Everything You Need to Know About the new National Autism Strategy
Australia’s first National Autism Strategy and an associated Action Plan dedicated to improving inclusion, support and life outcomes for all Autistic Australians has finally been launched today by the Albanese Labor Government.
Our Government wants to ensure Autistic people in Australia are understood, empowered and supported, and that there are spaces and places that work for them too.
The Strategy and Action Plan will for the first time at the Commonwealth level, drive a coordinated national approach to breaking down barriers to inclusion and improving the evidence, understanding and acceptance around autism.
It will also help to ensure Autistic people across Australia have access to equal opportunities and the support they need to thrive.
The Strategy was developed with the guidance of the National Autism Strategy Oversight Council and involved extensive consultation with Autistic people, their families and carers, and the broader autism and disability sectors, researchers and experts.
We have heard repeatedly in the development of the Strategy that Autistic people often ‘mask’ who they are while living in a neurotypical world.
The Strategy and Action Plan focuses on four key outcome areas that will help guide strategies and solutions to help overcome the unique barriers and challenges Autistic people face.
These include:
Social inclusion;
Economic inclusion;
Diagnosis, services and supports;
Health and mental health
Minister for Social Services, Amanda Rishworth said the new Strategy reflects the Government’s vision for a more inclusive Australia where all people with disability are supported to participate in all spheres of life.
“Our Albanese Labor Government is committed to improving the lives of the almost 300,000 Autistic people living in Australia and it’s why we have delivered the first National Autism Strategy,” Minister Rishworth said.
“Addressing the barriers Autistic people face in areas like education, employment and diagnosis is long overdue and we are proud to deliver a Strategy that will change lives for the better.
“This is not a strategy that has been done in isolation. It has been built in consultation and collaboration with Autistic people living in Australia.
“Working with Autistic people will remain key as we work to implement the goals of the strategy and the associated Action Plan – ensuring we meet the diverse needs of Autistic people in Australia.”
Professor Nicole Rinehart, School of Psychological Sciences professor and founder of AllPlay program for children living with disabilities says:
"This marks an extraordinary leap forward."
“In my 25 years as a clinical psychologist working with autistic children and their families, as well as in autism research, I have never seen a moment in Australian history where there has been bipartisan agreement to commit substantial funding to improve the lives of autistic children and their families. This marks an extraordinary leap forward.
“However, we must tread carefully. With the NDIS Review 2024 and the Autism Strategy 2025 both on the table—each containing critical recommendations that shift our focus back to the needs of children and families, moving away from outdated, deficit-based models of 'fixing' autism—I am concerned that if we do not work collaboratively across the clinical, research and community sectors, we could lose the opportunity to make meaningful, world-leading progress for the autism community.
“What we do not want to see here is the 'reinvention of the wheel' and 'shiny new ideas' that do not join the landscape for the autistic community and we lose momentum and precious funding. It is time to lift and scale the outstanding programs and opportunities to improve the lives of autistic children and their families."
Associate Professor David Moseley, School of Psychological Sciences, Clinical Psychologist and Clinical Lead AllPlay Child and Family Program said,
“The National Autism Strategy is a great step forward, focussing on improving the lives of autistic people and so clearly led by the autistic community. The strategy brings real optimism for many of the autistic young people I work with who are in great need of social and employment opportunities that are so lacking at the moment."
So what does the plan look like?
The health and mental health component will be delivered through the National Roadmap to Improve the Health and Mental Health of Autistic People.
The First Action Plan is backed by $42.3 million in funding and outlines the practical steps the Albanese Labor Government will take to achieve the vision and outcomes of the Strategy over the next two years, including:
$19.9 million over four years for a peer support program to provide lived-experience knowledge, empathy and culturally tailored advice for Autistic people in groups they resonate with. Something that more formal systems might not be able to offer;
$915,000 to Enhance community understanding, awareness and acceptance of Autism over two years for new awareness and education initiatives;
$445,000 to Improve the diagnosis process in 2025-26 for resources to support Autistic people and their families with pre- and post-diagnosis information;
$915,000 to Boost pathways to meaningful employment over two years to improve employment opportunities and support for Autistic people;
$12.2 million over five years for a dedicated knowledge translation body, which will ensure academic research into neurodiversity informs and improves the policies and services impacting Autistic people’s lives day to day;
$3.7 million over two years to work with Autistic people and the autism community to evaluate existing programs aiming to improve their lives, to identify what works, where there are gaps and opportunities for improvement;
$2.8 million to Identify ways to improve Australian Government services, supports, information and the safety and welfare of Autistic people; over four years for a comprehensive epidemiological study to identify the true prevalence of autism in Australia, which will underpin future policy development.
Listen to an interview below with ABC radio hosts Sonya Feldhoff and Jules Schiller and mum, Jenny, who was part of the Oversight counsel.
Jenny says this new National Autism Strategy is "absolutely monumental".
Assistant Minister for Autism in SA, Emily Bourke, says getting more knowledge and understanding into the community and schools is changing lives.
"We are leading the way!"
South Australia has been proactive with early implementation of autism strategies.
- Programs like *Inklings* identify communication differences in children as young as 18 months.
- Also Collaborating with universities to integrate autism education into teacher training programs.
"We are moving beyond talking about creating awareness. We are building knowledge, so we can create lasting cultural change across the community"
Getting our kids back to school and parents back to work!
An estimated 200,000 Australians are autistic, with autism the largest primary disability group served by the NDIS.
The government says autistic people are half as likely to complete year 10 than the general population and three times more likely to be unemployed than other people with disabilities.
Schools struggle to accommodate autistic students effectively.
There are major Bullying concerns with Many parents fearing sending their child to mainstream schools due to bullying risks.
There is also a Lack of teacher training and understanding of autism leads to inadequate support.
This new National Autism Strategy will hopefully help make the change and see more and more parents being able to return to the workforce if their child is supported better in the school environment.
Education Improvements needed to support families and get kids back to school
Autistic students should have the freedom to choose between mainstream and specialised schools.
- Focusing on choice and opportunity for autistic students to explore both mainstream and specialised education.
- Introduction of autism inclusion teachers in schools to train educators and improve support.
- Expansion of the program to high schools and universities to ensure teachers are equipped with autism knowledge before entering classrooms.
- Teachers need better training to support neurodivergent students effectively.
We hope with these plan of actions we will see many families back in the education system feeling like they can breath a sigh of relief and watch their child flourish and succeed with better opportunities provided to them.
