Lockdown update from the CEO: Amaze and ACD advocate for students with disability

Video transcript

Hi, I’m Fiona Sharkie, CEO of Amaze. 

Here we are again, facing what all Victorians hope will be a short lockdown period next week.

Amaze has posted some general information about the Victorian lockdown that we hope is relevant to the Victorian autism community.

This video message relates specifically to the lock down restrictions in relation to on site school attendance in Victorian schools.

Since the lockdown was announced yesterday by Victoria’s Acting Premier yesterday Amaze and our friends at Association for Children with a Disability in Victoria have been speaking up for students with disability.  

Specifically we’ve been speaking to the Victorian Department of Education to press the urgency of the need for students with a disability who are living in families that are experiencing stress to continue to be able to attend school on site during the lockdown.

Pleasingly today we were advised that this will be allowed under the category of children who are considered to be “vulnerable”.  The official guidelines state these children include those:

• In out of home care, including kinship care,
• Children whose families are receiving support from family violence, child and family or homelessness services (this will include children whose families are experiencing stress due to behaviour of their child, if that behaviour is a risk to themselves or others),
• Children who cannot be supervised at home due to the parent/s medical condition, illness or mental health.

These are all children considered to be vulnerable.

In addition, children of essential workers working outside the home can attend school.

In all these situations children can only attend school if no other supervision is available. It is not appropriate for schools to suggest that school aged siblings care for a child with disability at home.

The Victorian DET has provided information to all government school Principals, to say family stress that could contribute to vulnerability for students with disability should be taken into account when schools are making decisions for on site learning.

If you find your child’s school is unclear about who can attend school or turns down your request, you can call the DET Parent and Carer Hotline on 1800 338 663, which will be open this weekend.

You can also contact us, Amaze Autism Connect, which will be open this Saturday and Sunday (29 – 30 May) from 10am-4pm.

If your child fits the category of ‘vulnerability’ due to your family living in stress and needs to attend school on site, and we will contact the DET to assist you.

Once again, our Amaze Autism Connect helpline is 1300 308 699 and we are open this Saturday and Sunday from 10am-4pm. You can also email us at [email protected].

Our friends at the Association for Children with Disability (ACD) Victoria have a support line, 9880 7000 that is open Monday to Friday.

We are all gravely aware of the distress this latest Victorian lockdown will have on many Victorian students and families in our community. 

Don’t hesitate to contact us, so we can relay your needs to the DET. 

We’re in your corner and we look forward to hearing from you to help where we can.

Thank you.