recent years.

Rethinking education: the programs for children too distressed to attend school

By bobb |

Sophie Black

For increasing numbers of families, school refusal is a crippling problem. But some programs are offering hope by thinking outside the box

As a year 10 coordinator in 2013, high school teacher Craig Hildebrand-Burke began to clock an increasing number of student absences at his school. As he began to contact families, he soon realised that school refusal was becoming “a major presenting issue” for the year 10 cohort at his co-ed Catholic high school in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs.

Readers share stories of school refusal in Australia: ‘It scarred us and changed us forever’

By bobb |

With education and mental health systems under pressure, families are experiencing distress as a result of children refusing to go to school. Here are some of their stories

Guardian Australia asked readers to share their experiences of school refusal, the commonly used term for children who are so distressed by school that they are unable to attend. Data that differentiates school refusal from other types of absences is hard to obtain, but anecdotally experiences of school refusal are rising.

The I Am, Movement designs 'culturally safe' education resources for Indigenous children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder

By bobb |

Madeleine Cross and Meredith Kirton 

When Tanika Davis's son was diagnosed with autism at just two years old, the Worimi mother was confronted with the stigma surrounding the developmental disorder, but also surprised at the lack of consideration for Slade's Indigenous culture.

Concerns 'the next national stars' are being shut out of sporting clubs due to a lack of inclusivity for athletes with autism

By bobb |

Six-year-old Ava Renwood is an aspiring athlete with big dreams of a career in sport.

Key points:

  • Special Olympics Queensland says many athletes with autism struggle to be accepted into sporting groups
  • Brisbane mum Ashleigh Brook says Australia risks potential future athletes "falling through the cracks"
  • Multi-class events are enabling children with disability to compete in more high level sporting events

But her mum Ashleigh Brook fears her options are limited by the lack of inclusivity and understanding of athletes with autism.

Autism CRC: Longitudinal Study of Australian School Leavers with Autism (SASLA)

By bobb |

Historically, the adult years have been ignored in autism research, despite that these years representing the greatest proportion of individuals’ lives. Hence, limited information and guidance exists for autistic adults, their families and those who may provide support (e.g., health services, employment services, higher education) about trajectories from late adolescence through old age.