Autism aid call

By Casey Neill
They say increased cash is crucial and urged State Election candidates to commit to the cause.
Dandenongs-based Happy Autism Group Support (HAGS) called for a significant increase in integration funding for children with disabilities.
Bec’s eight-year-old autistic son goes to a mainstream school because his IQ is too high for special schools.
He needs constant supervision and could only attend class four mornings a week during Prep and Grade 1 because there was not enough funding for an aide.
“Because he does not have full-time aide support at school, and I may be called at any time, I have been unable to even consider paid employment,” she said.
Eligibility criteria for financial support should be based on needs rather than the supply of funds, according to HAGS, and criteria excluding children with aspergers should be removed.
Criteria at the new Ferntree Gully autism school, to open in 2012, should be changed to include autistic children with IQs above 70, and public sector and independent school funding should be equalised.
Sandie’s son has aspergers syndrome. He cannot sit still for more than a few minutes but does not qualify for a specialist school or aide support in a mainstream school.
“I will remain unable to return to work as I will continue to perform proxy-aide assistance to him at school,” she said.
HAGS parents said occupational and speech therapies and psychological services should be increased and before and after school care programs should be made accessible.
A State Government spokesman said autism spectrum disorders were the fastest growing disability category of the Program for Students with Disabilities (PSD).
“The Brumby Labor Government has responded to that growth and this year more than $500 million is being invested in PSD and the Language Support Program, which is a 156 per cent funding increase since 1999,” he said.
He said the State Government also last year launched an Autism State Plan, which would see five-year plans identify service gaps.
Liberal Party Monbulk candidate Matt Mills said “the entire situation surrounding autistic education in Victoria is an incredible mess”.
“Lots of people have approached me about inadequate integration for kids with disabilities,” he said.
“Personally, I am supportive and will continue to support groups such as the Happy Autism Group Support.”
Liberal Evelyn candidate and incumbent member Christine Fyffe said the lack of funding for children with disabilities appalled her.
“The inequality between services, such as after school care for able-bodied students versus disabled students, is a record that needs amending,” she said.
“I have fought many battles alongside parents trying to get specialist school-based support for their children who may not quite meet the strict criteria which has to be imposed due to funding constraints.”
“I have always fought hard for disability services and I will continue to do so.”
See Page 11 for more election coverage.