• Box built to 'calm' clients at Melbourne disability centre
• Disability minister horrified, families sickened by 'coffin-like' box
• Police launch probe into Aspect autism service amid abuse claims, box scandal

Independent assessors are to examine the use of restraint at Australia's leading autism service in the aftermath of a scandal involving a large box built to lock up people with disabilities.

The Andrews government will order the independent review at Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect), one of the country's largest disability organisations, to scrutinise staff's use of restraints on clients.

A BOTANIC Ridge mum says two independent Christian schools in Casey tried to reject her daughter because she has autism.

Michelle Brown said she was shocked at the treatment of her five-year-old daughter and it was only after inquiries by the Berwick Leader that one of the schools agreed to accept her back next year.

Ms Brown said her daughter started at the first school in 2013, before her diagnosis, but was told last year she could no longer attend due to a lack of disability funding.

An inquiry into services for people with autism spectrum disorder is calling for submissions from the public, and Bendigo autism advocate Rebecca Kelly has outlined her concerns.

Our kids grow up into adults and we're going to really need to get that support happening.

Rebecca Kelly, autism advocate

Ms Kelly's eight-year-old daughter was diagnosed with autism four years ago and her son, who is now six, was diagnosed a year later.

Matthew Wearing had nightmares about going to school.

He remembers being severely bullied, and being dismissed and laughed at, as though he were a "second class student".

Eventually, at 15, he decided that he wouldn't go back. 

He missed nearly three months of year nine. 

"I did develop a fear," he says. "A fear of not being accepted. I felt it all day and all night."

Police have launched a criminal investigation into the alleged abuse of people with autism at one of Australia's leading disability services.

It comes in the wake of a scandal involving a large wooden box built to lock up vulnerable clients at the organisation's autism centre in Melbourne's south-east.

Fairfax Media has confirmed that allegations of criminal acts perpetrated against Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect) clients, most of whom cannot talk, were this week referred to Victoria Police.

Victorian teachers have been banned from restraining students with straps, holding them on the ground or locking them in seclusion rooms.

As part of a crackdown on forced restraint and seclusion in schools, the Education Department has released new rules to prevent "violent and dangerous student behaviours".

The new rules, which were emailed to principals on Tuesday night, said "rooms or areas designed specifically or used solely or primarily for the purpose of seclusion are not permitted".

Victoria's disability minister said he was horrified by revelations of a "desensitising box" at a Melbourne autism centre and has expanded a probe into one of the country's leading disability service providers.

Minister Martin Foley on Monday instructed the Department of Human Services to urgently inquire about the box as part of an examination of Aspect's Heatherton site, vowing to get to the bottom of the matter.

Thomas and his little sister Sarah have the same disability. They were both diagnosed with autism when they were four and attended the same early intervention service. But when it came time to start school, only Thomas qualified for disability funding. Sarah did not meet the criteria because she pronounced words too clearly, despite struggling to understand them.

Parents Paul Coleman and Annie Walton spent a year "jumping through hoops" to get an integration aid for Thomas, who is now 9.

CHILDREN with disabilities are allegedly being locked in cages without windows and other enclosures described as “cattle pens” while at school.

Bendigo Special Developmental School is being investigated by the Victorian education department after incidents were reported by staff members and parents.

Since October last year, disability advocate Julie Phillips has copped a number of complaints about children being treated like animals.