"Many people with autism have skills we can use."
The research revealed funding was needed from the Ministry of Education for high-needs based education.
Estimates suggest up to 50 percent of neurodiverse people are unemployed.
"We do understand each other in a way that nobody else does."
His mother said she knew from past experience it could take months to find a replacement school.
"For me, I don't have autism, I do not suffer from autism - I'm tangata whaitakiwātanga, an autistic person."
"A diagnosis at 18 months is good... but do not have support for another 12 months after that is ridiculous."
"We need to give these children a break because they're trying to be the square peg fitting into a round hole."
"I was going into the Ministry of Education saying 'my son's going to explode' - and then he exploded."
