Inquiry into support for autistic children and young people in schools

Inquiry status:

Past

Date commenced:

18 May 2023

Tabling date:

21 Mar 2024

Deadline for submissions:

13 Jul 2023

If you have sent a submission but not received an email receipt, please contact us on 9222 7480 to confirm it has been received.

Date Ended:

21 Mar 2024

Committee

Education and Health Standing Committee (2021 - 2025)

House:

Legislative Assembly

Media Statements:

21 Mar 2024

Important Information:

Guide for submissions.pdf

Terms of Reference:

The Education and Health Standing Committee will inquire into support for autistic children and young people in schools.

In particular, the Inquiry will consider:

1. The prevalence of autism in WA and projected demand for support in schools.

2. Current support available for autistic students in WA schools, including consideration of how:

a. evidence-based practices are implemented across the school system; and

b. school supports are co-ordinated with other service areas to respond to the needs of autistic students and their families.

3. Strategies in other jurisdictions that support school systems to respond to the needs of autistic students, and the applicability of those strategies to WA.

If you have sent a submission but not received an email receipt, please contact us on 9222 7480 to confirm it has been received.

Submission Number	Submitting person/organisation
00001	Name Withheld received on 18 May 2023
00003	Name Withheld received on 20 May 2023
00004	Name Withheld received on 6 Jun 2023
00005	Western Australian Education Support Principals and Administrators Assocation received on 9 Jun 2023
00006	Name Withheld received on 10 Jun 2023
00007	Name Withheld received on 12 Jun 2023
00008	Name Withheld received on 12 Jun 2023
00009	Dr Kim Pedlow received on 14 Jun 2023
00010	Rebecca Walker received on 15 Jun 2023
00012	Name Withheld received on 22 Jun 2023
00013	Name Withheld received on 22 Jun 2023
00014	Name Withheld received on 24 Jun 2023
00015	Amanda Rogers received on 25 Jun 2023
00017	Name Withheld received on 28 Jun 2023
00018	NSW Department of Education received on 29 Jun 2023
00019	Department of Education Queensland received on 30 Jun 2023
00020	Name Withheld received on 3 Jul 2023
00021	Tanya Princi received on 5 Jul 2023
00022	Name Withheld received on 6 Jul 2023
00023	Name Withheld received on 10 Jul 2023
00024	Name Withheld received on 10 Jul 2023
00025	Name Withheld received on 8 Jul 2023
00027	Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre (OTARC) received on 10 Jul 2023
00028	Sarah Bernard received on 10 Jul 2023
00030	Telethon Kids Institute received on 10 Jul 2023
00032	Name Withheld received on 10 Jul 2023
00034	Department for Education Children and Young People Tasmania received on 11 Jul 2023
00036	Chelsea Rutter received on 11 Jul 2023
00038	amaze received on 12 Jul 2023
00039	Kiind (formerly Kalparrin) received on 12 Jul 2023
00040	Square Peg Round Whole WA received on 12 Jul 2023
00041	I CAN Network received on 12 Jul 2023
00042	Equal Opportunity Commission received on 12 Jul 2023
00043	Name Withheld received on 12 Jul 2023
00044	Name Withheld received on 12 Jul 2023
00045	PDA Perth WA Parents Support Group received on 12 Jul 2023
00046	Name Withheld received on 12 Jul 2023
00047	Name Withheld received on 13 Jul 2023
00048	Name Withheld received on 13 Jul 2023
00049	Jannlea Piercey received on 13 Jul 2023
00051	John Brigg received on 12 Jul 2023
00052	Name Withheld received on 13 Jul 2023
00054	Autism SA received on 13 Jul 2023
00055	Western Australian Primary Principals' Association (WAPPA) received on 13 Jul 2023
00056	Autism Teaching Institute received on 13 Jul 2023
00057	Name Withheld received on 13 Jul 2023
00058	Furthering Autistic Children's Education and School (FACES) received on 13 Jul 2023
00059	Government of South Australia received on 13 Jul 2023
00060	Department of Communities received on 13 Jul 2023
00061	Name Withheld received on 13 Jul 2023
00062	Reframing Autism Ltd received on 13 Jul 2023
00063	Western Australian Council of State School Organisations Inc (WACSSO) received on 13 Jul 2023
00064	United Workers Union received on 13 Jul 2023
00067	Positive Partnerships received on 13 Jul 2023
00068	Name Withheld received on 13 Jul 2023
00069	Name Withheld received on 13 Jul 2023
00070	Michelle Glisenti received on 13 Jul 2023
00071	Name Withheld received on 13 Jul 2023
00072	Name Withheld received on 13 Jul 2023
00073	Name Withheld received on 13 Jul 2023
00074	Georgina Ker received on 13 Jul 2023
00075	Name Withheld received on 13 Jul 2023
00076	Name Withheld received on 13 Jul 2023
00077	Name Withheld received on 14 Jul 2023
00078	Autism Association of Western Australia received on 13 Jul 2023
00080	Isolated Children's Parents' Association of Western Australia Inc (ICPA WA) received on 13 Jul 2023
00081	Name Withheld received on 13 Jul 2023
00082	Name Withheld received on 13 Jul 2023
00083	Name Withheld received on 14 Jul 2023
00085	Department of Health received on 14 Jul 2023
00086	Jodie Wilde received on 15 Jul 2023
00087	Department of Education received on 17 Jul 2023
00088	Name Withheld received on 18 Jul 2023
00089	South West Autism Network Inc (SWAN) received on 19 Jul 2023
00090	Name Withheld received on 26 Jul 2023
00091	Name Withheld received on 20 Aug 2023
00092	Steffanie Rogers received on 9 Oct 2023

Unless a venue is specified, hearings are held at the
Legislative Assembly Committee Rooms, Level 2, 2 Parliament Place, West Perth

Date	Time	Venue	Organisation	Witness
20 Aug 2023	10:30 AM	Legislative Assembly Committee Office - Meeting Room 4 Level 1, 11 Harvest Terrace West Perth WA 6005	Autism Association of Western Australia	Tasha Alach (Director, Therapy and Clinical Services) and Grace Lazuardi (Director, Policy, Planning and Development)
13 Sep 2023	09:30 AM	Legislative Assembly Committee Office - Meeting Room 1 Level 1, 11 Harvest Terrace West Perth WA 6005	South West Autism Network Inc (SWAN)	Ms Nick Avery (Chief Executive Officer) and Mrs Mel Jacobson (SWAN Coordinator)
13 Sep 2023	10:45 AM	Legislative Assembly Committee Office - Meeting Room 1 Level 1, 11 Harvest Terrace West Perth WA 6005	Furthering Autistic Children's Education and Schooling (FACES)	Dr Emily Pearce (Chair), Mr Andrew Oud (Board Member) and Dr Cindy Smith (Educational Consultant)
20 Sep 2023	09:30 AM	Legislative Assembly Committee Office - Meeting Room 4 Level 1, 11 Harvest Terrace West Perth WA 6005	Square Peg Round Whole	Ms Symone Wheatley-Hey (Member Advocate and National/State Coordinator), Mrs Tania Cataldo (Member Advocate) and Dr Sarah Bernard (Researcher and Advocate)
20 Sep 2023	10:45 AM	Legislative Assembly Committee Office - Meeting Room 4 Level 1, 11 Harvest Terrace West Perth WA 6005	kiind	Ms Carrie Clark (Chief Executive Officer) and Ms Renee Darbyshir (Systemic Advocacy Lead)
11 Oct 2023	09:00 AM	Legislative Assembly Committee Office - Meeting Room 4 Level 1, 11 Harvest Terrace West Perth WA 6005	Curtin Autism Research Group (CARG)/Karolinska Institutet (Sweden)	Professor Sonya Girdler (Director) and Professor Sven Bölte (Director, Center for Neurodevelopmental Disorders)
11 Oct 2023	10:15 AM	Legislative Assembly Committee Office - Meeting Room 4 Level 1, 11 Harvest Terrace West Perth WA 6005	Telethon Kids Institute	Professor Andrew Whitehouse (Professor of Autism Research; Director, CliniKids) and Ms Sarah Pillar (Research Development Manager, CliniKids)
18 Oct 2023	09:30 AM	Legislative Assembly Committee Office - Meeting Room 1 Level 1, 11 Harvest Terrace West Perth WA 6005	Western Australian Primary Principals' Association and WA Secondary School Executives Association	Mr Niel Smith (President, WAPPA) and Ms Melissa Gillett (President, WASSEA)
18 Oct 2023	10:45 AM	Legislative Assembly Committee Office - Meeting Room 1 Level 1, 11 Harvest Terrace West Perth WA 6005 (via WebEX)	Isolated Children's Parents Association	Ms Jane Cunningham (President, WA State Council) via WebEX
08 Nov 2023	09:15 AM	Legislative Assembly Committee Office - Meeting Room 1 Level 1, 11 Harvest Terrace West Perth WA 6005	Catholic Education Western Australia	Ms Paula Power (Team Leader, Students with Disability) and Ms Alana Williams (Consultant, Students with Disability)
08 Nov 2023	10:15 AM	Legislative Assembly Committee Office - Meeting Room 1 Level 1, 11 Harvest Terrace West Perth WA 6005	PDA Perth Parents Support Group	Ms Helen Pedersen, Ms Heidi Brandis and Mr Steve Metlitzky
08 Nov 2023	11:00 AM	Legislative Assembly Committee Office - Meeting Room 1 Level 1, 11 Harvest Terrace West Perth WA 6005	Positive Partnerships	Mr Chris Champion (Director), Ms Rebecca Wahlsten (WA Coordinator), Ms Katherine Browne (Delivery Team Member) and Mr Adam Howie (First Nation's Coordinator School and Community Programs) via WebEX
15 Nov 2023	10:15 AM	Legislative Assembly Committee Office - Meeting Room 1 Level 1, 11 Harvest Terrace West Perth WA 6005	Department of Education	Ms Lisa Rodgers (Director General), Mr Jim Bell (Deputy Director General, Student Achievement), Mr Stuart Percival (Assistant Executive Director, Service Delivery), Ms Joanna Hall (Principal, SSEN Disability) and Mr Mark Utely (Principal, Coodanup College)