Mum fights for specialist high school for children with Aspergers

But the Pascoe Vale South woman is worried he, and others like him, are in danger of slipping through the cracks unless the State Government funds a high school specifically for children with high functioning autism.

She launched the Her Aspergers High campaign last month which already has more than 500 supporters.

Lisa, who did not want her surname published, currently spends $10,000 a year and four hours a day driving Lucas, 9, to the private Currajong School in Malvern, which caters for children with social, emotional and behavioural disorders

Until the end of last year, he attended Coburg West Primary School.

A teacher herself, Lisa said she could not speak highly enough of staff at Coburg West.

But she said he struggled to keep up in the fast-paced and noisy classroom environment, with his epic meltdowns resulting in him hitting teachers and throwing things.

“It was stressful for me, him and the teachers and unfair on the other kids in the classroom,” she said.

But with an IQ in the 95th percentile, Lucas is considered too “clever” for a state-funded specialist school.

This anomaly leaves Lucas in limbo and his family no choice but to fork out for private schooling.

Lisa claimed the State Government was not doing enough to help children with high functioning autism.

“A lot of these children are becoming withdrawn (in class), or like Lucas, lashing out,” she said.

Department of Education and Training spokesman Simon Craig said all state schools provided support for students with challenging behaviours, regardless of their IQ.

“Should Lucas enrol in a Victorian government school, a range of supports would be made available to assist his learning and development,” he said.

To learn more about Lisa’s campaign, visit the Melbourne Aspergers Secondary School — MASS — Action Group on Facebook.