Roisin
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.
Roisin is in her 40s and has complex post-traumatic stress disorder and spinal stenosis, which limits how far she can walk and how long she can stand.
‘I was recently also diagnosed as autistic,’ Roisin told the Royal Commission. ‘I had been misdiagnosed with borderline personality disorder prior to my [autism] diagnosis which is quite common for women … The lack of diagnosis has been incredibly damaging for me.’
Roisin is academically gifted, but other kids bullied her at school for her autism-related behaviours. Her family didn’t support her and in her teens she began to self-harm and drink.
Since being diagnosed with autism, Roisin said she’s ‘actually understanding’ herself for the first time in her life.
‘Which is wonderful, but for [more than 40] years a lot of opportunities sort of passed me by.’
Roisin’s children, in their teens and 20s, are also autistic. Both were well supported in primary school, but when they reached high school the education department denied them support because their IQ is too high.
‘[The system] is not built to be delivered to kids that have communication issues,’ Roisin said.
The school refused to let her children’s therapists help them in class.
‘We did provide [the school] with a bunch of reports and recommendations about how to support [them]. It turned out after the first year that we found out that none of the teachers have read them … The level of care factor was very, very low. I think my son had a lot of potential which was missed, which was unfortunate. His confidence decreased over the years.’
Roisin said the poor quality of some service providers caused further damage.
‘We’ve had speech therapists who might attend and meet my children who, due to their own trauma, have difficulty engaging and building a rapport with service providers. And they build relationships with my children and they leave after the second session.’
Roisin said her eldest son now refuses to see speech therapists.
The lack of appropriate support provided to her son at school or from service providers has made his anxiety and depression worse.
‘He was unable to leave his room for about seven weeks at one stage. He was unable to communicate more than a sentence at a time for about three months.’
In his final years, the school told her to enrol him in distance education.
‘They didn’t want my son at the school.’
Roisin instead enrolled him in a vocational college, and he’s now studying at university.
‘My son’s quite amazing when it comes to his resilience. He’s a very special person.’
Since her own autism diagnosis, and with NDIS support, Roisin is also studying at university.
‘I’m doing a dual degree which I think is just, you know, rewarding. It has come from the last few years – having the NDIS plan, having more consistent support. So things around the house, I can’t organise my life to save it. Having assistance around the house really [helps] my ability to cope with other things.’
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.