Currently in Western Australia, an Autistic child with a diagnosis of level 2 ASD is only entitled to 1.5 days a week of one on one support at school from an Education Assistant (EA). This is appalling. What happens during the other three and a half days of the week? The answer is that the child is left to manage in an environment that usually does not support neurodiversity, alone, which results in behaviour that is more likely to be managed with removal and exclusion. This is a vicious cycle for Autistic children, one of trigger and isolation, which can actually be prevented by meeting the child's needs inclusively, to enable success and reduce stigma.

Schools need to be resourced so that they can support neurodiversity in an inclusive way that nurtures all children. The funding currently allocated to schools does not meet the needs of neurodiverse children, who don't suddenly stop being neurodiverse the other three and a half days of the week they are at school. One on one EA support for an Autistic child is the equivalent of a ramp for a person with a physical disability. Meet the need, enable the success.

I am calling for more staff resourcing for EAs to be funded at a state and federal level. Neurodiverse families need to know their children are in a safe environment at school that is capable of supporting their learning. Neurodiverse children need to be able to function at school by having their needs met first, before any learning can occur. Educational Assistants explain changes, buffer stimulus, support emotions, guide through processes and facilitate interactions in ways the classroom teacher simply does not have the time to do. 

Autistic children need access to EA's every day they are at school. Schools need funding to support this need. State and federal MP's need listen. Will you join me too? Please sign the petition to get on board.