This is a petition to gain government support, your support, for a reform in the current autism-specific schooling in QLD.

70% of individuals with autism have developmental delay or intellectual disability - this is a widespread concern that needs to be appropriately supported throughout ALL school years. The current level of support in mainstream schools (although helpful) is not enough for our children.

We have several suggestive remedies to this shortfall in education.  Firstly, every school in QLD should be autism aware and trained.  Secondly, we are asking for 1 in 5 schools (ideally) to introduce autism specific classes.  With smaller settings, less sensory barriers, autism experts and special education teachers  - we are hopeful that this will ensure our children are able to be educated in a mainstream school with social inclusion with their peers and community still available to them.

Our ultimate goal is not only to ensure every school is autism aware and trained - but also to establish non-IQ based autism schools from prep to year 12 - offering adaptive and individual learning plans, therapeutic support and special education teachers for children on the moderate to severe autism spectrum.

As parents of children with autism, we have recognised a hole in the education system in QLD for children who fall between the gap; They do not qualify for special school - but are not able to regulate in a mainstream setting (even with a special education unit).

We plan to remedy this by taking as many signatures as we can to our State Government - in the hopes to reform Education Queensland for the betterment of our children.

Some goals we are hoping to achieve:
1. An Autism Advisory group to be established of representatives from various stakeholders to focus on:
*Developing whole school approach across Queensland for students with ASD.
*Establishing support for parents to utilise framework to guide, select and evaluate programs/outcomes for children as they progress through the lifespan.

2. A Whole School Approach to ASD to be established in ALL schools and sectors.

3. A selection of schools ( 1 in 5 state schools ideally) to have Autism specific programs in classes attached to the school where those students who require more support are able to be educated in a safe , caring, respectful manner by ASD experts. 

Help us to FILL THE GAP!