Autistic kids ‘tied to chairs’ at school, Senate inquiry told

By bobb |

Autistic children are being locked in cages, tied to chairs and shut in storerooms at school, parents have told a Senate inquiry.

One mother has alleged that a teacher at a special school threatened to cut off her son’s fingers, leaving him afraid of going to class.

Children with Disability Australia has told the Senate inquiry into students with disabilities that one unnamed school took no action­ when a boy kicked and knocked over a Year 2 girl with a disability.

NDIS Board must be independent and protect the interests of people with disability and their families

By bobb |

Statement by AFDO, people with disability and family organisations

Today the Federal Government has placed an advertisement in newspapers calling for nominations for the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) Board.

There is currently no more important government appointed role for people with disability and their families than the NDIA Board.

The NDIA Board is responsible for safeguarding the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and ensuring that it is delivered on time and on budget.

A4's submission to Senate Standing Committee on Education and Employment

By bobb |

A4's submission, Going nowhere, to the Committee's Inquiry into Current levels of access and attainment for students with disability in the school system, and the impact on students and families associated with inadequate levels of support can be downloaded from the Committee's website (it's number 226) or from here. 

Autism cases on the rise in Australia

By bobb |

DAVID MARK: A new study indicates that the number of autism cases in Australia is increasing among younger children.

Researchers have found that 1.5 per cent of all 10 and 11 year olds have an autism spectrum condition, compared to 2.5 per cent of four and five year olds.

What's not clear is whether the condition is becoming more prevalent, or if it's simply being diagnosed more effectively.



Whatever the cause, experts say Australian schools need to prepare for an increase of autistic students.



Lucy Carter prepared this report.

Autism prevalence in Australia 2015

By bobb |

Media Release

The number of people who are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) continues to rise in Australia. Autism, once considered rare, is now 31% of NDIS participants, the largest disability group in the scheme according to recent the NDIS Quarterly Report issued in June 2015.

The number of NDIS participants with autism indicates that growth in autism diagnoses is not, as some commentators suggest, just due to greater autism awareness and diagnosis of milder cases. 

The Australian Bureau of Statistics reported enormous growth in the number of people with autism with data it collected in 2009 and again in 2012 through its Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (SDAC).

Steady growth can also be seen in the number of families getting Carer Allowance (child) for children (data from Centrelink) who are  diagnosed formally with Autistic Disorder or Asperger's Disorder, just two of the autism spectrum disorders.

Autism diagnosis cases rise

By bobb |

MORE Australian children are being diagnosed with autism.

BUT researchers don't know if it's because the condition is becoming more prevalent or if autism is being diagnosed earlier.

The Murdoch Children's Research Institute also found the overwhelming majority of children diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are boys.

The development of 10,000 children was studied in two separate waves at two yearly intervals.

Half were recruited into the study at birth and the others in preschool.

Autism services often falling short of recommended guidelines says expert

By bobb |

Support for families of children with autism is often falling short of what is recommended by researchers, according to a leader in the field.

Professor Katrina Williams is director of Developmental Medicine at the Royal Children's Hospital (RCH) which provides care for children with a range of disabilities and conditions, including autism spectrum disorder.

She said parents of children with autism often take their child to see a range of experts, with little coordination between them.

This meant some families were being put under unnecessary stress.

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