Over the last two days, the Royal Commission has heard from people with disability, or their parents, on experiences in mainstream schools, special schools, and hybrid models.

This week’s hearing is considering children and young people in different education settings.

A series of themes have begun to emerge over the two days.

A parent of a boy with autism said her son was not being challenged while at a special school, and that it felt like ‘treading water’. Later on and at a different school, she said he was given an award for riding a tricycle despite being a capable bicycle rider: the school hadn’t inquired about this skill.