Australian Social Trends: Children with a disability

This article investigates the prevalence of disability among children aged 0-14 years, and the types of disability most common among children. It also examines the need for, and the accessibility of, assistance for children with a disability, both at home and at school.

http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Lookup/4102.0Main+Features30Jun+2012

Devaluing People with Disabilities : Medical Procedures that Violate Civil Rights

http://www.ndrn.org/en/media/publications/483-devaluing-people-with-disabilities.html

Devaluing People with Disabilities: Medical Procedures that Violate Civil Rights is intended to provide a crucial but missing link in the discussion about how society can and should make medical decisions that uphold the constitutional rights and inherent dignity of people with disabilities.
by David Carlson, Cindy Smith, and Nachama Wilker

I give a gonski

http://igiveagonski.com.au/

online petition for the government to actually implement the gonski report.

Desperate measures: new report shines a light on children relinquished into state care - 21 May 2012

Desperate measures: new report shines a light on children relinquished into state care - 21 May 2012 

The Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission today launched a report finding that 50 or more families each year are surrendering the day-to-day care of children with disability to the state.

Acting Commissioner Karen Toohey says that Desperate measures: the relinquishment of children with disability into state care in Victoria is the first report of its kind and shines a light on what has been a hidden problem in our disability system for many years.

http://www.humanrightscommission.vic.gov.au/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=1650&Itemid=3

CRPD Shadow Report June 2012

Progress on Advancing the Rights of People with Disability in Australia

1                         The Civil Society organisations involved in producing this report acknowledge that over the last 30 years Australia has made much progress in advancing the civil, political, economic and cultural rights of people with disability. This includes:

(a)                    disability discrimination legislation including the development of standards on education, transport and access to premises;

(b)                   access to income security through the Disability Support Pension (DSP) and other income allowances;

(c)                    specific measures and programs to support greater participation of people with disability in education, employment and cultural life;

(d)                   specific measures and programs to ensure people with disability are able to live in the community such as the closure of many congregate care facilities and the introduction of individualised, person centred approaches to support independent living in particular the support for a National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS);

(e)                   specific measures and programs to ensure people with disability have greater access to the justice system and are free from violence and abuse;

(f)                     the funding of Disabled Persons Organisations (DPO) and a growing commitment to consulting with them on matters that affect the lives of people with disability;

(g)                    the funding of advocacy organisations and legal centres for people with disability;

(h)                   improved funding for aids and equipment including telecommunications;

(i)                      the introduction of a National Disability Strategy (NDS) to implement the CRPD across all jurisdictions in Australia; and

(j)                     the development and implementation of a Development for All Strategy to inform Australia’s obligations under Article 32.

2                         However despite these reforms people with disability remain significantly behind people without disability in Australia as well as people with disability in other comparative countries.

3                         The following provides a snap shot of the current situation of people with disability in Australia.

Read more here: http://doc.afdo.org.au/CRPD_Shadow_Report_10_May_2012

Weekend Autism links

High child autism rates among obese women
http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/high-child-autism-rates-among-obese-women/story-e6frfku0-1226322925697

Dear researchers: please stop
http://www.stuartduncan.name/autism/dear-researchers-please-stop/
(kind of ironic given the link above!)

CDC report: ASD - original info
http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/data.html

Easter Weekend Autism Links

Letter to grandparents of children with asperger syndrome
http://asdrendrewolf.org/apovonautism/letter.php

Autism: another example of how being poor is bad for you
http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/health/mdmama/2012/04/autism_another_example_of_how_being_poor_is_bad_for_you.html

CDC states autism affects 1 in 88 people
http://theautismsite.greatergood.com/clickToGive/aut/article/CDC-states-autism-impacts-1-in-88-children845?origin=AUT_FACE_AWARE_ADGROUP_GGOBLOG_CDCarticle_4-6_CTG


13 Secrets Parents Need to Know About Autism but Haven't Heard Yet
http://www.wrongplanet.net/article358.html

50 things you should not say to autism parents
http://www.autism-island.com/2012/03/50-things-you-should-not-say-to-autism.html?m=1

 Beautifully Quirky Blog: Autism Awareness: What One “ASD Mamma” Wants You To Know
http://beautifullyquirky.wordpress.com/2012/04/01/autism-awareness-what-one-asd-mamma-wants-you-to-know-2/

Thinking Smarter About People Who Think Differently
http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/frontal-cortex/

More post school options needed for young people with a disability | ACT Greens

ACT Greens Parliamentary Leader, Meredith Hunter MLA, today moved a motion to put a new focus on providing social inclusion, education and training for young people with a disability who are leaving school.
The Greens also launched a discussion paper together with an online survey
http://act.greens.org.au/content/more-post-school-options-needed-young-people-disability

CDC Set To Release New Autism Numbers

Centre for DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION???? Ugh!!! what a horrible term to use for autism! however, that aside, i'm interested to hear the new stats and WOW at the stats in parts of south korea!!

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are expected to unveil a new autism prevalence estimate as early as this month.
The agency currently says that 1 in 110 children have autism, a figure first released in late 2009. Now, less than three years later, the CDC is set for an update.
Autism rates have soared over the last three decades, making the numbers closely watched. As recently as the 1970s, the developmental disorder was believed to affect just 1 in 2,000 children. Since that time, estimates have risen 18 fold.

http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2012/03/09/cdc-new-autism-numbers/15142/

Flat Rate funding - Gonski Report

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/education/flat-rate-funding-for-students-with-disability-gonski/story-fn59nlz9-1226276383053

STUDENTS with a disability should receive a flat rate of funding regardless of the type of school they are enrolled in, a new report has recommended.


The review of school funding, headed by David Gonski, has criticised discrepancies in the level of government support provided to students with a disability.


While it says the federal government has budgeted $196 million between 2011-14 for programs to support students with disabilities, the report notes that students with a disability in non-government schools receive "substantially less public funding than their counterparts in government schools".

Review of Funding for Schooling Report

Review of Funding for Schooling Report

As you would likely be aware the Review of Funding for Schooling Report was released earlier this week by the Australian Government.

The review was undertaken by a panel of eminent Australians chaired by David Gonski AC and is the most comprehensive review of school funding in nearly 40 years. The review aims to deliver a school funding system that is transparent, fair, financially sustainable and effective in promoting excellent education outcomes for all students. The report acknowledges the complexities in delivering an education system to meet the needs of all students and provides a series of findings and recommendations that invite further examination of school funding on a need-basis. The report can be found at the Your School Our Future website www.schoolfunding.gov.au

As you may be aware, the Education and Training Directorate provided a submission to the review through the ACT Government and will continue to be involved with discussion around the report and its findings at a national level. The Australian Government has indicated a nation-wide community consultation process will take place in coming months around the report and proposed reforms. I encourage you to take part in these important discussions. Further information about the consultation process can be found at http://www.schoolfunding.gov.au/node/11. In addition, Dr Chris Bourke MLA, ACT Minister for Education and Training will host a roundtable for key stakeholders on Friday 24^th March. Stakeholders invited include the Principals Association, Australian Education Union, ACT Council of Parents & Citizens Association, Catholic Education Office, Association of Independent Schools of the ACT and the Government and Non-Government Schools Education Councils.

Australian Government media release - Discussions begin on disability education

AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT MEDIA RELEASE SERVICE
*******************************************
TITLE: Discussions begin on disability education | Ministers&#039 Media Centre
PORTFOLIO: Education, Employment and Workplace Relations

URL: http://www.ministers.deewr.gov.au/oconnor/discussions-begin-disability-education

SNIPPET: Minister Assisting for School Education Brendan O'Connor and Member for Fraser Andrew Leigh today met with students, parents and teachers of Canberra's Black Mountain School to talk about better
funding for students with disability.. This school visit was the first opportunity for Mr O'Connor to discuss disability education with a school community following yesterday's release of the David Gonski led
Review of Funding for Schooling report.. This school visit was the first opportunity for Mr O'Connor to discuss disability education with a school community following yesterday's release of the David Gonski led Review of Funding for Schooling report.

All school parents should read!!!

... and provide feedback on this document...


http://www.blits.org.au/docs/disability-awareness-program-discussion-paper-final.pdf

Everyone Everyday Curriculum Resource

A key element of the program is a curriculum resource for ACT teachers to raise student awareness about the inclusion of people with disability.  The resource will include a set of classroom activities that are evidence based and align with the new Australian Curriculum and the ACT Schools Curriculum Framework – Every Chance to Learn.
The curriculum resource will initially be developed and trialled with primary school teachers of students in years 3 to 5. We hope to trial the resource in Term 3, 2012.
While the primary audience for the curriculum resource is teachers, it will also be useful for school care, holiday programs and community clubs and groups to foster awareness about inclusion.
Schools that have agreed to be part of the trial so far are Namadgi School, Garran Primary, Gowrie Primary and Turner School.  If your primary school would like to be part of the trial of the resource please contact us on the details below.

Consultations on the Curriculum Resource

A discussion paper to guide consultations on the curriculum resource was released on 23 January 2012 and is open for consultation until Friday 30 March 2012.
If you would like to attend a consultation session on the resource or make a submission, please contact us
http://www.blits.org.au/awareness-project.php

Canberra Parent Rally 17/2/12

Parents needed for action on Public Education Funding!!!
where -17th February Rally at 4.30 Garema Pl Civic.
The ACT Council of P&C Associations made a submission to the Gonski Review supporting equitable funding for public schools. The reason? The majority of high need students are in public schools.
We now need parents help to make sure the politicians know exactly how important well funded public schools are to parents in the ACT. Parents and teachers have joined forces by arranging a national bus tour to key electorates, including Canberra.
On Friday 17 February the campaign bus hits town; arriving at the AEU office in Barton at 8.45am. After a meeting with Schools Minister Peter Garrett at Parliament House, the bus will visit the staff of a local school and finish the day with a spe...eches and a rally at Garema Place Civic at 4.30pm. If you would like to join us on the bus for part or all of the day, please email: contact@actparents.org.au As president, I , will be on bus to welcome you.
If you cannot make the bus, come along to Garema Place at 4.30pm. It is crucial that we get as many parents and concerned citizens to this event as possible.
To find out how else you can assist e.g. by sending a letter or email or signing a petition etc., go to: http://www.forourfuture.org.au/