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Special needs group pays tribute to 11yo Sydney boy with autism killed by train after escaping from respite care

By bobb |

A disability care service provider says it is cooperating with a police investigation into the death of a young boy with severe autism who was hit and killed by a train in Sydney's south.

The 11-year-old boy died after he escaped from a respite care facility at Oatley just after 7:00pm yesterday.

His carers alerted authorities and a police search was set up involving Polair and the dog squad.

The boy's body was found at the Oatley train station two hours later.

Police confirmed on Monday morning that the child, who was non-verbal, was hit by a train.

Natalie Jones is glad to be in Inverell boosting our services in autism care

By bobb |

Natalie Jones, speech pathologist/senior clinician at Autism Australia

I’m very proud to be commencing two new education and healthcare services here in the Inverell area – the first helping individuals with autism under the name Autism Australia, and the other a general speech pathology service – about which I’ll explain further down.

Graduates with autism recognised for unique skill set, given new opportunities in public sector

By bobb |

A group of graduates from a specialised autism training program have left the dole queue and secured their first jobs inside the department responsible for handing out their disability benefits.

Key points:

  • Graduates of Dandelion Program land full-time jobs in public sector
  • Julie Anderson says program is "best thing that's ever happened" for her son Jack
  • Minister Michael Keenan says program "a win-win"

Hans Asperger 'actively cooperated with Nazi child euthanasia program', study finds

By bobb |

Hans Asperger's name may become "mud" and be scrapped from the medical lexicon following new evidence he was an active Nazi collaborator, an autism history expert says.

Key points:

  • New study finds clinician cooperated with child euthanasia program
  • Finds Asperger benefited from relationship with Nazis
  • Challenges long-running narrative about Asperger

A new study, published in the journal of Molecular Autism this week by medical historian Herwig Czech, was the result of eight years of research and drew on previously unseen documents, including Asperger's personnel files and the clinical assessments he wrote on his patients.

A Look Inside An Autism-Friendly Workplace And Culture

By bobb |

Michael Bernick

"The Seasons or Orchard" tapestry by Morris & Co. 1890. William Morris in the Victorian period sought to create new forms of craft and workplace culture. William Morris Society.

Last week, I was in New York and had the opportunity morning to tour a true “autism-friendly workplace”—one that differs not only from most workplaces today but also from most workplaces that describe themselves as autism-friendly. I think you’ll be interested, whether you have a connection to autism or not.

Nelle's goal to unite autism families

By convenor |

JOSH PRESTON

GYMPIE local Nelle Frances did not know where to find support when her son Sam was diagnosed with Autism, but she is hoping to show Gympie community members in similar situations they are not alone.

Ms Frances, a long time disability support worker who travels all over the country as an Autism Education Consultant under the banner of her Asperger Child organisation, is set to host an Autism Awareness High Tea at the Gympie RSL on May 1.

Inside purpose-built school for children with autism

By bobb |

A school purpose-built for children with autism will open on the Gold Coast next week.

Josiah College has been custom-designed to suit the needs of autistic students who may struggle in a mainstream school environment.

Working closely with specialists in autism from the Bond University Centre for Autism Spectrum Disorder, the school's design takes into account everything from the positioning of land to the use of colours and even the movement of the school's fans.

Submission on autism/ASD and the NDIS in the ACT

By convenor |

A4 and SOfASD made a joint submission to the ACT Standing Committee on Health, Ageing and Social Services about the NDIS. It concludes with the following section:

Conclusions and suggestions

The NDIS has enormous potential to improve the lives of Australians with disability and the whole community. But to achieve its goals, the NDIS needs to be so much better than it is now.

The NDIA seems to have issues particularly with autistic participants.