Sadistic treatment of Special Needs students in Australia

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Mum 'gobsmacked' at school's response to autistic son being tied to restraining chair

If we as a population are silent on this, it is our shame too. There are various ways of lodging protest and I encourage all of them, lobbying, letter writing, and innovative protests. In some small way, most of us could do something, even it is signing a petition for change, joining an advocacy group (like the one asking for a Royal Commission in my next post) or sending a support message to the organisations which are advocating for justice. Even small actions count in helping momentum for change build, and I wonder how much long we can endure the psychological impact of being bystander observers, and what the mental health impacts of that might be.

Australia has signed many of the UN Conventions, including the rights of disabled children treaty, so it is answerable to breaches of them. Children can lodge a formal complaint to the UN themselves, if the breach has affected them. .
Children (rarely) have previously taken cases to the UN themselves, however some have had success there.

The UN examines progress on compliance by reviews of how well or badly any country is doing in regards to honouring the commitments. I will look up past reports to see what is there re special needs children in the reports of past UN review committees, and also what the Commissioner for Children in the state involved in the link has said (if anything).

It's not just happening in Australia, that's for sure.. I'm not implying that at all.

Australia signed up on a promise to honour its obligations to the disabled years ago..
https://www.un.org/development/desa/dis ... ies-2.html

Call for Royal Commission In Australia
Source: http://a4.org.au/node/1498

Letter to the PM reads:


The Hon Malcolm Turnbull MP
Prime Minister
Parliament House
CANBERRA ACT 2600



Dear Prime Minister

Subject: call for a Royal Commission into abuse of people with disability

A recent report (see Autistic teen found gagged and tied up in toilet block at Croydon Special Developmental School) shows abuse of autistic Australians is an ongoing disgrace. Government representatives say “the police had been called and it was now their matter”. Substantial experience shows that the outcome is predictable … and unacceptable.

Other recent media reports include:

Students grabbed, wrestled to the floor and strapped to chairs three or more times a day
Autistic boy being held in adult mental health ward in Launceston

It is very clear that existing practices, being Australia’s legal system and various ineffective Disability Discrimination Commissions and Ombudsmen, absolve perpetrators of abusing and assaulting people with disability, and just penalise and further abuse victims.

Autistic Australians endure ongoing abuse, assaults, neglect and unacceptable restraint … and Governments in Australia remain dismissive, ineffective and unresponsive. Their protection processes for people with disability persecute victims and whistle-blowers.

The failure and refusal of Governments to address abuse, assault, neglect and unacceptable restraint of people with disability is profoundly disappointing. Inappropriate treatment (current practice) typically exacerbates the condition and promotes challenging behaviours; which in turn increases the economic and societal costs of supporting autistic individuals in Australia.

In 2015, the first of 30 recommendations in the report of the Community Affairs References Committee on Violence, abuse and neglect against people with disability in institutional and residential settings, including the gender and age related dimensions, and the particular situation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with disability, and culturally and linguistically diverse people with disability said …

The committee recommends that a Royal Commission into violence, abuse and neglect of people with disability be called, with terms of reference to be determined in consultation with people with disability, their families and supporters, and disability organisations.

But the Government says “no”. The Hon Christian Porter MP, Minister for Social Services, announced a NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission to start in 2018. His approach continues existing practice, hoping baselessly that yet another commission, his new National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Quality and Safeguards Commission, will produce a different outcome including in areas where his new Commission will have no jurisdiction. Apparently, the Minister does not understand that Australians with disability, especially those with “unwanted behaviour”, do not have rights to education or other services (see Purvis vs NSW) so another commission cannot “uphold the rights of people with disability” since under Australian law these people have no right to essential services.

Media reports show that abuse of vulnerable people with disability, especially autistic people, continues and the disability sector still wants a Royal Commission.

Civil Society Backs Calls for Royal Commission into Disability Violence
Disability Groups Renew Call for Abuse Royal Commission
Disability groups welcome ALP commitment to Royal Commission into violence against people with disability
AFDO Joins Calls for Royal Commission into Abuse of People with Disability
Action on Abuse of People with Disability
Blind academic calls for Royal Commission into abuse of people with disabilities

Issues of abuse, assault, neglect and restraint of people with disability impact on education, health and employment … these issues extend beyond the responsibilities of the Minister for Social Services and his Assistant Minister for Social Services and Disability Services.

People see the Minister’s position against holding this Royal Commission as a clear demonstration of this Liberal and National Government’s disappointing approach and attitude to people with disability.

Autism Aspergers Advocacy Australia urges the Government to accept the Community Affairs References Committee’s recommendation and the clear will of the disability sector, as people with disability and those living with disability need the federal Government to tackle issues of abuse, assaults, neglect and unacceptable restraint instead of perpetuating more of the same.

Autism Aspergers Advocacy Australia calls on the federal Government to conduct a Royal Commission into violence, abuse and neglect of people with disability.

Yours sincerely
Bob Buckley
Convenor

13/6/2017



Cc:


The Hon Christian Porter MP, Minister for Social Services
The Hon Jane Prentice MP, Assistant Minister for Social Services and Disability Services
Senator the Hon Simon Birmingham, Minister for Education and Training
The Hon Greg Hunt MP, Minister for Health
Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash, Minister for Employment

Attachment
PDF icon 20170613RoyalCommission.pdf

I have posted a number of horrific abuse of Autistics stories coming out of Australia the last few months and of course the politician who called for Autistic kids to be separated. I was not looking to demonize Australia, these stories just came up when I googled "autism" This means the Austrailian media is spreading awareness of the problem which is a good first step.

I knew you weren't trying to demonise Australia. Nor was I. Most of the notifications of this kind of abuse have come from Commonwealth countries, though that doesn't mean that it's not happening in others, it's just less visible and/or ignored there. Good on Australia for having a group that is pursuing the need for a Royal Commission. They deserve support.