The National Autism Strategy is an endorsement of the work and direction of the Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre.
– Professor Alison Lane, Director, Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre
The Government’s launch of the National Autism Strategy represents a landmark step in recognising and valuing Autistic people in Australia. The Strategy lays the groundwork for a society where Autistic individuals can live their lives to the fullest, addressing historical barriers to opportunity. The Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre (OTARC) welcomes the Strategy as a transformative framework that enables – for the first time – meaningful, measurable, and lasting change for every Autistic person.
The First Action Plan, released with the Strategy, outlines the actions required to meet the commitments of the Strategy.
Our role in shaping the Strategy
We contributed in multiple ways:
- Creating knowledge, our research.
- A formal submission to the Senate Select Committee on Autism.
- A formal response to the Draft National Autism Strategy.
- Membership on the National Autism Strategy Oversight Committee.
Our submissions focussed on providing evidence-based, community-driven recommendations that contribute to policy that reflects the diverse needs and voices of the Autistic and autism communities. Our recommendations were drawn from our research findings and our active participation in formal and informal Autism community events and conferences. In devising these recommendations, we adhered to the principle of co-production, by incorporating feedback from the Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre Autvisory committee and the lived experience experts on our staff.
1. Creating knowledge, our research
Our research spans four Research Programs with the most relevant to our submissions being educational and vocational engagement, and identification and diagnosis.
Specific OTARC research findings that contributed to the Strategy’s key outcome area of Diagnosis, Services and Supports include:
- The development of the world’s most effective early screening tool for autism, the Social Attention and Communication Surveillance (SACS) tool. This tool identifies behaviours characteristic of autism in children as young as 12 months of age
- The finding that parental stress is reduced by post-diagnostic support
- The identification of a gender gap in early diagnosis that results in Autistic girls being misdiagnosed or diagnosed later than boys.
Research that contributed to the key outcome area of Economic Inclusion includes:
- An exploration of the workplace social challenges faced by Autistic employees
- The importance of work supervisor support in the success of autism employment programs.
2. Our response to the Select Committee on Autism (2019)
We made a submission the Select Committee on Autism’s inquiry into the services, support and life outcomes for Autistic people. The following two recommendations informed the National Strategy.
Recommendation 1: Development of a national autism plan in consultation with Autistic individuals, families, autism organisations, service providers and researchers.
We are delighted that this recommendation has resulted in Federal policy.
Recommendation 6: Conduct a comprehensive epidemiological study into ASD prevalence in order to ascertain diagnostic and service needs for autistic people throughout their lifespan.
Our research in early identification and diagnosis highlighted the lack of a reliable prevalence rate for autism in Australia. Funding for this study will enable services and supports to be reliably and equitably targeted to areas of greatest need.
3. Our response to the draft National Autism Strategy (2024)
In June 2024, we shaped Australia’s draft National Autism Strategy by submitting 50 evidence-based recommendations. In crafting these recommendations, we also emphasised the importance of measurable outcomes and transparency to drive accountability and deliver lasting change.
For the key outcome area of Economic Inclusion in the Strategy, we highlighted our research indicating that underemployment is as significant an issue for Autistic people as unemployment. This finding contributed to the Strategy’s inclusion of Commitment 8 – to improve the supports and services available to Autistic people to ensure they have choice and control of their education and careers.
For the key outcome area of Diagnosis, Services and Supports in the Strategy, we contributed our research showing that early identification is possible in infancy, and diagnosis from as early as 18-24 months of age. This research strengthened the case for inclusion of Commitment 14 to Consider early screening and developmental monitoring to promote early identification and diagnosis.
4. Membership on the National Autism Strategy Oversight Council
Associate Professor Josephine Barbaro’s inclusion on the National Autism Strategy Oversight Council reflects her internationally recognised leadership in autism research and clinical practice. Additionally, Associate Professor Barbaro sat on the diagnosis and supports working group. As a Principal Research Fellow at La Trobe University’s Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre and Clinical Director of the Victorian Early Assessment Clinic (VEAC), she has pioneered transformative advancements in early autism detection. Associate Professor Barbaro’s role on the Council was as a Research and professional and Autistic community sector member.
Feedback-driven changes in the National Autism Strategy
The Strategy has incorporated several key recommendations (or elements of the recommendations) from our submission. These changes represent progress towards a more inclusive and supportive society. Below are some of the inclusions in the final Strategy which align with our evidence-based recommendations. .
All Autistic people acknowledged
The Strategy has incorporated Recommendations of our submission, which call for recognising the needs of Autistic individuals with complex presentations, including non-speaking individuals and those with co-occurring intellectual disabilities.
Recommendation 2: Explicitly acknowledge the needs of Autistic people with complex presentations, including those who are non-speaking and/or have co-occurring intellectual disability, to ensure that the National Autism Strategy targets allAutistic people regardless of their level of disability.
Updates such as the Statement on Language (page 10) and the inclusion of very high-support needs as a priority population (page 13) highlight this inclusion. These steps mark meaningful progress in acknowledging the rich diversity within the Autistic community.
Autism and ageing
The Strategy has taken an important step by recognising the unique needs of older Autistic people by explicitly identifying them as a priority group (page 13) incorporating Recommendation 3 of our submission.
Recommendation 3: Acknowledge the need to identify and provide suitable supports for aged Autistic people within the Strategy to ensure that their needs will be addressed.
This acknowledgment highlights the growing understanding that Autistic individuals experience a lifelong journey, with distinct needs in later life that require tailored supports.
Improved autism statement
The Strategy has strengthened its commitment to accurately represent Autistic people by adopting key aspects of Recommendation 15 from our submission.
Recommendation 15: Improve the descriptions of Autistic people [in the autism statement] …
The updated Statement on Autism now highlights the individual uniqueness of every Autistic person, recognising the diversity within the community. It also includes a new paragraph addressing the varying intensities of support required, acknowledging that all Autistic individuals need some form of support or accommodation to navigate a world not designed with their needs in mind. Additionally, a paragraph has been added to acknowledge those who are multiply neurodivergent, reflecting a more inclusive understanding of the Autistic experience. These improvements mark a meaningful step towards a more comprehensive and respectful portrayal of Autistic individuals.
Capacity building for advocacy
Reflecting Recommendations 24 from our submission, the Strategy incorporates our calls for stronger commitment to capacity building for advocates and advocacy organisations to challenge and reduce stigma of autism.
Recommendation 24: (d) Increasing the capability and capacity of advocates and advocacy organisations to challenge and reduce stigma of autism.”
By fostering capacity for advocacy, the Strategy aims to ensure that Autistic voices remain central to its implementation and that communities are empowered to lead and influence meaningful change.
Addition of scientific evidence
The Strategy now references key statistics on age at diagnosis, adding important context to the understanding of autism in line with Recommendation 33 of our submission.
Recommendation 33: Provide further explanation on the average age of diagnosis statistic on page 24 of the draft Strategy by adding a citation.
This commitment to evidence-based decision-making ensures that the Strategy remains grounded in research while addressing real-world challenges of Autistic people.
Autonomy and self-determination
The Strategy has embedded the principle of choice into its Vision Statement, which we recommended.
Recommendation 9: Add choice to the vision statement to reflect Autistic autonomy…
The updated vision emphasises creating a safe and inclusive society where all Autistic individuals are supported and empowered to thrive in every aspect of life, aligned with international human rights. While the exact wording does not explicitly include the term “choice”, the commitment to autonomy and inclusion is clear. This shift reflects a stronger focus on respecting and enabling Autistic individuals to make their own decisions and pursue lives that align with their aspirations and needs.
Next steps
The National Autism Strategy and its associated First Action Plan will be implemented alongside the National Roadmap to Improve the Health and Mental Health of Autistic People (yet to be released at time of writing). It will be crucial to the success of the initiatives in each of these plans that actions are coordinated between the two departments responsible for their implementation (Department of Social Services for the Strategy and Department of Health and Aged Care for the Roadmap.)
We note that the following recommendations we included in our response to the National Strategy have yet to be addressed, but remain important future priorities:
- enhancing teacher training to create more inclusive classrooms
- advocating for accessible housing that meets the needs of Autistic individuals and families
- redesigning support systems to remove financial and systemic barriers.
We will continue to advocate for reforms that reflect the diversity of Autistic experiences and empower individuals and families alike. By fostering collaboration and driving evidence-based change, we aim to create a future where Autistic Australians are supported and celebrated for their unique contributions.
United nations Sustainable Development Goals
