Interview: Amaze CEO Fiona Sharkie on Students Returning to Schools

Amaze CEO Fiona Sharkie spoke to Ali Moore on ABC Melbourne radio this morning about the need to give students with disability the choice to attend school in person from 12 October. 

This decision also needed to be made now to allow students and families time to prepare.

This comes after Amaze’s Learning in Lockdown report based on results from our survey that asked the Amaze community in Victoria about their experiences of schooling during Term 3. 

Key findings from the report include: 

• More than 80% of the respondents in our recent survey said that students with disability, including autistic students, want personalised adjustments when returning to school;
• The learning of 47.8% of autistic students in Melbourne, and 55% in regional, schools had not progressed since learning remotely;
• 45.4% of autistic students in Melbourne government schools have not had their learning needs met in Term 3, with many missing out on the personalised support and adjustments they need to learn;
• The mental health and emotional wellbeing of 67.9% of autistic students in Melbourne, and 60% in regional, schools had suffered a decline since learning remotely;
• The physical health of 41.1% of autistic students in Melbourne, and 35% in regional, schools was worse-off since learning remotely.

Listen to the interview here: 

The full Learning in Lockdown can be downloaded here.