hi folks, just wanted to let you all know of something that I’m becoming involved in. As some of you may have heard there is some work happening on trying to get a class action (based on the Federal Equal Opportunity Act) going for kids with ask who are not getting the support they need through schools and more specifically through the Education Departments (DEECD) program for students with disabilities. Apparently the Federal Equal Opportunity Act looks at cases on the basis of individual need rather than the confusing system that DEECD uses.
At this stage information is being collected which will be discussed with a QC and then a decision will be made as to whether to proceed. If you supply information (and I urge you to do so if you want to see changes) there is no commitment to proceed any further without your further approval.
The form is attached which you can send on to Julie Phillips ASAP . If you are outside of Victoria, you could probably contact Julie for information of contacts in other states. Any questions contact her on 03 96548644 or jphillips@ yahoo.com.au. Or you can post the completed form to Julie Phillips, Anti Discrimination Advocate, PO Box 412, Fairfield, Vic, 3078 https://docs.google.com/document/edit?id=1Dy1ONZj8pMIJ1cFs_O1-44l4DyfoY2936yrxu8purG4&hl=en&authkey=CPeVks8K
As parents of autistic kids we all find it incredibly frustrating at the lack of funding and lack of services that we’re getting in our schools. It’s not the school’s fault most of the time, their hands are tied and are told what services and funding they will be getting. More and more kids are coming into the mainstream system and not getting aide funding. There is little or no specialist services in schools, whether this be social skills groups, psychology, speech or occupational therapy. The criteria for autistic kids to get funding is getting harder and harder, whether it be for an aide or in my case, eligibility for getting into a special school setting. Yet more and more kids are being diagnosed every year and more often than not they are the higher functioning auties. There’s simply nowhere for them to go. Inclusion into mainstream schools is the preferred option these days but the schools aren’t being equipped to handle these kids. And they’re too bright to qualify for the autism specific schools.
The form covers the issues that you have with schooling at the current time but I personally will be adding on to it my issues with not being able to access the autism specific high school. If I’m going to battle something it’s got to be worth it for me in the long run. Beth only has another 17 months at primary school and while it would be lovely to get these specialist services there (currently costing me $240 per fortnight as our ‘package’ money has run out) it’s more important for me to work towards high school.
Please pass this on to anybody you think would benefit from changes to our education for our special ones, lets try to make a difference here.
