PARENTS have marched on State Parliament, demanding the government confirm when an autism school will be built in the western suburbs.
The government announced in May that the west’s first prep-year 12 autism school would be built at Laverton P-12 for $4million. But two months on, parents are concerned that the Education Department cannot confirm when the school will be built.
Parents from Wyndham and Hobsons Bay were among those who took part in yesterday’s protest. They were joined by parents from Geelong, who are hoping to convince the government of the need for an autism school in their city.
Action for Autism Education member Angela Hickey, whose son attends a mainstream Werribee primary school after completing his first few years at the Western Autistic School, said parents wanted an assurance the P-12 school would be built soon.
She said the protest had drawn attention to the need for better autism education in the west. “We reminded the government that they need to complete the project to a standard equivalent to all the new autism schools in metropolitan Melbourne. “We are worried the $4million allocated will not be enough to complete the project.”
Colleen Harmer, who has two children on the autism spectrum and a third being diagnosed, said parents longed for education options.
Ms Harmer’s eldest son, 13, has Asperger’s syndrome and is in year 9 at Bayside College. Her middle child has autism and is in grade 4 at a mainstream school in Altona. She said if the school at Laverton was not built soon, she would have to consider moving.
“Right now we don’t have options in the west and many people have had to move. We really can’t afford to pick up and move. I feel the west has been forgotten.”
Magic Barclay, who helped organise the protest, said there was a dire need for more autism schools. “Our educational opportunities are unsatisfactory and it is time that the government addressed the issue.
“Many families are forced to home school their kids, putting pressure on families, resulting in many marriage breakups, keeping carers below the poverty line and ruining what could be bright futures for these kids.”
An Education Department spokesman said it was finalising plans for the school.
