Behavioural needs of autistic Australians must be met

By bobb |
image of side of a person's face ... from behind

A range of initiatives are needed to address autism in Australia, the cost of which to the budget has been put at at least $20 billion a year.

The recent case of an autistic child being sent to a purpose-built cage in a classroom caused international outrage, but teachers are ill-prepared to access professional support when a student needs it, Bob Buckley writes.

The Dressmaker director opens up about life with two autistic children

By bobb |

JOCELYN Moorhouse and PJ Hogan are one of Australia’s most creative couples, with their first feature film together being the iconic Muriel’s Wedding in 1994. Together, they have written scripts, directed films and parented four children — two of whom have severe autism. Here, Moorhouse, who directed the upcoming movie The Dressmaker, starring Kate Winslet, reveals how she balances the needs of her work and children.

Parents forced to homeschool autistic children because of lack of understanding in mainstream schools, advocates say

By bobb |

Disability advocates say mainstream schools are unable to meet the needs of autistic children, and as a result families with autistic children are being forced to homeschool their children.

Many parents have told a Senate inquiry that their autistic children are bullied, misunderstood or placed in cages or seclusion areas in mainstream schools.

Sydney mother Cassandra Winter homeschools her son, who has autism and is currently in grade two.

She said the two schools he was previously attending lacked specialised support.

Wooden box built to 'calm' autistic students at day centre

By bobb |

Australia's largest autism service provider is under investigation after staff built a large wooden box to lock up distressed clients at a Melbourne day centre.

Disturbing images show the box was fitted with a metal lock and kept inside a classroom at Autism Spectrum Australia's (Aspect) site at Heatherton, in the city's south-east.

Massive row over NDIS autism eligibility gobbledygook

By bobb |

Media Release

A major dispute broke out between two autism advocates: they both described the NDIA's eligibility criteria for autistic people as “gobbledygook”, but they are at odds over who said it first.

Bob Buckley, Convenor of Autism Aspergers Advocacy Australia, claims Ms Louise Davies, Deputy Chief Executive Officer from Autism SA, was clearly first to call the NDIA's criteria “gobbledygook”. But Ms Davies says Mr Buckley was first (see http://a4.org.au/node/794).

Preliminary Results of the Australian Autism Educational Needs Analysis

By bobb |

Researchers are currently analysing data from the Autism CRC Australian Autism Educational Needs Analysis. Nationwide 1,468 respondents participated in the survey from every state of Australia and included: 

·         248 educators,

·         179 specialists,

·         107 students with autism (11 -18 years), and

·         934 parents

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.

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