Aldo, Sloane and Amora
Content Warning: These stories are about violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation and may include references to suicide or self-harming behaviours. They may contain graphic descriptions and strong language and may be distressing. Some narratives may be about First Nations people who have passed away. If you need support, please see Contact & support.
‘I think there are some real opportunities for Tassie to be a very special place. It's quite unique and it's just got to get some resources.’
Amora is the mother of two primary school children, Sloan and Aldo, who are both autistic. Amora, who’s in her 40s, recently discovered she also has autism.
‘There's a lot of women that are undiagnosed and a lot of research that's catching up. There's clinicians that lack experience and understanding and there's a lot of misdiagnosis,’ Amora told the Royal Commission. ‘So, I was lucky to be smart enough to do my own research.’
Amora and her children live in Tasmania, where she said getting a diagnosis, as well as support, is difficult because of a shortage of specialists. For example, Sloane had to wait eight months for an initial appointment to see a paediatrician.
‘I don't think this paediatrician in [a nearby town] sleeps. I'm not complaining about him. I just think he shouldn't have to service 100,000 kids.’
The NDIS initially rejected Aldo’s application because the overworked paediatrician ‘didn’t tick a box’.
Until recently, Amora lived in a small rural town where Sloan and Aldo went to the local primary school.
‘The biggest problem with [the town was] unbelievable amounts of trauma and bullying at school.’
Amora said Sloane was ‘barely ever able to walk past this kid without him kicking her physically’.
‘"You're fat." "You're ugly." "You've got no friends." Other kids … were not coming over on the weekend anymore [because] other people were going to find out they had socialised with [Sloane], so the boys were going to tease them as well.’
Amora said the school’s principal and teachers struggled to control violent behaviour at the small school.
‘My son witnessed another little boy who's also very troubled … he's picked up a pair of scissors and stabbed a little kid with it in front of [Aldo].’
Amora said the school had numerous principals in a short period.
‘There were several kids in there with behavioural issues that weren't good. Another family left there only last year after being there three months … Their young son was threatened or shown a knife, basically.’
Amora said the bullying became so bad, Sloane and Aldo refused to go to school.
‘All I could do was move.’
Amora moved to another town, and her children now attend a private school with better support.
‘I'm so grateful and happy and I celebrate that, and I worked hard to get there [but] it's a double-edged sword. I am disgusted that it's such a different planet. It's not fair on the rest of the kids over there [at the other town] that deserve better.’
Amora said the new town was beautiful.
‘Hence don't, please, tell anyone how lovely it is … because it can't service their needs medically, mental health-wise,’ Amora told the Royal Commission. ‘Getting appointments is really hard. I haven't got my kids engaged yet with any of the services through NDIS.’
She said she hoped one day to return to the former town ‘without crying on the drive in’.
‘I think we will. It just takes time. It just takes a bit more patience and this opportunity helps me lie straight in bed at night knowing I've done absolutely everything I could. And I don't accept that this is normal for any kid.’
Disclaimer: This is the story of a person who shared their personal experience with the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability through a submission or private session. The names in this story are pseudonyms. The person who shared this experience was not a witness and their account is not evidence. They did not take an oath or affirmation before providing the story. Nothing in this story constitutes a finding of the Royal Commission. Any views expressed are those of the person who shared their experience, not of the Royal Commission.