South Australia – There is no school for children diagnosed with autism in South Australia, but plans set in motion this week aim to provide one for the state by 2015.
The school which plans to house 45 fee paying pupils will give parents in the state more choice for their children, and is expected to grow significantly after the doors open. Premier Jay Weatherill, talking to the Australian daily Telegraph said:
“There are about 2200 children in public schools with a registered diagnosis, of whom 77 per cent attend mainstream classes.”
The school will be partially funded by Treetop Autism Support Group which have a few schools across Australia already.
Education Spokesman for South Australia, David Pisoni said:
“The government’s inaction on this issue over the years has left South Australian parents feeling unnecessarily anxious, with some even considering moving interstate because there was no specialised autism school in South Australia.”