Pauline Hanson says autistic kids should be removed from mainstream classes

By bobb |

Matthew Killoran

ONE Nation leader Senator Pauline Hanson announced this morning that her party will back the Federal Government’s $18.6 billion school funding package.

But she also said “we need to get rid of” autistic children from mainstream classrooms, arguing teachers had to spend too much time with them at the expense of other students’ education.

She said parents and teachers had raised the issue with her of children with disabilities or autism in mainstream classrooms.

National Disability Insurance Scheme rollout plagued with problems, FOI documents reveal

By bobb |

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) stopped processing thousands of applications from service providers, critical staff were untrained and properties were not ready when the scheme's nationwide rollout began, documents have revealed.

A much-publicised IT meltdown saw people with disabilities wait weeks for their care packages to be approved while payments to providers froze.

Ballarat woman denied face-to-face NDIS meeting

By bobb |

A mother from the Ballarat suburb of Delacombe says National Disability Insurance Scheme planners refused to assess her daughter’s needs in person, citing lack of funds.

Gayle Bird, whose 23-year-old daughter Tori has the mental age of a three to five year-old-child, said planners insisted only her daughter could answer questions about her disability.

Her claims run counter to National Insurance Agency policy which entitles all clients to face-to-face meetings.

1200 in ‘plan limbo’ as NDIS races to cope

By bobb |

Rick Morton

More than 1200 families have had their National Disability Insurance Scheme packages expire without a further plan in place — many without warning — as the agency responsible scrambles to confront a litany of planning problems at a critical time in its history.

The figure was provided by the National Disability Insurance Agency when questioned. However, the agency, which runs the $22 billion NDIS, suggested every family whose plan had expired had been uncontactable, despite evidence to the contrary.

'Mean-minded' NDIS disability scheme a disappointment: advocate

By bobb |

Miki Perkins

"It was supposed to offer hope, but that's just been trashed".

It's not the way you'd expect the head of one of Victoria's peak disability groups to describe Australia's rapidly growing national scheme for people with disabilities. Alexander Curotte, 31, has become withdrawn and depressed since the switch to the NDIS, his parents say. Photo: Justin McManus

But Kevin Stone has had a gutful. At every meeting he goes to, the stories are the same.

New approach for autism

By convenor |

The Hon Jane Prentice MP, Assistant Minister for Social Services and Disability Services has announced a new way to help those with autism access the services they need.

Mrs Prentice said collaboration between the Cooperative Research Centre for Living with Autism (Autism CRC) and National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) will help the autism community access more support.

Diagnosing Autism

By bobb |

Are we getting autism diagnosis right?

When a child is slow to walk and talk, alarm bells can start to ring for mums and dads who know instinctively that something is not right.

In many cases, concerned parents are comforted by doctors who say it’s nothing serious and all children develop at different rates.  And perhaps the child goes on to grow up normally.

But for some children, these developmental delays can be the first signs of something that can stay with them for life.

Getting an autism diagnosis can be a confronting experience for a child.

Funding decisions loom as number of autism diagnoses continues to rise

By bobb |

Jeremy Fernandez​

ABC Lateline 22/5/2017

Autism is one of the biggest disabilities among children needing support from the NDIS and how it's diagnosed has big consequences for national disability funding. In September, new guidelines around diagnosis will be released. Jeremy Fernandez spoke to CEO of Autism Awareness Australia Nicole Rogerson, founder of the I CAN Network Chris Varney, and professor of autism with the Autism Cooperative Research Centre Andrew Whitehouse about the complexities around the diagnosis of autism.