By Cimara Pearce
AUTISM Angels started off as a small group of parents trying to make a difference.
One year later, they are a large group of passionate parents making a difference.
The western suburbs based autism awareness group has gone from strength to strength since its formation and will celebrate its anniversary at a dinner dance this Friday evening.
Group member and father of an autistic child, Chris Saunders, said the group had achieved many milestones and now consisted of almost 200 parents.
“We have been really empowered by parents in their advocacy for their children,” he said. “Through the local council we worked together in getting rid of waiting lists for respite care and obtaining extra funding for respite care.”
Mr Saunders said the group had met with every local MP in the West, except for Justin Madden, who Mr Saunders said had repeatedly declined offers for a meeting.
“We have a meeting coming up in two months time with Minister Lisa Neville to discuss the autism state plan and look at early childhood development. On top of all this we have been trying to raise awareness in the community of the prevalence of autism, with 1 in 160 kids in Australia affected.”
But Mr Saunders said there was still much work to be done.
“Our kids cannot survive in mainstream schools. We want better education and for them to have access to opportunities,” he said. “Ninety-seven per cent of autistic children will be unemployed as an adult and on a disability pension. We want our kids to have an education and have careers. This is one of the things we are working on.
“Parents are exhausted and tired and psychologically struggling with the consequences of having a child with a disability.
“There is a lack of support from local and state governments and that’s something we want to change.”
For information on the Autism Angels phone group president Despina Havelas on 0401 211 977.
