DURING her son's 16 years, Jenene Moore has had to fight for him to be able to experience the simple things most take for granted.

Simply spending time in a "normal" classroom or inclusion in swimming lessons have come after battling to ensure her autistic son, Reilly, would be able to enjoy the same basics as other children. And now, as the teenager inches closer to leaving school, she knows the battle has just begun.

Ms Moore is fearful of how Reilly will spend his time when he is no longer at school. "The way he is maturing he might be able to one day get a job like they have at the Endeavour but he will never be able to live on his own," she said.

"We definitely need a lifestyle centre where there is a bit more support for these kids and we need to get rid of the waiting lists.

"There are always waiting lists but these service need to be more accessible."

The loving mother said there is a desperate need for additional services in Warwick for people with disabilities and their families.

A learning and lifestyle centre has long been the passion of Warwick and District Disability Support Group president Peter Stacy.

Such a centre would provide people with disabilities with an opportunity to develop all kinds of skills and make new friends while carers enjoy some well-deserved time off.

Mr Stacy believes there is a strong need for such a centre in the Rose City but said carers need to ensure their children or loved ones are registered on the Department of Communities' register of need.

The database stores the number of people in each local government area whose needs are not being met by the services and facilities on offer in that area.

Mr Stacy said the latest figures for the Southern Downs area showed 108 people in the 0-17 age group had unmet needs and 154 young adults were in the same boat.

When pondering the figures, Mr Stacy said something didn't add up.

"It confirms something I have been saying as loudly as I can for some time - the numbers are too small and nowhere near what they should be," he said.

The disability services advocate said he believed many families were not registering their child with the Department of Communities and the figures showed less than half of the actual need.

"Parents need to understand that unless they register and have their child assessed, the department doesn't know the child exists," he said.

"The Department of Communities doesn't talk to Centrelink or schools or hospitals or any other medical service."

Although there is some sense of stoicism in more rural communities, Mr Stacy said it was vital people registered their needs.

"I believe these numbers are key to getting further support and more services," he said.

"We need more services and we need to have choice - right now we have no choice.

"We need a proper program where these young people learn life skills and social skills and aren't totally dependent on their families when they leave school.

"Parents are terrified about what happens when their child leaves school and unless we get more support we can't change that. And we can't get more support unless people register their needs with the department."

Disability Services Minister Tracy Davis said the Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services provides up to $2.6 million in funding to Endeavour Foundation, Blue Care, Cerebral Palsy Queensland, St Vincent de Paul Society and Community Options in Warwick.

Anyone interested in learning more about registering on the database can find Mr Stacy at WIRAC tomorrow from 10am-2pm or phone 4667 5155.