Autism Victoria
Autism Victoria would like to congratulate the teams behind several new Autism Spectrum Disorder programs that have commenced in Victoria in recent months.
The Western Autistic School has established the Autism Teaching Institute, which will be launched by the Minister for Educational Services, The Hon. Jacinta Allan MP on the 23rd February. The Institute is an accredited training provider and will offer a competency based Certificate and Diploma Course specifically for teachers of students with an Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Preston Special Developmental School has become the Northern School for Autism, with two campuses, Preston and Jacana. This new school is taking over primary level educational programs previously provided in the Northern region of Melbourne by the Western Autistic School and Bulleen Heights School.
Alpha Autism has also been very busy, establishing a new web site, and also two new program sites for adult clients – Box Hill has opened and a new site in the northwest is not far away.
Many of Victoria’s specialist autism services are developing Professional Development programs. As these are finalised they will be added to the new Professional Development section on our website’s Events Calendar. Mark this in your favourites and visit regularly for updates. And don’t forget to forward details of any events – information sessions, presentations, short courses, social functions and support group activities – to Autism Victoria via our web page – use the online form here. These details need only be lodged once, using this form. Autism Victoria staff will include details in The Spectrum, eSpectrum and in the online Events Calendar as appropriate.
Events
Autism Council of Australia Biennial National Autism Conference, 2007
ADVANCE NOTICE: The next national Autism Spectrum Disorder conference will be held at The Pines Resort, Gold Coast from 14th to 16th of April, 2007. Autism Queensland will convene this conference.
An invitation from Autism South Africa and the World Autism Organisation
The 2nd World Autism Congress is being staged in Cape Town, South Africa from October 30th to November 2nd 2006. The organisers promise an eclectic program that will be of interest and value to professionals, policy makers, practitioners, parents and individuals with an Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Expressions of Interest to Register can now be made via their web site and Early Bird Registration closes on June 30th 2006.
The warm sun and the blue skies of Southern Africa await you!
Visit www.autismcongress.com for full conference details – the program is almost finalised and will be posted on the web site shortly. If any Australian is planning to attend the Congress, please let your state Autism Association know – we expect that quite a number of Australians will be traveling to this congress.
DISCO Training comes to Melbourne!
No this is not a new dance craze. DISCO is an assessment tool developed by Dr Lorna Wing and Dr Judith Gould from the UK. The DISCO (DIAGNOSTIC INTERVIEW for SOCIAL and COMMUNICATION DISORDERS) is a three hour structured interview for diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders as well as other developmental disabilities. It has specific scoring procedures for detection of Autistic Disorder and Asperger Disorder. It is for interviewing parents or other caregivers of people of any age with a developmental disability and is designed to form part of a high quality multidisciplinary assessment battery.
Autism Victoria and the Victorian Dual Disability Service are co-sponsoring the provision of the training required before professionals can be accredited to use the DISCO. This training will take place in early May 2006, in Melbourne. If you are interested, and have not previously expressed this interest, please contact Amanda Golding at Autism Victoria immediately. Places in the training course are limited.
Autism Awareness Week 2006 – 14 – 20 May
Each state and territory autism association is responsible for organising their local Awareness Week activities. If you are an interstate reader, please contact your local association for details. In Victoria, there will be a range of locally organised activities. As in past years, Autism Victoria will prepare an “Autism Spectrum Disorder Information Package” comprising information sheets, posters, brochures and media notes. This package is available free of charge by simply contacting the Autism Victoria office. We can provide multiple copies. We can also provide Lapel Pins (based on the World Autism Congress 2002 logo) and the new Spectrum Pens, which can be sold during the week either to support the fund raising of your support group or service, or on behalf of Autism Victoria.
AUTISM WEEK EVENT CALENDAR – if you are the organiser of an event during Autism Week, please consider posting the details onto the Autism Victoria web site. This is the best way of telling everyone about your event, and will increase the chance of getting some media coverage of your event. It is easy to get the details to Autism Victoria – go to the Events Calendar on our web site and enter the details into the online form – don’t forget to include contact details. You can also email copies of any fliers to Autism Victoria, and they will be attached to your website entry.
Mindd Foundation Conference “Autism, ADD, Chronic Illness and Learning Delay”
Friday 19th May to Monday 22nd May, Stamford Plaza, Double Bay, Sydney
Parents and practitioners are invited to learn from international specialists who will present what they claim are effective treatments for ADD, autism, learning and language delay, behavioural disorders, allergies, food sensitivities, asthma, chronic ear, upper respiratory and urinary tract infections and digestive disorders.
Practitioners will gain an understanding that there is a 'biology' associated with autism and neurodevelopmental disorders and will learn specific medical treatments that reduce or eliminate phenotypic behaviours, minimise oxidative stress and reduce the need for antibiotics, psychotropics, grommets, puffers, cortisone cream and highly restrictive diets. Parents will learn the fundamentals critical to managing their child's treatments.
Keynote speakers are Dr Jill James, Dr N O'Hara, Dr E Mumper and Dr N Campbell McBride.
Full details are posted on the Autism Victoria website – Events Calendar – Other Australia
News
Commonwealth Games Baton Relay
Deb Johnson of Wheelers Hill, Melbourne, a long time member of Autism Victoria, will be running a leg of the Baton Relay, representing “my heroes – all carers and parents of people with an Autism Spectrum Disorder”. Deb has four children, three of whom have an Autism Spectrum Disorder. Along with her husband David, a past member of the Autism Victoria committee, Deb’s children and many friends will be cheering along as she runs her leg of the relay through Jells Park on day 48, Monday 13th March.
Everyone is welcome to join the cheer squad – Deb is running relay leg number 82, which is along Stringbark Path in Jells Park, concluding at the parking sign on the 24 hour exit road. Deb’s leg of the relay will start at approximately 2:35 pm.
Autism Council of Australia Communiqué
The Board of the national autism organisation, the Autism Council of Australia, is preparing a regular information communiqué designed to keep the Australian Autism Spectrum Disorder community up to date with their activities and achievements. An electronic copy of this communiqué is available by email from the Autism Victoria office. Due to a technical problem with file conversion, it is unable to be attached to this issue of eSpectrum!
Vodafone “World of Difference” program
The Vodafone Australia Foundation is offering four packages worth up to $75,000 each, which will enable Australians to work for an Australian registered charity for one year. Closing date is Friday 24th February (we had just four weeks notice). Full details are available form the Vodafone website – www.vodafone.com.au
2006 – International Asperger's Year
As detailed in eSpectrum No. 5, the centenary of Dr.Hans Asperger’s birth is being marked worldwide during 2006.
Organizations and individuals may observe International Asperger's Year as they wish. The initiative was conceived by the Asperger Adults of Greater Washington, has been sanctioned by the World Autism Organization, and has been endorsed by professionals such as Professor Simon Baron-Cohen (Cambridge University) and Professor Uta Frith (University College London).
A Committee for International Asperger’s Year has been established, and has an open listserv for the exchange of IAY-related ideas, information and announcements - http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/asperger-year/. All are welcome to join this listserv. To subscribe, please send a blank e-mail to asperger-year-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
There will be several Australian IAY events, including a presentation by Dr Tony Attwood in Melbourne later this year. Details will be posted on the Autism Victoria web site as they become available.
Lobbying and Consultation
Victorian Disability Bill Exposure Draft – Joint Response from Autism Victoria and the Autistic Family Support Association
The release of the Exposure Draft of the new Disability Bill has stimulated a great deal of discussion in the disability community. It is a complex bill, covering many aspects of the disability service system in Victoria. It is the result of seven years work, and will replace the existing disability legislation in this state, as well as impact on many other pieces of legislation. It is expected that the bill will be tabled in state parliament within the next couple of months.
Whilst there is a wide range of opinion about aspects of the bill, there does seem to be a general level of agreement that it is an improvement on the existing legislation. As is often the case, the devil is in the detail, or more particularly, in the implementation. Autism Victoria and the Autistic Family Support Association have prepared a joint response, and had the opportunity to present it in person to senior Department of Human Services staff. The full text of this response is in the attached pdf document. It contains three key concerns, relating to access to disability services and recognition of the role of families and carers, which also formed a major part of our original submission in 2003.
Resources
NEW BOOK "Finding a Different Kind of Normal" by Jeanette Purkis
Subtitled ‘Misadventures with Asperger Syndrome’, this autobiography was written by a member of Autism Victoria and published in 2006 by Jessica Kingsley Press. Donna Williams, who inspired Jeanette to write her story, wrote the Foreword. Jeanette’s journey has been far from easy – she was diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome whilst serving a prison sentence. Her story is harrowing at times but extremely informative for those wanting to understand more of the challenges that a person with Asperger Syndrome has to live with and manage.
This is a paperback book, 192 pp. It can be purchased from Autism Victoria – either from our office or via our online shop for $40.95 (price includes postage).
Green PC – affordable reconditioned computer hardware
Green PC is a not for profit social enterprise aiming to assist people gain access to quality refurbished computers at affordable prices. Green PC regularly has package offers comprising a computer, software and Internet access for around $500.
The only eligibility requirement is that the recipient of the PC is a Health Care or Pension Card holder, a full time student, low-income earner or someone who faces a disadvantage of some form.
For further information check out the Green PC web site at www.greenpc.com.au or call toll free on 1300 306 645.
Carers Victoria – new website
The new website for Carers Victoria is cleaner, leaner and much easier to navigate - www.carersvic.org.au. This organisation has a great deal of information for carers, as well as several support services, including their emergency support and respite contact number – Careline. All carers should keep this number handy – 1800 059 059.
ACT-NOW Fact Sheets
ACT – NOW is a state government funded ASD training and information project. They have prepared more than a dozen really useful Fact Sheets. These can be accessed from their website. They also have a statewide training program, and regional ReACT groups. For details of training sessions, ReACT meetings and membership go to their website.
Interested in participating in local Autism Spectrum Disorder Research?
The following local researchers are currently seeking subjects.
Rachel Kelly & Jane Khoo, La Trobe University - are recruiting children who have been diagnosed with Autistic Disorder, aged between 4 and 7 years old, who are high-functioning with good verbal ability, to take part in a research study titled "Thinking Skills and Pretend Play". The research aims to investigate the development of executive functions in children with autism, and the role of executive functions in the pretend play of children with autism.
Executive functions is a broad term used to describe the ability to plan, formulate and initiate goal-directed behaviour, inhibit automatic inappropriate responses, generate novel behaviours and utilize working memory. Executive functions are commonly found to be impaired in children with autism.
As part of the research, each child will complete a developmental assessment. The results of this assessment will be made available to the parents/ guardian of the child. All tasks will be presented to the children as games, which in our experience children find enjoyable.
If you are interested in participating in this research, please contact Rachel Kelly or Jane Khoo at La Trobe University on (03) 9479 2151. Alternatively, please you can e-mail them at: r2kelly@students.latrobe.edu.au or vjkhoo@students.latrobe.edu.au.
Dr Cheryl Dissanayake of La Trobe University and Associate Professor Sabine Wingenfeld of The Australian Catholic University are supervising this research.
Good News for Autism Spectrum Disorder Research in Victoria – Cheryl Dissanayake has been awarded a Telstra Foundation grant to fund an important research project in the area of early screening for children at risk of diagnosis of an Autism Spectrum Disorder. Congratulations Cheryl, and her team.
eSpectrum is compiled and distributed by Autism Victoria Inc. All information is included in good faith, and is current at time of release. Queries and comments should be directed to Amanda Golding, Executive Officer, Autism Victoria at admin@autismvictoria.org.au
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