Families share stories of autistic students in Northern Territory schools

Parents of students with autism are crying out for help, including the mother of a student who was driven to suicidal ideation at the tender age of five. Read their stories.

Parents at breaking point have spoken to this masthead, describing how Northern Territory schools continue to fail students with autism.

These parents, speaking on the condition of anonymity, detailed their heartbreak and frustration with schools, which they say are not listening to the expert advice to better support neurodivergent students.

Tim* said his autistic son’s school journey started off fantastically at a local government primary school.

“Everything was great, he had an excellent teacher who had dedicated her entire teaching career to teaching those with additional needs and it truly showed in the way she cared for her students,” he said.

Tim said his son’s education journey started off well. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Tim said things changed when his son entered Year 2 and was placed with a different teacher.

“This is were the problems began,” Tim said.

“Our son began to decline quickly.

“He was forced to use chew toys, was constantly in trouble for using his certain ticks, the biggest being his echolalia where he will talk to himself to soothe and calm himself.”

Tim also expressed concern for his son outside of the classroom.

“His school is very open and it’s just an open slather for all children at break time,” he said.

“Apart from the library there is no safe spaces for those that may need it.

“I constantly worry how my child is treated in the playground by peers.”

Tim said he worries about his son both inside and outside the classroom. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Tim and his son’s experience is not unique — many other parents reached out to this masthead to express similar concerns with their child’s schooling.

Jane* said her autistic child’s experience at an independent primary school was so “traumatic” the child developed suicidal ideation.

“They were sent home when they became overwhelmed,” Jane said.

“These practices meant that they missed opportunities to form relationships with their peers through free play and were often excluded from school events.

“Staff members also yelled at them, used physical force, and made comments implying that they would not have friends or did not belong in the classroom.

“Eventually my child believed at the age of five that they were better off dead.

“They believed they were a monster, that they did not deserve friends or a place in the school community.”

Eva* said some incidents throughout her son’s government schooling “made his life hell”.

“We faced some major challenges throughout his schooling, particularly issues with staff understanding, training and awareness,” she said.

She said although some teachers were very understanding of her son’s needs, others were not.

“In Year 4, his teacher actually tore down all of the visual aids his previous teacher had created which really impacted his well being and ability to engage in classroom routines,” she said.

Visual aids are an important environmental tool for autistic students. Picture: iStock

For Sarah’s* son, a lack of understanding and support during his transition into the middle years at a Catholic school left him “feeling isolated and unwanted”.

“Many teachers do not fully grasp the complexities of autism and ADHD or the profound challenges that students with these conditions face in an educational environment,” she said.

“He especially struggled with social interactions.

“The school structure — where students move between classes and encounter different peers in each subject — meant there was no continuity in social relationships.

“This constant change made it extremely difficult for him to form or maintain friendships, and he ultimately found the environment isolating and emotionally distressing.”

Feeling unwanted and left out is a common experience for autistic students, experts say.

Experiences similar to these formed the foundations for a recent study by the University of South Australia and Flinders University.

It assessed the experiences of 225 autistic students aged 10-14, finding they faced constant struggles in school and made three key recommendations to better support them in education.

The recommendations are:

• Autistic students need more support to fit in at school and to experience positive relationships with their peers and school staff
• School staff need to be more in tune with the needs of autistic students, and provide tailored supports
• Schools need to improve school environments to better cater for autistic students’ sensory needs.

The study’s lead researcher Dr Kobie Boshoff said by implementing these recommendations, schools could better cater for autistic students’ needs.

“Autistic students’ school experiences are often marred by being poorly understood, high levels of bullying, interpersonal difficulties, and academic struggle,” Dr Boshoff said.

“This research amplifies the voices of middle-year autistic students, allowing them to share their first-hand experiences, and for us to learn directly from them about the support they need.”

These recommendations were put to the Department of Education NT and Catholic Education NT (CEO NT) by this masthead.

An Education Department spokesman said a number of its programs already addressed these recommendations.

“The Department is committed to improving outcomes for all students tailored to their learning needs, including autistic students,” he said.

“A suite of professional training is provided that supports educators to make adjustments that meet the needs of students with diverse learning needs and meet obligations under the Disability Standards for Education (DSE).

“The department also partners with Positive Partnerships to provide evidence-based information on autism and the needs of autistic learners, as well as resources, workshops and online webinars for educators and parents, along with intensive support programs such as CommAut.

“The department welcomes parents and carers of children to contact their local school with concerns.”

Both Catholic Education NT and the Department of Education NT said they were already addressing the study’s recommendations. Picture: iStock

A spokesman for inclusion services at Catholic Education NT said they were “committed to educational excellence, equality and fullness of life for all”.

He said the Catholic education sector already implemented many of the recommendations through a range of interventions such as Positive Partnerships, tailored environment and education adjustments and allied health teams to “meet the needs of the student”.

“While there has been significant work in this space, Catholic Education NT is always looking to further improve to support our students,” the spokesman said.

Despite these interventions, the responses this masthead received from parents suggests more needs to be done to support autistic children.

“We must invest in practical solutions to ensure every individual autistic student feels valued, understood, and empowered to thrive,” Dr Boshoff said.

“Schools play a critical role in shaping a positive and inclusive learning experience, but they need more funding, training, and professional support to make this a reality.”

*Aliases have been used for all parents.

Originally published as Families share stories of autistic students in Northern Territory schools