deep disappointment: a response to Schools for All presentation

CC:
Subject:	Schools for All is very disappointing
Date:	Fri, 23 Sep 2016 16:18:38 +1000
From:	Bob Buckley (SOfASD Chair) <chair@sofasd.org.au>
Organization:	Speaking Out for Autism Spectrum Disorder (SOfASD) in the ACT
To:	SchoolsForAll@act.gov.au

Senior psychologists are highly experienced in behaviour management. Really?

Dear Mr Rattenbury

Thank you for your response to Bob Buckley (25/2/2016). He shared it with Speaking Out for Autism Spectrum Disorder (SOfASD).

While it seems the ACT Government plans some expenditure on issues arising from restraint of autistic students (or students with complex needs including behaviour, if you prefer) in ACT schools, SOfASD remains disappointed in what we can discern of the plans.

calls for more psychologists in schools

To:
Subject:	calls for more psychologists in schools
Date:	Tue, 2 Feb 2016 12:48:04 +1100
From:	Bob Buckley (SOfASD Chair) <chair@sofasd.org.au>
Organization:	Speaking Out for Autism Spectrum Disorder (SOfASD) in the ACT

Fwd: autism prevalence again

Dear Mr Barr MLA,

below is another letter expressing serious concern about the ACT Government's planning of services for autistic people in the ACT. Surely, autistic people in the ACT deserve better than this.

Our original letter on this matter is available online at: http://sofasd.org.au/d7/node/142

I attached a copy of the Minister's response.

yours sincerely,

special needs transport for autistic students in the ACT - responses

Below are responses to SOfASD's email to the ACT Government and to the NDIA ... see http://sofasd.org.au/d7/node/143

Most of the content is in the attached letters. You can download them using the links.

Basically, the gist of the matter is that ACT Eduction Directorate and the NDIA will be working out special needs transport for students in the ACT before it moves to the NDIA sometime soon. The Director for Families and Students wants to meet (SOfASD) to discuss concerns and hear experiences.

special needs transport for autistic students in the ACT

Dear Mr Barr MLA and Mr David Bowen (NDIA CEO),

Parents, families and carers have raised concerns about physical access to special needs education for autistic students in the ACT. Some autistic children need transport so they can access their school/education.

International law says children (which includes autistic children) have a right to free primary (and secondary) education. Children's education is the state's responsibility, not their parent's. Student must be able to access their education physically.

ACT Government gets autism prevalence very wrong

Dear Mr Barr MLA and Mr Rattenbury MLA

Speaking Out for Autism Spectrum Disorder (SOfASD), the systemic advocacy group for autism in the ACT, sees from the Minutes of the ACT Legislative Assembly that on 18/11/2015 the ACT Government moved and passed a motion saying:

“That this Assembly:

(1) notes:

celebrating diversity?

To: BARR@act.gov.au
cc: Burch@act.gov.au

Hi Andrew
I see on Twitter that you are out and about "celebrating diversity". There are numerous recent images of cages and enclosures in the ACT that aren't really celebrating the diversity of autistic students. Please understand if some of the autism community feels somewhat left out of the celebration.

behaviour management policy

the following was sent to Mr A Barr MLA, Ms J Burch MLA, Mr S Doszpot MLA and Mr A Wall MLA.

Hi guys

This article about autism policy mentions a local event. You might be interested: http://www.policyforum.net/policy-needs-of-autistic-australians-must-be-met/

Restraining autistic students in ACT schools

On the 8/10/2015, Bob Buckley sent Mr A Barr and Mr S Rattenbury a copy of the media release, Restraining autistic students in ACT schools. He copied Ms J Burch MLA, Mr Steve Doszpot MLA, Mr A Wall MLA, and Mr J Hanson MLA.

Advocacy for ASD in Canberra/ACT