The mother of a 14-year-old autistic boy who was allegedly bashed by a group of teenage thugs claims her son was targeted after standing up for a friend who was being bullied.

A 15-year-old boy has since been charged by police.

He’s been charged with affray, recklessly causing injury and intentionally causing injury.

Vicki Gibbs

Autism can be an isolating and confusing condition and research suggests it is being overlooked in girls.Credit:John Donegan

Broede Carmody

Melbourne Comedy Festival performer Nikki Osborne has been forced to defend her upcoming shows after she was accused of offending people with autism.

The actor and comedian is due to perform her show 'On the Spectrum' next month. The show is about how she gets by as a mother of someone with high-functioning autism.

Warning: these are very distressing stories.

Liz Little

In an exclusive interview with 60 Minutes reporter Liz Hayes, set to air this Sunday, a Melbourne woman charged over the attempted murder of her son blames the disability support system for her harrowing behaviour.

After spending more than three decades caring for her autistic and epileptic son, in May last year that Yvette Nichol finally “reached breaking point” and attempted to end his life.

Decades of research shows that children on the autism spectrum make far greater progress in mainstream classrooms than in specialist settings.

In the wake of World Autism awareness day, a campaign has been launched by Amaze called Spectrospective; a short film that will play in cinemas.

Sky News' Ahron Young had a chance to speak with Amaze CEO Fiona Sharkie.

Follow the link below to see the video ...

Sian Johnson

Just months out of high school, former Brauer College student Bryce Pace is taking steps to change the world for the better.

The mother of a severely autistic teenager who ran onto the road in front of oncoming traffic in Melbourne's west has praised the good Samaritans who stopped and saved her son from the "life-and-death situation".

One of the three men who went to Darcy Mills' aid had his new ute stolen as he was chasing the 14-year-old along busy Rosamund Road in Maidstone on Tuesday.

South Barwon MP Andrew Katos said the site of Oberon High School in Belmont should be retained by the Government if the school is moved to Armstrong Creek as planned — not sold off and subdivided.

“The government shouldn’t be selling off the site, they should be retaining is for education purposes,” the state Liberal MP said.

BENDIGO autism advocates have urged the state government to listen to their real experiences as it embarks on the first update of Victoria’s Autism Plan since 2009.

They have also called for organisations which use restrictive practices such as restrain and seclusion to be either change their policies, or have no future in the delivery of services for autistic people.