'A scream for help': Mother demands better schooling options for children

Last year, Heidi Howe's daughter Elsa attended only three weeks of grade eight at St Helens District School.

Elsa was always happy at school until grade four - ''Elsa's world fell apart".

"From that moment on, school became really difficult; she detached from everyone,'' Ms Howe said.

"Long story short, three years later, it all made sense when she was diagnosed with autism."

Ms Howe said schooling has since been ''hard work''.

''Teachers struggled to keep her engaged, to keep her in the classroom - they tried really hard,'' she said.

''But, in the end, she was expelled because it was too hard to keep her safe at school.

''I didn't like this, but I understood it.''

From here, Ms Howe tried ESchool with Elsa, which was a "massive fail".

"My parent guilt took over - I couldn't home-school her, and the traditional schools didn't work.

''I had to find something that worked for my kid - otherwise, our lives are hell."

Fortunately, after a long battle with the system, Elsa was accepted into the Indie School in Launceston.

Ms Howe said, "Indie School instantly resonated with the learning style I knew Elsa would engage with.''

''Elsa has had an exceptional attendance rate, has made friends and is engaged in class.

''She has not been suspended yet, which is a record."

However, due to the distance, the transition comes with challenges.

''Elsa is in grade nine now, so she's not old enough to board at the Newstead College Villas,'' she said.

''Going in and out of the bus daily is exhausting - especially getting up at 5:30 am.''

Building on her case study Ms Howe has compiled a database of about 55 families on the east coast of Tasmania facing the same issue.

"About 55 local families with students ranging from kinder to year twelve simply cannot find a happy place for their children in the schooling options available on the coast,'' she said.

''To me, this is a scream for help.''