Show news for a region of your choice (mostly Austraian news).

Family targeted by son’s violent outbursts left scared in their own home

By bobb |

Ally Foster

MAX has always been prone to violent outbursts as a result of severe autism, but now he is getting too strong for his parents to control.

IT’S a gut-wrenching choice. Do you risk the safety of your family, or make the heartbreaking decision give up one of your children because of actions that are beyond his control.

Victorian parents Liz and Sean Whelan, both 43, may have to face that dilemma if they can’t find a way to keep the rest of their children safe from one of their son’s violent outbursts.

Teen arrested after spanner attack on 14-year-old with autism

By bobb |

Simone Fox Koob

A 15-year-old boy has been arrested in relation to an attack on a teenager with autism who was beaten with spanners outside a Melbourne high school.

Police are investigating the assault on Quinn Lahiff-Jenkins, 14, after video footage emerged of him being pinned to the ground and repeatedly punched in the head outside Northcote High School on Tuesday afternoon.

The investigation is ongoing, police say, and they are yet to speak to anyone else involved in relation to the incident.

Melbourne boy with autism attacked by spanner-wielding teens outside Northcote school

By bobb |

James Hancock

The mother of a boy with autism who was assaulted with spanners outside a Melbourne school wants police to charge his teenage attackers.

Quinn Lahiff-Jenkins, 14, was attacked outside Northcote High School, in the city's inner-north, on Tuesday afternoon.

They had armed themselves with spanners and turned on another boy when he tried to help the victim.

Mother’s incredible reaction to her autistic son’s alleged bashing prompts huge reaction

By bobb |

The mother of a 14-year-old autistic boy who was allegedly bashed by a group of teenage thugs claims her son was targeted after standing up for a friend who was being bullied.

A 15-year-old boy has since been charged by police.

He’s been charged with affray, recklessly causing injury and intentionally causing injury.

Melbourne Comedy Festival's Nikki Osborne defends show about autistic son

By bobb |

Broede Carmody

Melbourne Comedy Festival performer Nikki Osborne has been forced to defend her upcoming shows after she was accused of offending people with autism.

The actor and comedian is due to perform her show 'On the Spectrum' next month. The show is about how she gets by as a mother of someone with high-functioning autism.

Aussie mum who tried killing son with intellectual disability breaks her silence

By bobb |

Warning: these are very distressing stories.


Liz Little

In an exclusive interview with 60 Minutes reporter Liz Hayes, set to air this Sunday, a Melbourne woman charged over the attempted murder of her son blames the disability support system for her harrowing behaviour.

After spending more than three decades caring for her autistic and epileptic son, in May last year that Yvette Nichol finally “reached breaking point” and attempted to end his life.

Autistic children excel in mainstream classes: Amaze CEO

By bobb |

Decades of research shows that children on the autism spectrum make far greater progress in mainstream classrooms than in specialist settings.

In the wake of World Autism awareness day, a campaign has been launched by Amaze called Spectrospective; a short film that will play in cinemas.

Sky News' Ahron Young had a chance to speak with Amaze CEO Fiona Sharkie.

Follow the link below to see the video ...

'A life-or-death situation': Mum of runaway autistic teen praises good Samaritans for quick action

By bobb |

The mother of a severely autistic teenager who ran onto the road in front of oncoming traffic in Melbourne's west has praised the good Samaritans who stopped and saved her son from the "life-and-death situation".

One of the three men who went to Darcy Mills' aid had his new ute stolen as he was chasing the 14-year-old along busy Rosamund Road in Maidstone on Tuesday.