Here is a personal letter from Bob Buckley to the Executive Officer of Children with Disability Australia (CDA) ...

Dear Ms Gotlib,

I am disappointed by the position you take in the article Inadequate system failing students with disabilities (9 Apr 2015).

While the item says:

Nicky Phillips Science Editor

A study has found children with autism face up to a 4-year delay in their diagnosis. Photo: Supplied

By Sacha Payne

Disability advocates say revelations of a cage built for an autistic child at a Canberra school are just the tip of the iceberg.

The Principal of the school, which cannot be named due to privacy reasons, has been stood down as an investigation is launched.

The cage at the Canberra school was exposed following a complaint to the Australian Human Rights Commission.

Images obtained by SBS show what some schools use as so-called withdrawal areas for autistic children.

In the wake of revelations an autistic Canberra student was confined in a cage-like structure, former disability discrimination commissioner Graeme Innes says such abuses are widespread and has called for a broad inquiry into the treatment of children with disabilities in the nation's schools.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten immediately backed Mr Innes' call, declaring: "we cannot assume this is a one off case".

Mr Innes, who served as the nation's disability discrimination commissioner from 2005 until last year, said such "appalling" incidents were not confined to the ACT.

Children in classrooms being locked away. Coming home from school with  bruises from being physically restrained. 

It's a horror you might read about happening in some awful foreign town. But it happened here, in Australia. In NSW.

Autism experts have lamented reports a 10-year-old boy was placed in a cage at a Canberra primary school, saying it signals a national standard for autism education in mainstream schools is urgently required.

ACT Education Minister Joy Burch confirmed the unacceptable "withdrawal space" had been built in a classroom to deal with a student with challenging behaviour.

Experts respond to recent reports that a 10-year-old autistic boy was placed in a cage at his Canberra primary school.

By Matthew Doran

Autism experts have lamented reports a 10-year-old boy was placed in a cage at a Canberra primary school, saying it signals a national standard for autism education in mainstream schools is urgently required.

Advocates are pushing for young people diagnosed with autism to receive more targeted support in their hunt for full-time work.

While youth unemployment is high across the board, more than half of Australia's young people with high functioning autism are out of work.

Marking World Autism Awareness Day on April 2, advocates are arguing more autism-specific employment services are needed.

Brisbane teenager Angus Ewin, who is autistic and dyslexic, has discovered his passion is making jewellery and hopes to soon make it a career.