• A cage was constructed at a Canberra school to restrain an autistic student
• A photo of the ten-year-old boy inside the cage was pinned in a classroom 
• The autistic student was put inside the steel cage once in March, 2015 
• The principal who authorised the cage still works for the ACT Directorate
• Eight other staff  were 'reprimanded' or offered counselling, none fired 

By Lisa Mosley

Another group has passed a no confidence motion against the ACT Education Minister Joy Burch, this time over her handling of the boy in the cage incident.

Members of the advocacy group Speaking out for Autism Spectrum Disorder expressed no confidence in the minister, angry about claims it had been an isolated case.

Media Release

Members of Speaking Out for Autism Spectrum Disorder (SOfASD) passed a no confidence motion (see http://sofasd.org.au/d7/node/105) in

• Ms Joy Burch, Minister for Education and Minister for Disability; and

• the ACT Government.

SOfASD advocates for autistic people in the ACT, including students diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

It takes a lot to wipe the smile from Gary Comerford's face.

For more than 20 years, he's lived happily in the government-run Fairweather House disability group home.

But Mr Comerford, who has an intellectual disability, says he was made to feel terrified in his own home when a support worker allegedly assaulted him after an argument about a key to the letterbox last year.

The alleged attack shocked his family. But it was the government's response that outraged them even more.

A Canberra child psychologist has warned cuts to support for special needs students could force children to leave schools. 

And the $100-million federal savings have already had some parents in tears, when early intervention pre-schools were abolished, Dr Eryn Davies said.  

"If they keep cutting funding, for the schools and mental health as a whole, it's going to be a point where it would just be a mess," she said.

"They're going to have to completely push back in funding because people in this situation just won't function," she said. 

Kirsten Lawson Chief Assembly reporter for The Canberra Times.

News of a cage-like structure being used to constrain a Canberra school child has come as no surprise to some parents, who say their children have also been poorly treated by the system.

The ACT government has confirmed the cage structure built to contain an autistic Canberra school student had a roof, as shock and distress at the behaviour control technique spread nationwide.

Canberra Raiders coach Ricky Stuart - a prominent autism awareness advocate - joined a chorus of disbelief after Thursday's revelation a primary school had used a 2m by 2m structure made of pool fencing as a "withdrawal space" for a 10-year-old boy.

A school that placed a child with special needs and behavioural issues in a cage-like withdrawal space told parents it had intended it to be a "sanctuary". 

ACT Education has suspended a principal and launched an investigation into how a primary school student was placed in the purpose built two-by-two-metres structure made of metal pool fencing.

Warning: what follows appears to have been the original story as posted. It may not have been accurate, so was updated ... see here.

The ACT Education Department is investigating how a child was contained in a cage-like withdrawal space in a primary school.