Amelia Dunn

People with autism say they are often misunderstood by police as being suspicious or rude. One Australian organisation is hoping to change that. Being pulled over for a routine random breath test shouldn’t be a reason for anxiety.

But for Emma Gallagher, who has autism, interactions with police can become difficult, quickly.

“The way police communicate is not exactly developed for people like me,” the 31-year-old researcher from Sydney told SBS News.

Caitlin Fitzsimmons

 The NSW government has committed to trial giving schools disability funding on the basis of student need to reduce the prevalence of "diagnosis shopping".

The Sun-Herald reported in August that schools were pushing parents to obtain a diagnosis for their child that qualifies the school for extra funding to support the student with learning and behaviour.

Penelope Green

LARA Cheney was studying early childhood in the late '90s in Newcastle when one of her casual jobs made an impact.

"I was working at Newcastle Temporary Care, at a respite home, supporting children attend social clubs and in their homes, and for a while I had a boy who was about seven stay at my house on a Tuesday night," she recalls.

A spectacularly unhelpful response from NSW Government.

Lisa Wachsmuth

Just weeks after starting sessions at Wollongong's new early intervention centre, little Samson Howari stretched out his arms, looked his mum in the eye and asked for a cuddle.

For most parents of toddlers that's pretty cute - for the mother of a two-year-old with a severe level of autism, it was monumental.

Murray Trembath

Support is being sought from Sutherland Shire businesses to help equip a new primary school for children with autism at Loftus.

Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect) has received conditional development approval for the school on the site that already includes a TAFE college and University of Wollongong campus and the Cook School for children with challenging behaviour.

"Aspect is planning a staged build to allow students to move in, while some building continues," a spokeswoman said.

Perry Duffin

The death of a young woman in the bathroom of a Sydney group home shouldn't be seen as an isolated event and will be one of a number of cases submitted to a royal commission by a leading autism advocacy group.

Merna Aprem was weeks from her 21st birthday when she slipped below the water of her bath at a group home in Sydney's west last week. She couldn't be revived.

Her devastated mother, Tanya Petrus, is demanding to know how her daughter - who had epilepsy and autism - could have been left alone to die.

Perry Duffin

The invitations for Merna Aprem's 21st have been sent out but, instead of celebrating a milestone birthday, the avid Star Wars fan will next week be laid to rest in her party dress.

The autistic and epileptic 20-year-old had lived at a group home in Sydney's west for a few months when she slipped below the water in the bathtub and drowned last Thursday, her mother Tanya Petrus told AAP.

"She'd written all her birthday invitations," the grieving mother said through tears.