Geoff and Linda
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.
Linda is the mother of Geoff, who’s in his teens and has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), generalised anxiety disorder and depression.
‘He has the biggest heart,’ Linda told the Royal Commission. ‘He has the best banter. He is a comedian that keeps everybody going. He loves that social connection and he loves to be bringing people together.’
Linda and her family moved to Australia several years ago. When Geoff started school, his behaviour deteriorated.
‘We put it down to the trauma and that big change, that big shift for him.’
At his first public primary school, Geoff was bullied. Linda moved him to another school.
‘From day three or four of him being at that school was when the communications came with regards to [Geoff’s] inappropriate behaviour in the classroom – not listening, distracting others … We tried to work with the school to help them understand not only his neurodiversity, but the … severe anxiety …’
The school began suspending Geoff for up to nine days at a time. It never sent any schoolwork home with him.
‘So for him, if he missed those days then was expected to go in a classroom, the classes were way ahead. So of course he’s going to act out and not be able to do the work and stuff.’
Linda said the school also excluded Geoff ‘and other children with a disability’ from certain parts of the playground.
‘So [Geoff’s] mental health deteriorated dramatically, and to the point where he attempted to take his own life.’
Linda enrolled him at another school, which also tried to exclude him and reduce his days ‘rather than come up with any solutions’.
Linda said schools struggle to support children with ADHD, but are funded to support autistic children.
‘All schools kept pushing for us to try and get an autism diagnosis … because of the allocation of funding.’
Linda said the NDIS has twice rejected Geoff’s application for funding ‘because he doesn’t meet the criteria’.
Geoff’s new school told Linda it couldn’t support Geoff and that she should find ‘an alternative education’.
‘We’ve seen a huge amount … of families choosing to homeschool because there is no suitable education [for kids with ADHD] … You’re not going to see ... the result of what that looks like for 20 or 30 years, but I don’t think it’s going to be a positive one.’
Instead of homeschooling Geoff, Linda found an independent school offering an alternative education.
‘[He] went there actually for less than five days. He was able to have access to a vape because they allowed these kids to vape.’
Geoff’s currently enrolled at a private school.
‘He was just put in classes, like, doing year 2, year 3 work. There was no real plan for actually having to help [Geoff] to achieve what he’s going to achieve at the end. But in terms of safety and understanding or disability, it’s [an improvement] to what we experienced in that state school stuff.’
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.