Submission
No 47
INQUIRY INTO SERVICES FOR PEOPLE WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER
Organisation: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW)
Date Received: 23 March 2016
Submission S047 Received 23/03/2016 Family and Community Development Committee
We trust that you find this information useful to your inquiry. Should the committee have any queries about the information I have provided or wish to seek additional data from the AIHW, please contact Mr Mark Cooper-Stanbury, Acting Head, Community Services and Communication Group, on (02) 6244 1251.
Yours sincerely
redacted
Andrew Kettle
Acting Director (CEO)
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
22 March 2016
Attachment 1: Relevant AIHW information on services provided to people with autism
The AIHW holds information of relevance to the use of services by people with autism spectrum disorder (also simply termed autism). In particular, the AIHW has been maintaining a national minimum data set on disability support services since 1994, firstly as a snapshot collection and then from 2003-04 as an annual collection.
The AIHW also undertakes specialised analysis of the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (SDAC). The SDAC is the best available data source for estimates of the prevalence and severity of disability and descriptive information about people with disability in the Australian population, including changes over time.
Disability support services under the National Disability Agreement
Information on the use of services under the National Disability Agreement (NDA) is collected via the Disability Services National Minimum Data Set (DS NMDS), held by the AIHW. DS NMDS data provides information on how many people with disability, including autism, are using disability support services provided under the NDA (service users), what services they are using, and some demographic information about them. It can also provide contextual information that may be used to inform the implementation and operation of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
The DS NMDS is a valuable source of nationally consistent data on the supply of disability services. While it does not contain data on the effectiveness of or unmet demand for services, it can be used in conjunction with other data, for example population and survey data, to calculate estimates of current and future demand for services.
In the DS NMDS, autism is captured under the concept of ‘disability group’. Disability groups are a broad categorisation of disabilities in terms of underlying health condition, impairment, activity limitations, participation restrictions and environmental factors. It is based on an impairment of functioning approach and, as such, categories are not intended to be definitions of disability but rather are associative functional descriptors.
In the DS NMDS, service users are asked to record their primary disability - that is, the disability that most clearly expresses the experience of disability by a person and which causes them the most difficulty in everyday life. They are also asked about any other types of disability that cause them difficulty, referred to as ‘other significant disability group’. The DS NMDS data provided here cover service users who report either a primary or other significant disability group of ‘autism’.
Number of service users with autism
In 2013-14, around 6,700 NDA service users in Victoria reported autism as either their primary or other significant disability-representing 7% of service users in Victoria, and 16% of service users with autism nationally (AIHW 2015 and Table 1 of Attachment 2).
Demographics of service users with autism
Most NDA service users with autism in Victoria were relatively young, with over one-third (35%) aged 5-14, and an average age of 20. This compares with an average age of 37 for service users in Victoria overall, and 18 for service users with autism nationally (AIHW 2015 and Table 1 of Attachment 2).
Many were male (80%), the majority (95%) were Australian-born, and 1% were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
The majority (86%) had an informal carer, most often their mother (88%) (Table 5 of Attachment 2). Most (75%) lived with their families, 20% lived with others (such as sharing
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with a friend or a non-related carer), and 4% lived alone (Table 1 of Attachment 2). Many (72%) lived in a private residence, 11% lived in a domestic-scale supported living facility (such as a group home), 3% lived in a boarding house or private hotel, and 2% lived in a supported accommodation facility.
Over three-quarters (78%) of those aged 16 and over received the disability support pension as their main source of income. Around 2 in 5 (44%) of those aged 15 and over were not in the labour force. Of those in the labour force, around 3 in 5 (63%) were unemployed and looking for work.
Disability group and functional need
Some NDA service users in Victoria with autism (as their primary disability or other significant disability) also reported other disabilities, such as:
- intellectual disability (35%)
- psychiatric disability (9%)
- speech disability (6%)
- specific learning disability or attention deficit disorder (6%)
- physical disability (5%)
- neurological disability (4%)
- vision disability (2%)
- hearing disability (2%) (Table 1 of Attachment 2).
Most always or sometimes needed assistance with the activities of daily living, the activities of independent living, and the activities of work, education and community living (84%, 93% and 96% respectively; Table 4 of Attachment 2). (Table 4 provides information about activities of daily living and activities of independent living and the difference between these.)
Use of services by people with autism
Under the NDA, the Australia Government has responsibility for the provision of employment services to people with a disability, and states and territories have responsibility for the provision of all other services.
Many NDA service users with autism in Victoria used community support services (56%), particularly case management, local coordination and development (44%); 39% used respite, especially flexible respite (26%); 21% used open employment; 10% used accommodation support, such as group homes (6%); 8% used community access, such as learning and life skills development (6%); and 6% used supported employment (Table 2 of Attachment 2).
Service users with autism who transitioned to the NDIS
NDA service users are considered transitioned to the NDIS once they have an approved plan, and funding is available through the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA). This includes those receiving some component of their services from jurisdictions as ‘cash’ contributions (that is, full funding responsibility transfers to the NDIA) or ‘in-kind’ contributions (that is, funding and contract management responsibility remains with jurisdictions in the short to medium term).
In 2013-14, around 200 NDA service users with autism transitioned to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) in Victoria-representing 11% of transitions in Victoria, and 28% of service users with autism who transitioned nationally (AIHW 2015 and Table 6 of Attachment 2);
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Over time, many people with autism who are currently receiving services under another program will transition to the NDIS. The NDIS presents an opportunity to collect comprehensive information on autism in Australia, associated health care and support service use, and later life outcomes — autism may affect an individual for their whole lifespan, but currently little is known about the long-term trajectories of people with autism, or why males appear to be affected more commonly, or more severely, than females.
Further information
More information on the DS NMDS can be found: in Attachment 2; on the AIHW website1; and in the AIHW report, Disability support services: services provided under the National Disability Agreement 2013-14 (AIHW 2015), which is part of an annual series.
Data from the Survey of Disability and Carers
Based on the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (SDAC), the number of people with autism in Australia has nearly doubled in 3 years, from 64,400 people in 2009 to 115,400 in 2012 (ABS 2014). This represented an overall prevalence rate in 2012 of 0.5%, or 1 in 200 people.
In Victoria, the estimated number of people with autism has also doubled, increasing from 20,800 in 2009 to 41,300 in 2012. This represented a prevalence rate in 2012 of 0.7%, or around 1 in 140 people.
The ABS SDAC does not directly provide information on unmet demand for specific types of services; rather, unmet demand must be inferred, based on a variety of relevant information supplied by survey respondents.
Estimating current and future demand for services
Using the SDAC combined with population data and administrative services data, it is possible to calculate an estimate of the current and future demand for disability services. An example of this can be found in the AIHW publication Current and future demand for specialist disability services (AIHW 2007), which the AIHW was commissioned to undertake in 2007.
Data from mainstream services
The commitment of all Australian governments in promoting the rights of individuals with disability has been at the forefront of the recent disability policy environment, including in the National Disability Strategy 2010-2020. A key theme running through this commitment is the need to ensure that all mainstream services and programs across the country address the needs of people with disability. However, while information is readily available on services especially designed for people with disability, information on the interaction of people with disability in mainstream services is not. This makes it difficult to determine if people with disability are getting the same access to services as other Australians.
A critical first step to improve the capacity of mainstream services to better support the needs of people with disability is to achieve accurate and comparable identification of people with disability. Accurate identification is important to monitor the gap in health and social outcomes between people with disability and other Australians. Information collected can also provide a broader sense of the service needs of, and those provided to, people with disability.
The Standardised Disability Flag is a set of questions developed at the AIHW which is intended for use by all mainstream services in their data collections to identify people with
- Available at: www.aihw.gov.au
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disability or long-term health conditions who experience difficulties and/or need assistance in various areas of their life, and demarcate them from people without such limitations or needs. The set of questions is designed to provide consistent and comparable information across mainstream services in all Australian jurisdictions over time and across administrative data collections.
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Attachment 2: Detailed tables from the Disability Services National Minimum Data Set
Table 1: NDA service users with autism by characteristics, 2013-14
| Service user characteristics | Victoria Number | Victoria % | Australia Number | Australia % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age group (years) | ||||
| 0-4 | 93 | 1.4 | 2,718 | 6.7 |
| 5-14 | 2,326 | 34.6 | 15,566 | 38.1 |
| 15-17 | 755 | 11.2 | 4,071 | 10.0 |
| 18-24 | 1,862 | 27.7 | 10,273 | 25.2 |
| 25-44 | 1,370 | 20.4 | 6,574 | 16.1 |
| 45-59 | 275 | 4.1 | 1,305 | 3.2 |
| 60-64 | 33 | 0.5 | 191 | 0.5 |
| 65-74 | 16 | 0.2 | 97 | 0.2 |
| 75-84 | 2 | - | 9 | - |
| 85 and over | - | - | - | - |
| Not stated | - | - | - | - |
| Total | 6,732 | 100.0 | 40,804 | 100.0 |
| Mean age | 19.9 | - | 17.7 | - |
| Median age | 18 | - | 16 | - |
| Sex | ||||
| Male | 5,377 | 79.9 | 32,367 | 79.3 |
| Female | 1,353 | 20.1 | 8,432 | 20.7 |
| Not stated | 2 | - | 5 | - |
| Total | 6,732 | 100.0 | 40,804 | 100.0 |
| Indigenous status | ||||
| Indigenous | 85 | 1.3 | 1,910 | 4.8 |
| Non-Indigenous | 6,330 | 98.7 | 37,994 | 95.2 |
| Not stated/not collected(a) | 317 | - | 900 | - |
| Total | 6,732 | 100.0 | 40,804 | 100.0 |
| Country of birth (English Proficiency Group) | ||||
| Australia(b) | 5,972 | 94.8 | 38,054 | 94.8 |
| Born overseas-EPG 1 | 126 | 2.0 | 940 | 2.3 |
| Born overseas-EPG 2-4 | 199 | 3.2 | 1,127 | 2.8 |
| Not stated/not collected(a) | 435 | - | 683 | - |
| Total | 6,732 | 100.0 | 40,804 | 100.0 |
| Need for interpreter services | ||||
| For spoken language other than English | 68 | 1.1 | 563 | 1.4 |
| For non-spoken communication | 68 | 1.1 | 1,239 | 3.1 |
| Does not need an interpreter | 5,937 | 97.8 | 37,821 | 95.5 |
| Not stated/not collected(a) | 659 | - | 1,181 | - |
| Total | 6,732 | 100.0 | 40,804 | 100.0 |
(continued)
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Table 1 (continued): NDA service users with autism by characteristics, 2013-14
| Service user characteristics | Victoria Number | Victoria % | Australia Number | Australia % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Method of communication | ||||
| Spoken language (effective) | 4,458 | 75.9 | 23,269 | 67.6 |
| Sign language (effective) | 165 | 2.8 | 449 | 1.3 |
| Other non-spoken communication | 460 | 7.8 | 1,235 | 3.6 |
| Little, or no effective communication | 794 | 13.5 | 9,474 | 27.5 |
| Child aged under 5 | 93 | - | 2,718 | - |
| Not stated/not collected(a)(c) | 762 | - | 3,659 | - |
| Total | 6,732 | 100.0 | 40,804 | 100.0 |
| Living arrangement | ||||
| Lives alone | 277 | 4.4 | 1,792 | 4.5 |
| Lives with family | 4,750 | 75.3 | 32,175 | 81.6 |
| Lives with others | 1,281 | 20.3 | 5,487 | 13.9 |
| Not stated/not collected(a) | 424 | - | 1,350 | - |
| Total | 6,732 | 100.0 | 40,804 | 100.0 |
| Residential setting | ||||
| Private residence | 4,001 | 71.9 | 32,787 | 85.9 |
| Residence within an Aboriginal community | 1 | - | 173 | 0.5 |
| Domestic-scale supported living facility | 596 | 10.7 | 2,089 | 5.5 |
| Supported accommodation facility | 84 | 1.5 | 891 | 2.3 |
| Boarding house/private hotel | 146 | 2.6 | 883 | 2.3 |
| Independent unit within a retirement village | 2 | - | 10 | - |
| Residential aged care facility | 1 | - | 22 | 0.1 |
| Psychiatric/mental health community care facility | 17 | 0.3 | 36 | 0.1 |
| Hospital | 2 | - | 24 | 0.1 |
| Short-term crisis, emergency or transitional accommodation facility | 45 | 0.8 | 168 | 0.4 |
| Public place/temporary shelter | 1 | - | 12 | - |
| Other | 667 | 12.0 | 1,095 | 2.9 |
| Not stated/not collected(a) | 1,169 | - | 2,614 | - |
| Total | 6,732 | 100.0 | 40,804 | 100.0 |
| Primary disability group | ||||
| Intellectual | 1,574 | 23.4 | 7,749 | 19.0 |
| Specific learning/ADD | 57 | 0.8 | 448 | 1.1 |
| Autism | 4,881 | 72.5 | 30,853 | 75.6 |
| Developmental delay | - | - | 283 | 0.7 |
| Physical | 39 | 0.6 | 393 | 1.0 |
| Acquired brain injury | 11 | 0.2 | 108 | 0.3 |
| Neurological | 37 | 0.5 | 250 | 0.6 |
| Deaf-blind | 4 | 0.1 | 17 | - |
| Vision | 9 | 0.1 | 55 | 0.1 |
| Hearing | 14 | 0.2 | 44 | 0.1 |
| Speech | 2 | - | 56 | 0.1 |
| Psychiatric | 104 | 1.5 | 548 | 1.3 |
| Not stated/not collected(a) | - | - | - | - |
| Total | 6,732 | 100.0 | 40,804 | 100.0 |
(continued)
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Table 1 (continued): NDA service users with autism by characteristics, 2013-14
| Service user characteristics | Victoria Number | Victoria % | Australia Number | Australia % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other significant disability group | ||||
| Intellectual | 799 | 11.9 | 6,876 | 16.9 |
| Specific learning/ADD | 358 | 5.3 | 3,499 | 8.6 |
| Autism | 1,851 | 27.5 | 9,951 | 24.4 |
| Developmental delay | 18 | 0.3 | 729 | 1.8 |
| Physical | 295 | 4.4 | 2,920 | 7.2 |
| Acquired brain injury | 17 | 0.3 | 419 | 1.0 |
| Neurological | 239 | 3.6 | 2,545 | 6.2 |
| Deaf-blind | 5 | 0.1 | 170 | 0.4 |
| Vision | 107 | 1.6 | 1,038 | 2.5 |
| Hearing | 93 | 1.4 | 656 | 1.6 |
| Speech | 384 | 5.7 | 4,354 | 10.7 |
| Psychiatric | 479 | 7.1 | 3,494 | 8.6 |
| Total(d) | 6,732 | 100.0 | 40,804 | 100.0 |
| Carer Allowance (child)-service users aged under 16 | ||||
| Yes | 1,392 | 82.1 | 9,496 | 82.7 |
| No | 303 | 17.9 | 1,984 | 17.3 |
| Not known/stated/collected(a)(c) | 979 | - | 8,037 | - |
| Total | 2,674 | 100.0 | 19,517 | 100.0 |
| Main source of income-service users aged 16 and over | ||||
| Disability support pension | 2,254 | 78.2 | 13,748 | 80.2 |
| Other pension or benefit | 317 | 11.0 | 1,782 | 10.4 |
| Paid employment | 81 | 2.8 | 628 | 3.7 |
| Compensation payments | 1 | - | 9 | 0.1 |
| Other income | 15 | 0.5 | 96 | 0.6 |
| Nil income | 216 | 7.5 | 871 | 5.1 |
| Not known/stated/collected(a)(c) | 1,174 | - | 4,153 | - |
| Total | 4,058 | 100.0 | 21,287 | 100.0 |
| Labour force status-service users aged 15 and over | ||||
| Employed | 655 | 20.7 | 3,639 | 19.3 |
| Unemployed | 1,133 | 35.7 | 7,037 | 37.3 |
| Not in the labour force | 1,383 | 43.6 | 8,165 | 43.3 |
| Not stated/not collected(a)(c) | 1,142 | - | 3,679 | - |
| Total | 4,313 | 100.0 | 22,520 | 100.0 |
(a) Includes service users who only used recreation/holiday programs (service type 3.02) and who did not provide a response. This service type was not required to complete this data item. (b) Includes external territories, excludes Norfolk Island. (c) Includes service users for whom information was required but not collected due to their age at the time of their last service date. (d) Column totals may not be the sum of components because an individual may report none or multiple ‘other significant disability groups’.
Notes
- Service user data are estimates after use of a statistical linkage key to account for individuals who received services from more than one service type outlet during the 12-month period.
- Service user data were not collected for all NDA service types. See the DS NMDS collection materials available on the AIHW website for more information.
- Row totals may not be the sum of components because individuals may have used services in more than one state or territory during the 12-month period.
- Service users of Australian Government services and state/territory services are merged together in this table.
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Table 2: NDA service users with autism by service type, 2013-14
| Service type | Victoria(a) Number | Victoria(a) % | Australia Number | Australia % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation support | ||||
| Large residential/institution | 13 | 0.2 | 180 | 0.4 |
| Small residential/institution | - | - | 32 | 0.1 |
| Hostels | 12 | 0.2 | 35 | 0.1 |
| Group homes | 419 | 6.2 | 2,469 | 6.1 |
| Attendant care/personal care | - | - | 127 | 0.3 |
| In-home accommodation support | 219 | 3.3 | 1,849 | 4.5 |
| Alternative family placement | - | - | 103 | 0.3 |
| Other accommodation support | 17 | 0.3 | 120 | 0.3 |
| Total accommodation support | 658 | 9.8 | 4,637 | 11.4 |
| Community support | ||||
| Therapy support for individuals | 799 | 11.9 | 4,841 | 11.9 |
| Early childhood intervention | 262 | 3.9 | 4,625 | 11.3 |
| Behaviour/specialist intervention | 291 | 4.3 | 2,532 | 6.2 |
| Counselling (individual/family/group) | - | - | 1,270 | 3.1 |
| Regional resource and support teams | - | - | 5,224 | 12.8 |
| Case management, local coordination and development | 2,986 | 44.4 | 15,280 | 37.4 |
| Other community support | - | - | 1,418 | 3.5 |
| Total community support | 3,762 | 55.9 | 26,769 | 65.6 |
| Community access | ||||
| Learning and life skills development | 400 | 5.9 | 6,776 | 16.6 |
| Recreation/holiday programs | 87 | 1.3 | 1,566 | 3.8 |
| Other community access | 49 | 0.7 | 227 | 0.6 |
| Total community access | 517 | 7.7 | 8,093 | 19.8 |
| Respite | ||||
| Own home respite | 249 | 3.7 | 721 | 1.8 |
| Centre-based respite/respite homes | 958 | 14.2 | 3,952 | 9.7 |
| Host family/peer support respite | 298 | 4.4 | 485 | 1.2 |
| Flexible respite | 1,777 | 26.4 | 6,490 | 15.9 |
| Other respite | 53 | 0.8 | 274 | 0.7 |
| Total respite | 2,622 | 38.9 | 9,762 | 23.9 |
| Employment | ||||
| Open employment | 1,423 | 21.1 | 8,125 | 19.9 |
| Supported employment | 402 | 6.0 | 2,061 | 5.1 |
| Total employment | 1,771 | 26.3 | 10,004 | 24.5 |
| Total | 6,732 | 100.0 | 40,804 | 100.0 |
(a) Residential rehabilitation services within Victoria’s psychiatric disability rehabilitation and support sector (PDRSS) are classified by Victoria as non-residential accommodation support services in the DS NMDS.
Notes
- Service user data are estimates after use of a statistical linkage key to account for individuals who received services from more than one service type outlet during the 12-month period.
- Service group totals may not be the sum of service components because individuals may have used more than one service type within a group during the 12-month period.
- Row totals may not be the sum of components because individuals may have used services in more than one jurisdiction during the 12-month period.
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Table 3: NDA service users with autism by need for support in life area, 2013-14
| Support needs | Victoria Number | Victoria % | Australia Number | Australia % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Self-care | ||||
| Always or unable to do | 1,816 | 30.9 | 12,217 | 33.7 |
| Sometimes | 2,420 | 41.2 | 14,779 | 40.7 |
| None, but uses aids | 52 | 0.9 | 586 | 1.6 |
| None | 1,589 | 27.0 | 8,723 | 24.0 |
| Not stated/not collected(a)(b) | 855 | - | 4,499 | - |
| Total | 6,732 | 100.0 | 40,804 | 100.0 |
| Mobility | ||||
| Always or unable to do | 1,071 | 18.1 | 6,666 | 18.4 |
| Sometimes | 2,030 | 34.4 | 11,421 | 31.5 |
| None, but uses aids | 123 | 2.1 | 1,054 | 2.9 |
| None | 2,683 | 45.4 | 17,169 | 47.3 |
| Not stated/not collected(a)(b) | 825 | - | 4,494 | - |
| Total | 6,732 | 100.0 | 40,804 | 100.0 |
| Communication | ||||
| Always or unable to do | 1,715 | 28.8 | 12,234 | 33.5 |
| Sometimes | 2,905 | 48.9 | 17,180 | 47.0 |
| None, but uses aids | 90 | 1.5 | 547 | 1.5 |
| None | 1,236 | 20.8 | 6,575 | 18.0 |
| Not stated/not collected(a)(b) | 786 | - | 4,268 | - |
| Total | 6,732 | 100.0 | 40,804 | 100.0 |
| Interpersonal interactions and relationships | ||||
| Always or unable to do | 1,997 | 34.3 | 14,945 | 41.1 |
| Sometimes | 3,212 | 55.2 | 18,400 | 50.7 |
| None, but uses aids | 47 | 0.8 | 440 | 1.2 |
| None | 568 | 9.8 | 2,540 | 7.0 |
| Not stated/not collected(a)(b) | 908 | - | 4,479 | - |
| Total | 6,732 | 100.0 | 40,804 | 100.0 |
| Learning, applying knowledge, general tasks and demands | ||||
| Always or unable to do | 2,078 | 37.9 | 14,511 | 41.7 |
| Sometimes | 2,821 | 51.5 | 17,260 | 49.6 |
| None, but uses aids | 64 | 1.2 | 512 | 1.5 |
| None | 517 | 9.4 | 2,486 | 7.2 |
| Not applicable | 86 | - | 1,548 | - |
| Not stated/not collected(a)(b) | 1,166 | - | 4,487 | - |
| Total | 6,732 | 100.0 | 40,804 | 100.0 |
| Education | ||||
| Always or unable to do | 2,281 | 42.0 | 15,158 | 44.5 |
| Sometimes | 2,517 | 46.3 | 15,661 | 46.0 |
| None, but uses aids | 71 | 1.3 | 503 | 1.5 |
| None | 563 | 10.4 | 2,714 | 8.0 |
| Not applicable | 86 | - | 1,731 | - |
| Not stated/not collected(a)(b) | 1,214 | - | 5,037 | - |
| Total | 6,732 | 100.0 | 40,804 | 100.0 |
(continued)
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Table 3 (continued): NDA service users with autism by need for support in life area, 2013-14
| Support needs | Victoria Number | Victoria % | Australia Number | Australia % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Community (civic) and economic life | ||||
| Always or unable to do | 2,506 | 46.7 | 16,123 | 48.2 |
| Sometimes | 2,030 | 37.8 | 13,182 | 39.4 |
| None, but uses aids | 55 | 1.0 | 439 | 1.3 |
| None | 774 | 14.4 | 3,698 | 11.1 |
| Not applicable | 88 | - | 1,935 | - |
| Not stated/not collected(a)(b) | 1,279 | - | 5,427 | - |
| Total | 6,732 | 100.0 | 40,804 | 100.0 |
| Domestic life | ||||
| Always or unable to do | 1,087 | 32.0 | 9,773 | 39.1 |
| Sometimes | 1,377 | 40.6 | 10,334 | 41.3 |
| None, but uses aids | 49 | 1.4 | 423 | 1.7 |
| None | 882 | 26.0 | 4,464 | 17.9 |
| Not applicable | 2,399 | - | 13,001 | - |
| Not stated/not collected(a)(b) | 938 | - | 2,809 | - |
| Total | 6,732 | 100.0 | 40,804 | 100.0 |
| Working | ||||
| Always or unable to do | 1,589 | 48.9 | 10,989 | 50.8 |
| Sometimes | 1,348 | 41.5 | 8,771 | 40.6 |
| None, but uses aids | 26 | 0.8 | 307 | 1.4 |
| None | 286 | 8.8 | 1,555 | 7.2 |
| Not applicable | 2,414 | - | 15,805 | - |
| Not stated/not collected(a)(b) | 1,069 | - | 3,377 | - |
| Total | 6,732 | 100.0 | 40,804 | 100.0 |
(a) Service users who only used recreation/holiday programs (service type 3.02) and who did not provide a response. This service type was not required to complete this data item. (b) Service users for which support needs information was required but not collected due to their age at the time of their last service date.
Notes
- Service user data are estimates after use of a statistical linkage key to account for individuals who received services from more than one service type outlet during the 12-month period.
- Service user data were not collected for all NDA service types. See the DS NMDS collection materials available on the AIHW website for more information.
- Row totals may not be the sum of components because individuals may have used services in more than one jurisdiction during the 12-month period.
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Table 4: NDA service users with autism by need for support in life area, Victoria, 2013-14
| Support needs | Always or unable to do Number | Always or unable to do % | Sometimes Number | Sometimes % | None, but uses aids Number | None, but uses aids % | None Number | None % | Not applicable Number | Not applicable % | Not stated/not collected(a)(b) Number | Not stated/not collected(a)(b) % | Total Number | Total % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Activities of daily living | ||||||||||||||
| Self-care | 1,816 | 30.9 | 2,420 | 41.2 | 52 | 0.9 | 1,589 | 27.0 | - | - | 855 | - | 6,732 | 100.0 |
| Mobility | 1,071 | 18.1 | 2,030 | 34.4 | 123 | 2.1 | 2,683 | 45.4 | - | - | 825 | - | 6,732 | 100.0 |
| Communication | 1,715 | 28.8 | 2,905 | 48.9 | 90 | 1.5 | 1,236 | 20.8 | - | - | 786 | - | 6,732 | 100.0 |
| Total | 2,319 | 38.7 | 2,734 | 45.7 | 54 | 0.9 | 878 | 14.7 | - | - | 747 | - | 6,732 | 100.0 |
| Activities of independent living | ||||||||||||||
| Interpersonal interactions/relationships | 1,997 | 34.3 | 3,212 | 55.2 | 47 | 0.8 | 568 | 9.8 | - | - | 908 | - | 6,732 | 100.0 |
| Learning, applying knowledge, general tasks and demands | 2,078 | 37.9 | 2,821 | 51.5 | 64 | 1.2 | 517 | 9.4 | 86 | - | 1,166 | - | 6,732 | 100.0 |
| Domestic life | 1,087 | 32.0 | 1,377 | 40.6 | 49 | 1.4 | 882 | 26.0 | 2,399 | - | 938 | - | 6,732 | 100.0 |
| Total | 2,800 | 47.8 | 2,671 | 45.6 | 30 | 0.5 | 356 | 6.1 | 392 | - | 483 | - | 6,732 | 100.0 |
| Activities of work, education and community living | ||||||||||||||
| Education | 2,281 | 42.0 | 2,517 | 46.3 | 71 | 1.3 | 563 | 10.4 | 86 | - | 1,214 | - | 6,732 | 100.0 |
| Community (civic) and economic life | 2,506 | 46.7 | 2,030 | 37.8 | 55 | 1.0 | 774 | 14.4 | 88 | - | 1,279 | - | 6,732 | 100.0 |
| Working | 1,589 | 48.9 | 1,348 | 41.5 | 26 | 0.8 | 286 | 8.8 | 2,414 | - | 1,069 | - | 6,732 | 100.0 |
| Total | 3,287 | 59.8 | 1,972 | 35.8 | 27 | 0.5 | 215 | 3.9 | 710 | - | 521 | - | 6,732 | 100.0 |
(a) Includes service users for which support needs information was required but not collected due to their age at the time of their last service date. (b) Includes service users who only used recreation/holiday programs (service type 3.02) and who did not provide a response. This service type was not required to complete this data item.
Notes
- Service user data are estimates after use of a statistical linkage key to account for individuals who received services from more than one service type outlet during the 12-month period.
- Service user data were not collected for all NDA service types. See the DS NMDS collection materials available on the AIHW website for more information.
- The frequency of support needed for a service user for each of the three broad life area groups (ADL, AIL and AWEC) is based on the highest support need category of the service user for that group. For example, if a service user reports ‘always or unable to do’ for the life area of self-care (one of the ADL areas), that service user will be placed into the ‘always or unable to do’ category for ADL, regardless of their support needs for mobility or communication (the other two ADL areas). So the totals for each of the broad groups (ADL, AIL and AWEC) cannot be calculated by adding totals from the three component life areas.
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Table 5: NDA service users with autism by characteristics of informal carer, 2013-14
| Characteristics of carer | Victoria Number | Victoria % | Australia Number | Australia % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Existence of | ||||
| Has an informal carer | 4,618 | 85.6 | 29,212 | 85.8 |
| Does not have an informal carer | 778 | 14.4 | 4,849 | 14.2 |
| Not stated/not collected(a) | 1,336 | - | 6,743 | - |
| Total | 6,732 | 100.0 | 40,804 | 100.0 |
| Primary status | ||||
| Primary carer | 3,184 | 81.3 | 24,087 | 87.7 |
| Not a primary carer | 730 | 18.7 | 3,383 | 12.3 |
| Not stated/not collected(a)(b) | 704 | - | 1,742 | - |
| Total | 4,618 | 100.0 | 29,212 | 100.0 |
| Residency status | ||||
| Co-resident | 2,931 | 75.4 | 24,737 | 88.8 |
| Non-resident | 958 | 24.6 | 3,110 | 11.2 |
| Not stated/not collected(a)(b) | 729 | - | 1,365 | - |
| Total | 4,618 | 100.0 | 29,212 | 100.0 |
| Relationship to service user | ||||
| Wife/female partner | 9 | 0.3 | 61 | 0.2 |
| Husband/male partner | 5 | 0.1 | 59 | 0.2 |
| Mother | 3,104 | 87.9 | 24,170 | 88.1 |
| Father | 218 | 6.2 | 1,907 | 6.9 |
| Daughter/daughter-in-law | 29 | 0.8 | 95 | 0.3 |
| Son/son-in-law | 11 | 0.3 | 18 | 0.1 |
| Other female relative | 90 | 2.5 | 725 | 2.6 |
| Other male relative | 12 | 0.3 | 139 | 0.5 |
| Friend/neighbour-female | 43 | 1.2 | 219 | 0.8 |
| Friend/neighbour-male | 10 | 0.3 | 46 | 0.2 |
| Not stated/not collected(a) | 1,087 | - | 1,773 | - |
| Total | 4,618 | 100.0 | 29,212 | 100.0 |
| Age group (years) | ||||
| 0-14 | - | - | 22 | 0.1 |
| 15-24 | 17 | 0.5 | 484 | 1.8 |
| 25-44 | 1,778 | 54.4 | 15,424 | 57.8 |
| 45-64 | 1,315 | 40.2 | 9,667 | 36.2 |
| 65 and over | 160 | 4.9 | 1,077 | 4.0 |
| Not stated/not collected(a)(b) | 1,348 | - | 2,538 | - |
| Total | 4,618 | 100.0 | 29,212 | 100.0 |
(a) Includes service users who only used recreation/holiday programs (service type 3.02) and who did not provide a response. This service type was not required to complete this data item. (b) Includes service users who only used employment services (service types 5.01 and 5.02) and who did not provide a response. These service types were not required to complete this data item.
Notes
- Service user data are estimates after use of a statistical linkage key to account for individuals who received services from more than one service type outlet during the 12-month period.
- Service user data were not collected for all NDA service types. See the DS NMDS collection materials available on the AIHW website for more information.
- Row totals may not be the sum of components because individuals may have used services in more than one jurisdiction during the 12-month period.
- Service user frequencies for the primary status, residency status, relationship to service user, and age group of the carer are based only on those service users who indicated they had an informal carer.
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Table 6: NDA service users with autism who transitioned to the NDIS by characteristics, 2013-14
| Service user characteristics | Victoria Number | Victoria % | Australia Number | Australia % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age group (years) | ||||
| 0-4 | 4 | 1.9 | 100 | 13.1 |
| 5-14 | 70 | 33.0 | 228 | 29.8 |
| 15-17 | 21 | 9.9 | 79 | 10.3 |
| 18-24 | 53 | 25.0 | 232 | 30.3 |
| 25-44 | 57 | 26.9 | 107 | 14.0 |
| 45-59 | 6 | 2.8 | 17 | 2.2 |
| 60-64 | 1 | 0.5 | 2 | 0.3 |
| 65-74 | - | - | 1 | 0.1 |
| 75-84 | - | - | - | - |
| 85 and over | - | - | - | - |
| Not stated | - | - | - | - |
| Total | 212 | 100.0 | 766 | 100.0 |
| Mean age | 20.4 | - | 16.6 | - |
| Median age | 19 | - | 17 | - |
| Sex | ||||
| Male | 167 | 78.8 | 612 | 79.9 |
| Female | 45 | 21.2 | 154 | 20.1 |
| Not stated | - | - | - | - |
| Total | 212 | 100.0 | 766 | 100.0 |
| Indigenous status | ||||
| Indigenous | 4 | 1.9 | 28 | 3.7 |
| Non-Indigenous | 207 | 98.1 | 731 | 96.3 |
| Not stated/not collected(a) | 1 | - | 7 | - |
| Total | 212 | 100.0 | 766 | 100.0 |
| Country of birth (English Proficiency Group) | ||||
| Australia(b) | 204 | 97.1 | 737 | 96.7 |
| Born overseas-EPG 1 | 2 | 1.0 | 9 | 1.2 |
| Born overseas-EPG 2-4 | 4 | 1.9 | 16 | 2.1 |
| Not stated/not collected(a) | 2 | - | 4 | - |
| Total | 212 | 100.0 | 766 | 100.0 |
| Need for interpreter services | ||||
| For spoken language other than English | - | - | 11 | 1.5 |
| For non-spoken communication | 1 | 0.5 | 23 | 3.1 |
| Does not need an interpreter | 191 | 99.5 | 704 | 95.4 |
| Not stated/not collected(a) | 20 | - | 28 | - |
| Total | 212 | 100.0 | 766 | 100.0 |
(continued)
15
Table 6 (continued): NDA service users with autism who transitioned to the NDIS by characteristics, 2013-14
| Service user characteristics | Victoria Number | Victoria % | Australia Number | Australia % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Method of communication | ||||
| Spoken language (effective) | 148 | 78.7 | 367 | 58.0 |
| Sign language (effective) | 6 | 3.2 | 14 | 2.2 |
| Other non-spoken communication | 14 | 7.4 | 24 | 3.8 |
| Little, or no effective communication | 20 | 10.6 | 228 | 36.0 |
| Child aged under 5 | 4 | - | 100 | - |
| Not stated/not collected(a)(c) | 20 | - | 33 | - |
| Total | 212 | 100.0 | 766 | 100.0 |
| Living arrangement | ||||
| Lives alone | 4 | 1.9 | 17 | 2.3 |
| Lives with family | 167 | 81.1 | 645 | 86.1 |
| Lives with others | 35 | 17.0 | 87 | 11.6 |
| Not stated/not collected(a) | 6 | - | 17 | - |
| Total | 212 | 100.0 | 766 | 100.0 |
| Residential setting | ||||
| Private residence | 140 | 68.6 | 633 | 84.6 |
| Residence within an Aboriginal community | - | - | 3 | 0.4 |
| Domestic-scale supported living facility | 25 | 12.3 | 46 | 6.1 |
| Supported accommodation facility | 3 | 1.5 | 24 | 3.2 |
| Boarding house/private hotel | 2 | 1.0 | 3 | 0.4 |
| Independent unit within a retirement village | - | - | - | - |
| Residential aged care facility | - | - | - | - |
| Psychiatric/mental health community care facility | - | - | - | - |
| Hospital | - | - | - | - |
| Short-term crisis, emergency or transitional accommodation facility | 2 | 1.0 | 4 | 0.5 |
| Public place/temporary shelter | - | - | - | - |
| Other | 32 | 15.7 | 35 | 4.7 |
| Not stated/not collected(a) | 8 | - | 18 | - |
| Total | 212 | 100.0 | 766 | 100.0 |
| Primary disability group | ||||
| Intellectual | 80 | 37.7 | 216 | 28.2 |
| Specific learning/ADD | - | - | 5 | 0.7 |
| Autism | 126 | 59.4 | 501 | 65.4 |
| Developmental delay | - | - | 9 | 1.2 |
| Physical | - | - | 12 | 1.6 |
| Acquired brain injury | - | - | 2 | 0.3 |
| Neurological | 2 | 0.9 | 9 | 1.2 |
| Deaf-blind | - | - | 1 | 0.1 |
| Vision | - | - | - | - |
| Hearing | - | - | - | - |
| Speech | - | - | 3 | 0.4 |
| Psychiatric | 4 | 1.9 | 8 | 1.0 |
| Not stated/not collected(a) | - | - | - | - |
| Total | 212 | 100.0 | 766 | 100.0 |
(continued)
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Table 6 (continued): NDA service users with autism who transitioned to the NDIS by characteristics, 2013-14
| Service user characteristics | Victoria Number | Victoria % | Australia Number | Australia % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other significant disability group | ||||
| Intellectual | 17 | 8.0 | 145 | 18.9 |
| Specific learning/ADD | 7 | 3.3 | 56 | 7.3 |
| Autism | 86 | 40.6 | 265 | 34.6 |
| Developmental delay | - | - | 30 | 3.9 |
| Physical | 5 | 2.4 | 35 | 4.6 |
| Acquired brain injury | - | - | 2 | 0.3 |
| Neurological | 6 | 2.8 | 61 | 8.0 |
| Deaf-blind | - | - | 4 | 0.5 |
| Vision | 3 | 1.4 | 24 | 3.1 |
| Hearing | 5 | 2.4 | 17 | 2.2 |
| Speech | 5 | 2.4 | 74 | 9.7 |
| Psychiatric | 7 | 3.3 | 51 | 6.7 |
| Total(d) | 212 | 100.0 | 766 | 100.0 |
| Carer Allowance (child)-service users aged under 16 | ||||
| Yes | 56 | 82.4 | 219 | 84.2 |
| No | 12 | 17.6 | 41 | 15.8 |
| Not known/stated/collected(a)(c) | 11 | - | 86 | - |
| Total | 79 | 100.0 | 346 | 100.0 |
| Main source of income-service users aged 16 and over | ||||
| Disability support pension | 88 | 88.0 | 326 | 89.3 |
| Other pension or benefit | 5 | 5.0 | 9 | 2.5 |
| Paid employment | - | - | 1 | 0.3 |
| Compensation payments | - | - | - | - |
| Other income | - | - | 5 | 1.4 |
| Nil income | 7 | 7.0 | 24 | 6.6 |
| Not known/stated/collected(a)(c) | 33 | - | 55 | - |
| Total | 133 | 100.0 | 420 | 100.0 |
| Labour force status-service users aged 15 and over | ||||
| Employed | 40 | 39.2 | 83 | 21.4 |
| Unemployed | 10 | 9.8 | 60 | 15.5 |
| Not in the labour force | 52 | 51.0 | 244 | 63.0 |
| Not stated/not collected(a)(c) | 36 | - | 51 | - |
| Total | 138 | 100.0 | 438 | 100.0 |
(a) Includes service users who only used recreation/holiday programs (service type 3.02) and who did not provide a response. This service type was not required to complete this data item. (b) Includes external territories, excludes Norfolk Island. (c) Includes service users for whom information was required but not collected due to their age at the time of their last service date. (d) Column totals may not be the sum of components because an individual may report none or multiple ‘other significant disability groups’.
Notes
- Service user data are estimates after use of a statistical linkage key to account for individuals who received services from more than one service type outlet during the 12-month period.
- Service user data were not collected for all NDA service types. See the DS NMDS collection materials available on the AIHW website for more information.
- Row totals may not be the sum of components because individuals may have used services in more than one state or territory during the 12-month period.
- Service users of Australian Government services and state/territory services are merged together in this table.
- Data in this table represents people who were reported in the DS NMDS during the collection period who then transitioned to the NDIS and may not represent all service users who transitioned to the NDIS during the 12-month period.
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Table 7: NDA service users with autism who transitioned to the NDIS by service type, 2013-14
| Service type | Victoria(a) Number | Victoria(a) % | Australia Number | Australia % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation support | ||||
| Large residential/institution | - | - | 4 | 0.5 |
| Small residential/institution | - | - | - | - |
| Hostels | - | - | 4 | 0.5 |
| Group homes | 9 | 4.2 | 39 | 5.1 |
| Attendant care/personal care | - | - | - | - |
| In-home accommodation support | 4 | 1.9 | 41 | 5.4 |
| Alternative family placement | - | - | 1 | 0.1 |
| Other accommodation support | - | - | 2 | 0.3 |
| Total accommodation support | 13 | 6.1 | 89 | 11.6 |
| Community support | ||||
| Therapy support for individuals | 8 | 3.8 | 71 | 9.3 |
| Early childhood intervention | 10 | 4.7 | 105 | 13.7 |
| Behaviour/specialist intervention | 5 | 2.4 | 31 | 4.0 |
| Counselling (individual/family/group) | - | - | 51 | 6.7 |
| Regional resource and support teams | - | - | 133 | 17.4 |
| Case management, local coordination and development | 129 | 60.8 | 303 | 39.6 |
| Other community support | - | - | 6 | 0.8 |
| Total community support | 137 | 64.6 | 554 | 72.3 |
| Community access | ||||
| Learning and life skills development | 33 | 15.6 | 146 | 19.1 |
| Recreation/holiday programs | 1 | 0.5 | 31 | 4.0 |
| Other community access | 2 | 0.9 | 6 | 0.8 |
| Total community access | 36 | 17.0 | 171 | 22.3 |
| Respite | ||||
| Own home respite | 62 | 29.2 | 67 | 8.7 |
| Centre-based respite/respite homes | 46 | 21.7 | 117 | 15.3 |
| Host family/peer support respite | 3 | 1.4 | 4 | 0.5 |
| Flexible respite | 41 | 19.3 | 120 | 15.7 |
| Other respite | 8 | 3.8 | 8 | 1.0 |
| Total respite | 99 | 46.7 | 237 | 30.9 |
| Employment | ||||
| Supported employment | 37 | 17.5 | 76 | 9.9 |
| Total employment | 37 | 17.5 | 76 | 9.9 |
| Total | 212 | 100.0 | 766 | 100.0 |
(a) Residential rehabilitation services within Victoria’s psychiatric disability rehabilitation and support sector (PDRSS) are classified by Victoria as non-residential accommodation support services in the DS NMDS.
Notes
- Service user data are estimates after use of a statistical linkage key to account for individuals who received services from more than one service type outlet during the 12-month period.
- Service group totals may not be the sum of service components because individuals may have used more than one service type within a group during the 12-month period.
- Row totals may not be the sum of components because individuals may have used services in more than one state or territory during the 12-month period.
- Data in this table represents people who were reported in the DS NMDS during the collection period who then transitioned to the NDIS and may not represent all service users who transitioned to the NDIS during the 12-month period.
- Service users may appear as transitioned to the NDIS in jurisdictions in which there are no NDIS trial sites. This is because a service user identified as transitioning to the NDIS has moved between jurisdictions during the 12-month period.
18
References
ABS 2014. Autism in Australia, 2012. ABS Cat. No. 4428.0. Canberra: ABS. http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage/4428.02012?OpenDocument.
AIHW (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare) 2007. Current and future demand for specialist disability services. Cat. no. DIS 50. Canberra: AIHW. http://www.aihw.gov.au/publication-detail/?id=6442467994.
AIHW 2015. Disability support services: services provided under the National Disability Agreement 2013-14, AIHW bulletin no. 130. Cat. no. AUS 192. Canberra: AIHW. http://www.aihw.gov.au/publication-detail/?id=60129551443.
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