Schools across Mandurah celebrated World Autism Awareness Day on April 2 with exciting activities and family morning teas.
North Mandurah Primary School and Meadow Springs Education Support Centre, who both teach specialised learning programs for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and Meadow Springs Primary School took part in the annual international event.
They hosted a morning of fun balloon games, messy play and invited parents to enjoy watching their children participate in a learning environment.
Students and staff at both schools donated a gold coin to dress in blue to celebrate people with ASD, with all proceeds going to the Autism Association.
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Research suggests that more than 115,000 people in Australia have been diagnosed with autism, with boys four times more likely to have autism than girls.
World Austim Awareness Day, which forms part of World Autism Month throughout April, promotes global equality, equity and inclusion.
West Australian disability services minister Stephen Dawson said it was also a time to "deepen our understanding of the values of diversity".
"Just over 40 per cent of people with ASD in Australia are employed," he said.
"Compare this with 53.4 per cent of working age people with disability and 83.2 per cent of people without disability and it's clear we still have a lot of work to do.
"One of my priorities as minister is to improve employment outcomes for people with disability.
"Development of the State Disability Plan is underway to help us create more inclusive communities and improve the accessibility of government services, systems and infrastructure for all Western Australians with disability."
