Autism may force couple to give up child - A GOLD Coast couple say they want to make their seven-year-old autistic daughter a ward of the state because they cannot cope with her behaviour.
Primary school teacher Robert Lachlan and his wife Debbie from the Gold Coast suburb of Benowa said their daughter Emma suffers from autism, needs constant supervision, and the strain has pushed them to "breaking point".
"This is not a stunt and it's not an easy thing to do," Mr Lachlan told the Gold Coast Bulletin today.
"We have to give her up, she's going to become a ward of the state because we just can't go on." [Autism News.Com]
Here's the rest of the
Here's the rest of the article and a follow-up article:
"I'm a desperate man. I have nowhere left to turn. It's wrecking our family. Emma is only getting harder to control as she gets older and giving her up is the only choice I can see."
Mr Lachlan said Emma could not speak or learn how to behave or communicate as a result of her neuro-biological disorder.
She bangs walls and draws on them, runs away, does not obey instructions and needs constant supervision, he said."
The follow-up story:
"A GOLD Coast family who threatened to give up their autistic daughter to the state if they did not receive additional help are "coping a lot better" after being offered some respite care.
Two weeks ago Rob Lachlan and his family were suffering under the daily stress of constantly attending to their youngest seven-year-old daughter Emma.
He called for at least a day of respite each week to relieve the stress of providing the constant care.
He said the Government, through Disability Services Queensland, had provided little help and the family were stuck on a waiting list for an increased funding package.
But after two meetings with agency officials, the Lachlans' household contentment is slowly improving with an offer of respite for seven hours each Saturday."