Legislative Assembly- Western Australia
Education and Health Standing Committee
Inquiry into support for autistic children and young people in schools
Executive summary:
Autism SA was founded in 1964 by autistic individuals and their families to ensure that people in the community had access to the best information, education and support. The organisation advocated for acceptance and understanding of autism and encouraged research and leadership in the community.
Autism SA was the first organisation of its kind in Australia.
Since its beginnings, Autism SA has focused on empowering the autism community and has been at the forefront of service development and advocacy. The organisation has a long and rich history of being a recognised leader in providing services and supports to people on the autism spectrum, their families, and the broader community.
Autism SA has over 23,000 registered individuals on the autism spectrum and prides itself on a strong values-driven culture of empowering autistic people. Our team provide a range of services and supports to individuals, their families, as well as associated professionals and organisations. Our team operates from various locations including clinics, in-home, the wider community and in schools.
Autism SA remains true to its foundations, always putting our clients at the centre of everything we do and empowering people on the spectrum to live the life they choose. Autism SA continues to redesign and evolve how we operate to ensure that we are meeting the needs of the community. As an organisation, we partner with the community to identify gaps in services, supports or policies so we can advocate for change. We support and encourage activities that build an inclusive society through our Autism Friendly Charter, providing businesses with free, online training to build confidence to support inclusion and accessibility for the autism community.
We inspire a culture of engaged passionate staff who are connected to our vision, mission and values to ensure that we deliver quality services and supports to our clients.
We strive to ensure our activities are sustainable and meet our high standards for service quality and ethical practice and generate positive, person-centred outcomes for individuals, families, carers, and others supporting our community. Respecting and protecting people’s human rights is at the centre of our decision making.
Autism SA advocates for policy change locally and nationally. Autism SA is a member of the Autism Education Advisory Group, the Australian Autism Alliance and a Board member of the Australian Advisory Board on Autism, with representation on the NDIA Autism Advisory Board.
Being a strong representative voice for the autistic and autism community is the reason we exist.
Major milestones in the history of Autism SA include:
- First National Conference on autism in 1967
- First national federation of service providers specialising in autism in 1969
- Operated the first autism-specific school in South Australia, opening doors to students on the spectrum in 1974
- Published the first autism journal in 1979
- First with specialised employment services
- Developed the first recognition awards in 2007 to celebrate achievements within the autism community, which evolved into a national program
- Researched and developed the iModeling™ App and iMsocial Program in 2009
- Initiated the first national Future Leaders Program to involve and engage people on the spectrum as part of the 2013 Asia Pacific Autism Conference
- Developed and launched Australia’s first Autism Friendly Charter, including a website and app in 2016 to build friendly business and workplace environments
- Developed the Autism Conference Series in 2017
- Developed and launched The Spectrum website, a resource to support any person at any life stage on their autism journey in 2019
- Developed and launched the online Autistics’ Guide to Adulthood, co-designed with autistic individuals in 2023
Autism SA provides a range of quality services and supports. It is an innovative organisation which follows evidence-based practice, to individuals across their lifespan. Autism SA also supports families, and professionals in a range of locations, including clinic, in-home, and schools.
Autism SA aims to improve life outcomes for people on the autism spectrum by providing and facilitating the very best information, connections, expertise, education, services, and support. The organisation is a strong representative voice for people in our community.
Our services include therapy, consultation, training, diagnostic assessments, recreation, and accommodation, as well as providing information and support for the wider community.
Autism SA has over 23,000 registered clients that access a range of supports and services across South Australia. Autism SA registers on average around 2000 clients per a year.
The ages of the individuals accessing supports and services are between 1 and 84 years of age, are of diverse genders, and from across metropolitan, rural and remote locations.
South Australian Autism SA community
South Australia has a population of over 1.8 million people with the vast majority living in the metropolitan or greater metropolitan region (1.4million). The medium age in South Australia is slightly higher than the national average, of 41 years of age.
South Australia has a land size of over 983,000 and includes remote islands.
In June 2023, Autism SA had 23,647 registered clients between the ages of 1-85 years of age.
Of the 23,647 registered individuals, 72% identified as male, 26% identified as female, and 0.12% identified as transgender.
Of the registered clients, 65% were children (0-17), with 11-year-old boys being the largest cohort.
On average Autism SA sees an increase of around 2,000 clients per a year.
- Data provided is from the Autism SA Client Data Base.
Autism SA supporting students and young people
Autism SA is the leading autism organisation in South Australia, dedicated to supporting autistic individuals, as well as the broader autism community. We actively collaborate with autistic individuals, other autism stakeholders, and the Autism SA
community to identify areas of concern and advocate for their interests at both state and national levels.
In our capacity as the peak autism body in South Australia, Autism SA is submitting this document specifically to address Term of Reference item #3. Our submission draws upon our extensive experience in South Australia and aims to provide relevant information to assist in the review process. However, we strongly recommend that the review process in Western Australia includes comprehensive and meaningful consultations with a diverse range of autism stakeholders, including the peak autism body in the state. Additionally, it is important to consider international research and engage with various sectors to identify key issues and develop recommendations that will enhance the outcomes for autistic children and young people in Western Australia.
Inquiry into support for autistic children and young people in schools (Western Australia)
- What supports (services, practices, strategies) are available in SA for autistic students?
In South Australia, there are various supports, services, and strategies available for autistic students in schools. These include, but are not limited to;
Autism SA School Inclusion Team: The Autism SA School Inclusion Team comprises of two teams – one team is funded by the Department for Education and works with educators and learning staff to build their capacity to support autistic students to engage in learning. This team also supports students 1:1 to engage in their learning. The other team within the School Inclusion Program is accessible to support students via NDIS funding or fee-for-service and is provided by allied health professionals who works on a student’s individual goals in response to their disability.
Autism SA Early Intervention Team: This team works with preschool settings across South Australia, to support staff capacity building and work directly with children to develop skills for success in preschool and school.
Autism SA Training and Consultancy: Autism SA has a dedicated training team that identifies specific professional development needs for schools, teams, or individuals. They offer tailored training, consultancy, mentoring, and individualised supports to help schools build capacity and meet the needs of individual students.
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Various educational placement options: In South Australia there are various schooling placement options available for students with disability, including in Primary and Secondary. Many permanent placement options are limited to specific eligibility criteria. Placement options include mainstream schools, autism specific schools (Tree Tops), disability specific schools (Special Schools) and disability and autism specific classes within mainstream settings.
Sector disability specialist: The government, catholic and independent sectors all have behaviour, inclusion and disability type specialists available to support schools in various ways, accessible through various processes.
Individualised student plans: All sectors have a type of individualised student plan for students with disability. Name of the Plans vary but the Plans aim to identify individual adjustments and accommodations for eligible students to support success in the educational setting. Most sectors indicate that a partnership between the student, parents and school should occur when developing Plans.
The Department for Education’s Inclusive Education Support Program (IESP): Is a functional needs based funding model for students with disability. Funding is based on the documented adjustments that have been described in the students personalised plan aimed at supporting functional needs.
Aligning Curriculum for Competency and Purposeful Transition (ACCEPT): Is a small-group educational program offering an intensive level of service for autistic students placed in government schools who present with a range of other complex behavioural needs.
Special Education Resource Unit (SERU): Provided by the Department of Education, SERU offers a range of supports and services to schools, including access to resources, training, forums, newsletters, networking, and support events.
Health Education Interface (HEI): Is provided by the Department of Education and supports children with a disability and complex emotional health needs to participants in education. This support focuses on the interface between emotional development, behaviour, physical and mental health needs.
Health2 Go Clinic: A free service driven by Flinders University, it aims to detect potential developmental differences in early years settings, providing access to early intervention.
Various Disability Providers: Different disability providers, including ones that provide NDIS services, offer supports and services in preschool and school settings to support individual students. Services include direct support and capacity building. These are arranged either directly with the school or arranged by parents/carers and times and dates negotiated with the school.
In addition to various supports and services implemented across the South Australian educational sector, in 2022 under the Malinauskas Government several additional commitments were made to autistic students, including:
Autism Inclusion Teachers: Each primary school in South Australia has an appointed Autism Inclusion Teacher who provides support to fellow educators on how to support and educate autistic students and improve inclusive practices in their school. According the the DfE, they receive training, professional development, resources, and support for their roles. Currently it is understood that most schools now have a dedicated Autism Inclusion Teacher, however it is our understanding that there are still a few schools, particularly in rural and remote schools, that do not.
Early Childhood Autism Qualifications: A qualification in supporting children on the autism spectrum (or equivalent experience) has been added as a preferred criterion for employing preschool staff, aiming to increase the number of staff experienced in autism in this setting.
Allied Health Professionals Employed by the Education Department: The SA Government committed to employing 100 additional allied health professionals, including psychologists, counsellors, speech pathologists, and occupational therapists, to support students in preschools and schools.
SA Government Autism Strategy: The Strategy aims to support a whole-of- government approach to create a fairer and more inclusive society. The development and creation of the Strategy is viewed as an important step towards creating a more inclusive and knowledgeable society where autistic people can meaningfully participate in the community by the government.
SA Government Autism Friendly Charter: The government is creating a SA Government specific Autism Friendly Charter to support SA in being autism friendly. The government have stated that it will include online learning tailored to the needs of educational sites and equips staff with knowledge, principles, and support to be autism friendly. This is based on Autism SA Autism Friendly Charter.
Assistant Minister for Autism: In addition to a disability minister, South Australia has an Autism Minister, providing representation and support for the Autistic and autism community in SA including for students.
Office for Autism: Established by the Premier in 2023 to advise the Government, this office provides, support and advice in relation to autism. This includes in relation to the education sector.
- How effective are these supports?
It is important to note that while this submission provides information on the general effectiveness of these supports, we recognise that all supports and services for schools and autistic students should be tailored to the individual and their specific circumstances.
Additionally, many of the newly introduced supports and services are either still being implemented or lack available data regarding their effectiveness.
Autism SA supports and services: Autism SA has been providing support and services to SA schools and students since 1964. The Autism SA School Inclusion Team and Early Intervention Team aim to build the capacity of school and preschool staff and work directly with students to develop skills and strategies for success in the education sector. Autism SA supports all schools across the state and assists many students each year, providing various services including direct support, consultancy, mentoring, and training. Many schools, parents, and students provide feedback to Autism SA, expressing their appreciation for the valuable support provided. For example, a school expressed gratitude for the “sensitive and relevant support” provided to their client, while a parent praised the positive impact of sessions on their daughter’s confidence.
In working closely with schools, Autism SA generally finds that staff feel they could do a better job if they were better resourced and supported to do so. Schools often report to Autism SA that:
The application process for additional funding is complex, limiting and frustrating: Many schools report that the process to apply for additional funding for supports and services for students is lengthy and complex. This often delays access to additional support, or in many cases, prevents access to additional funding altogether. School principals have indicated that funding from other sources is often used to support students with disabilities due to these challenges, as outlined in the Australian Education Union’s “Empower students with disability by investing in their education” report released in 2021. While the Department for Education (DfE) has implemented changes to the funding model for students with disabilities, frustrations persist as a significant number of students fail to meet the criteria for “substantial” or “extensive” needs, thereby missing out on funding and support, including those delivered by Autism SA.
Insufficient resources, qualifications, and training: Autism SA often hears that school staff across sectors feel underqualified and lack sufficient resources to
effectively support autistic students. There is a need for adequate, ongoing, tailored training, professional development opportunities, and additional classroom support to meet the needs of school staff in supporting students with disabilities effectively.
Increased exclusion and suspension rates for autistic students: Autism SA observes that autistic students are more likely to experience exclusion, suspension, and being sent home from school compared to students without disabilities. This is supported by the “Inquiry into Suspension, Exclusion and Expulsion Processes in South Australian government schools: Final Report” by The Centre for Inclusive Education, QUT: Brisbane, QLD. The report, on page 300, states that students receiving adjustments for disabilities accounted for 69.3% of suspensions in 2019, an increase of 26.5% from 2016. This raises concerns about inclusivity and support within the South Australian school system. School staff often resort to these measures either to gather evidence for additional funding applications or due to a lack of resources to effectively manage students with behaviours of concern.
Increased enrolment in alternative education options: Autism SA has observed a significant number of autistic students enrolled in homeschooling options. Unfortunately, this is often the result of unsuccessful face-to-face schooling.
Employment outcomes: Across Australia, autistic individuals face disadvantages in employment, with lower employment rates compared to the general population and individuals with other types of disabilities, as outlined in the “Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia: Summary of Findings” report by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (2018). This highlights the need for increased resources and investment to support a more effective transition from schooling to higher education or the workforce.
With the introduction of new supports through the SA Government:
Autism Inclusion Teachers and additional allied health professionals in schools: As a relatively new initiative, the effectiveness of Autism Inclusion Teachers and additional professionals requires further data. However, anecdotal evidence suggests challenges such as inadequate training and professional development opportunities, limited allocated time for the role, and disadvantages for rural and remote schools. Coordination and consultation with existing supports and services are necessary to maximize outcomes and avoid duplication.
Minister of Autism and Office of Autism: The Minister of Autism has been effective in bringing concerns of the Autistic and autism community directly to the SA government, supporting informed decision-making. The Office of Autism has recently been established, so its effectiveness cannot be commented on at this time.
In summary, while some supports and services in SA have shown positive impacts, challenges remain, including the application process for additional support, resource limitations, exclusion and disengagement rates, and employment disparities. Continued evaluation, collaboration, and efforts to address these challenges are necessary to enhance the effectiveness of supports for autistic students in SA.
- What are the challenges and successes of supporting autistic students in SA?
Challenges:
Access to funding limiting support and services: Restrictive funding criteria impede access to support and services: The Department for Education currently requires schools to provide “evidence” to qualify for funding intended to support students based on three factors: 1) disability, 2) functional needs, and 3) required level of adjustments. This application process is perceived as burdensome and time- consuming by schools. Moreover, the Department for Education states that Autism SA can only provide support and services to students meeting the criteria for “substantial” or “extensive” support, despite offering functional needs assessments that could aid in the application process for additional support. As a result, a significant number of students are deprived of both additional funding and the support and services offered by Autism SA, which includes capacity building opportunities.
Providing supports and services to rural and remote schools and students: While state-funded supports are available for rural and remote communities, there is often a limited number of service providers in these areas. This can result in reduced capacity to access autism assessments, allied health services, support coordination, and other supports.
Ensuring new supports and services complement existing services: When new services are introduced without considering the existing services, there can be replication and duplication of efforts. This can undermine long-term services and put pressure on them to continue operating. If new services eventually cease, it can create a void in the availability of supports and services. The reliance upon government provided services presents a risk if/when the Government of the day changes. More effort to engage with the sector is recommended to ensure consistency of service provision.
Lack of specialist, trained, and experienced professionals to fill new positions: Delivering on newly committed supports and services by the government can be challenging due to a shortage of professionals with specialised training in supporting autistic students within the state. This includes speech pathologists, occupational therapists, and educators who have specific expertise in working with autistic individuals. SA has a shortfall of professionals in this sector, so fulfilling these additional positions means that there are not as many available to fill other positions.
Focus on curriculum development at the expense of mental health and well- being: Recently in SA, there has been a returned emphasis on literacy and numerary within the curriculum, overlooking the importance of addressing students’ mental health and well-being needs.
Collaboration between education, disability, and medical sectors: Autism SA are well aware that many students require supports and services across multiple sectors. Autism SA often finds that students and parents of students are frustrated by the lack of communication and coordination between these sectors and the implications that this can have on a students education.
Diagnostic assessments: The cost and time required to access an autism assessment in South Australia are rising annually. Many supports and services in SA are only accessible by having a formal diagnosis. Because of this increase in cost and wait times, people are often delayed in accessing the supports and services they require to be successful. More investment but the government is required in this area.
Too many supports and services without consideration of how they are provided: With the introduction of NDIS in South Australia, many schools became overwhelmed by the number of providers entering schools to support students. To minimise the impact on students learning many schools have moved to no long allowing external providers in school settings. While this may improve disruption to the school day, those students that need support to engage in education are now going unsupported.
Overall coordination and partnership for a common goal: With the introduction of more supports and services in SA schools, there is a need for effective coordination and partnership among various stakeholders. Wholistic planning, development, and implementation should be considered at a high level to ensure that the supports and services provided align with the overall goals of supporting autistic students in the educational sector.
Successes:
Dedicated support teams and professionals: Autism SA’s School Inclusion Team and Early Intervention Team, in partnership with Autism Inclusion Teachers and additional allied health professionals employed by the education department, have the potential to provide dedicated effective support for schools to meaningfully support autistic students. This investment could play a vital role in building the capacity of schools and supporting individual students well into the future.
Increased recognition and inclusion: The establishment of the Office for Autism, the SA Government Autism Friendly Charter, and the appointment of an Assistant Minister for Autism reflect a growing recognition of the importance of supporting autistic individuals and creating an inclusive environment. These initiatives can lead to positive changes and increased awareness in schools and the broader community, which could have a significant impact on the quality-of-life outcomes of autistic individuals. However, it is important to note that these supports are tied to the pre-election commitments. There is concern that with a change in government, these will be removed.
Tailored training and consultancy: Autism SA’s Training and Consultancy team offers tailored training, consultancy, mentoring, and individualised support to schools. This helps build the capacity of educators and staff to meet the needs of autistic students effectively. If utilised effectively, these services could significantly support Autism Inclusion Teachers to effectively fulfill their roles and responsibilities.
Early intervention and detection: The Health2 Go Clinic, as part of a pilot program driven by Flinders University, aims to detect potential developmental problems in the early years. This early intervention approach can lead to timely support and improved outcomes for autistic students.
Holistic support models: Autism SA is working with the DfE to provide a model of support that is holistic. Support is provided by qualified professionals and coordinated by experienced Social Workers and is provided both in the home and the school settings. This is unique in that the vast majority of supports and services are only provided in either one setting or the other. The services provided under this model are tailored to suit the specific needs and desires of the student with consideration to their schooling circumstances. Preliminary data reports that the model of support is effective in reengaging students back into the educational system; however, more data is required.
While there are challenges to address, the presence of dedicated support teams, increased recognition, tailored training, and early intervention efforts reflect some of the successes in supporting autistic students in SA. More detailed collaboration is necessary to further improve support services and outcomes for autistic individuals in the region.
- Does SA have, or is it developing, an autism strategy or autism education strategy?
The SA Government is currently working with the Autistic and autism communities to co-design the state’s first Autism Strategy (the Strategy) and Charter (the Charter). The Strategy aims to create a fairer and more inclusive society. The public consultation phase saw over 1200 responses from a range of stakeholders including autistic individual’s families and NGO’s. The consultation identifies a number of priority areas included in the Discussion Paper;
- Improved community attitudes, awareness, and education
- Improvements in support, attitudes, knowledge, and understanding in education settings
- Improved employment opportunities and support
- Improved access and affordability of diagnosis
- Support for parents, carers, and guardians for Autistic children and adults
- Safe, sensory friendly spaces and an autism inclusive community
- Listening to Autistic voices and ongoing collaboration and consultation with the Autistic and autism communities
- Recognising individual diversity and the range of Autistic experiences, as well as addressing the needs of Autistic people across the lifespan
Autism SA is unable to comment of the overall effectiveness of the Strategy or Charter as it is still currently still being finalised.
- Is Autism SA aware of any other jurisdictions that are making good progress in effectively supporting autistic students?
Autism SA is aware that certain jurisdictions and educational systems have shown progress in effectively supporting autistic students. While South Australia has implemented dedicated initiatives such as a dedicated Autism Minister, Office of Autism, and a State Autism Strategy, it is still too early to evaluate their effectiveness.
Autism SA acknowledges the collaboration between the educational sectors and various peak autism bodies, advocates, and researchers within South Australia and from other states. This collaborative approach, which could be enhanced, aims to review existing models and policies while discussing potential future improvements.
Moreover, there are other countries that employ significantly different educational models, including those that do not have segregated school options. Autism SA recognises the importance of exploring and learning from different approaches implemented globally to enhance support and educational outcomes for autistic students.
It is important to note that the success of supporting autistic students can vary within the same school and sector due to a range of factors. Autism SA understands the need to consider these factors when assessing the effectiveness of educational outcomes for students.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, South Australia offers a significant number of supports and services, both longstanding and recently introduced, aimed at supporting schools and students with disabilities. While the effectiveness of these new supports is yet to be determined, there is a general consensus among school staff that they desire more personalised and carefully planned support and services that align with the individual needs of students and schools.
Autism SA has been at the forefront of providing valuable support and services to schools and autistic students since 1964. However, challenges remain, which are reflected in students not attracting enough additional funding to ensure equality, resource limitations for supporting staff, high exclusion and disengagement rates for autistic students, and unforgivable unemployment opportunities into adulthood.
On the positive side, South Australia has taken steps to increase recognition and inclusion through the establishment of the Office for Autism, the Strategy and the Charter, and the appointment of an Assistant Minister for Autism. Additionally, increased support teams, engagement in early intervention research, and the engagement of wholistic support models demonstrate progress in effectively supporting autistic students.
Moving forward, it is crucial to continue to improve collaboration with stakeholders, evaluating the effectiveness of supports and services, addressing challenges, and considering individual circumstances to further enhance support for autistic students in South Australia. By doing so, we can create a more inclusive and supportive educational environment that empowers autistic students to thrive and succeed.
References:
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2018). Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia: Summary of Findings. ABS. https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/disability/disability-ageing-and-carers- australia-summary-findings/latest-release.
Australian Education Union (3rd Dec 2021). Empower students with disability by investing in their education. https://www.aeufederal.org.au/news-media/media-releases/2021/december/031221
Graham et al., (2020). Inquiry into Suspension, Exclusion and Expulsion Processes in South Australian government schools: Final Report. The Centre for Inclusive Education, QUT: Brisbane, QLD. https://www.education.sa.gov.au/docs/support-and- inclusion/engagement-and-wellbeing/student-absences/report-of-an-independent- inquiry-into-suspensions-exclusions-and-expulsions-in-south-australian-government- schools.pdf