South Australian Education Department Fails Us:
A Call for Change in SA Schools
Thousands of autistic children in SA are being failed by the education department.
We’re no longer staying silent.
Join us in holding them accountable.
Meet Oaklan: The Story That Sparked a Movement
“My son tells me his brain is stupid. He feels broken—not because he’s autistic, but because the education system refuses to support him.”
— Paige Carter, Advocate and Parent
At just six years old, Oaklan can no longer attend school regularly. The trauma of being unsupported, misunderstood, and placed in an environment that triggers him has left him traumatised, burnt out and going through a major regression.
His story is not unique. It represents thousands of autistic children across South Australia whose needs are dismissed by outdated policies, red tape, and systemic neglect.
Systemic Failures We Can No Longer Ignore
❌ Denial of access to tailored supports
❌ Ineligibility for special options classes despite clear diagnoses
❌ IEPs developed without collaboration or insight
❌ Untrained staff unequipped to support neurodivergent learners
❌ Lack of transparency from the Department of Education
❌ Parents shut out of meetings and decisions
❌ Therapists banned from classrooms
❌ Children labelled “too hard” instead of supported with compassion
The result? Anxiety, negative self-belief, school refusal, regression, burnout—and in too many cases, complete withdrawal from education.
Our Demands to the South Australian Government
We are calling for urgent, systemic reform—and we’re not asking for the impossible. We’re demanding what our children are already entitled to under law.
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Recognise the cohort of autistic children who do not thrive in mainstream classrooms and are excluded from special education options.
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Small, sensory-informed classrooms with highly trained staff must be developed inside public schools to serve children in this “grey area.”
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Current options are overcrowded and under-resourced. No child should be left without a suitable learning environment.
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All educators and SSOs must receive specific, ongoing training—grounded in evidence-based models like Ross Greene’s CPS framework.
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Families and autistic adults must be at the centre of policy reform, not on the sidelines.
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The system for accessing supports must be fair, consistent, and transparent—right now, it is none of these things.
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Annually report how many autistic students are:
Out of school entirely
School refusing due to unmet needs
On part-time attendance because of systemic failure
Make an impact today
Are you a parent, carer, educator, therapist or simply someone who has witnessed the system fail an autistic child? We want to hear from you.Your story helps us build a stronger case for change in the South Australian education system.You can choose to remain anonymous and control how your story is used.
Every experience matters.We’re Being Heard: Media Coverage & Public Momentum
Community Submissions
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