DOCUMENT 1

From: Taylor, Samantha Sent: Friday, 11 August 2023 4:21 PM To: s47E(d) - certain operations of agencies Cc: ; Subject: RE: THANK YOU AND FOR CONSIDERATION: Your signed National Autism Strategy Oversight Council membership pack and a brief chat with the DSS Council co-chair [SEC=OFFICIAL:Sensitive]

Thank you so much. I would very much appreciate a pre-brief with redacted. I’m new to this space and want to make sure that I’ve got a good understanding of the commonwealth position. I could do a call with redacted on Tuesday (between 9.30-12). He has my number I think. Thanks S

Samantha Taylor PSM General Manager CEO Office National Disability Insurance Agency M s47F - personal privacy E s47F - personal privacy

The NDIA acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures and to Elders past, present and emerging.

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From: Taylor, Samantha <[[s47F - personal privacy](/foi-library/releases/759e22e37354-foi-24-25-0593-decision-document/release-materials/material-001__s47f-personal-privacy/)](/foi-library/releases/759e22e37354-foi-24-25-0593-decision-document/release-materials/material-001__s47f-personal-privacy/) > Sent: Friday, 11 August 2023 3:00 PM To: [s47E(d) - certain operations of agencies](/foi-library/releases/bc455e3f7247-foi-24-25-0515-documents/document-015__47e-d-certain-operations-of-agencies/) <s47E(d) - certain operations of agencies > Cc: s47F - personal privacy <s47F - personal privacy >; s47F - personal privacy <s47F - personal privacy > Subject: RE: FOR INFORMATION AND COMPLETION PLEASE: National Autism Strategy Oversight Council background information and Council membership pack for Samantha Taylor [SEC=OFFICIAL:Sensitive]

Thank you – my management pack is attached. Sam

Samantha Taylor PSM General Manager CEO Office National Disability Insurance Agency M s47F - personal privacy E s47F - personal privacy

The NDIA acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures and to Elders past, present and emerging.

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RE: FOR CONFIRMATION PLEASE: Samantha Taylor attending the National Autism Strategy Oversight Council in person meeting on behalf of Sam Bennett [SEC=OFFICIAL]

Hi [[[s47F - personal privacy](/foi-library/releases/759e22e37354-foi-24-25-0593-decision-document/release-materials/material-001__s47f-personal-privacy/)](/foi-library/releases/759e22e37354-foi-24-25-0593-decision-document/release-materials/material-001__s47f-personal-privacy/)](/foi-library/releases/759e22e37354-foi-24-25-0593-decision-document/release-materials/material-001__s47f-personal-privacy/)

Sam Bennett has resigned and finishes up this Friday – Sam Taylor (she/her) is GM of the Children’s Taskforce and she will attend going forward.

Sam’s details;

M s47F - personal privacy E s47F - personal privacy

If you need any further information, please don’t hesitate in contacting me .

Warm Regards

Executive Support to Samantha Taylor PSM General Manager – Enterprise Process Improvement General Manager – Childrens Taskforce

Mobile: s47F - personal privacy email: s47F - personal privacy

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DOCUMENT 2

From: [[[[s47F - personal privacy](/foi-library/releases/759e22e37354-foi-24-25-0593-decision-document/release-materials/material-001__s47f-personal-privacy/)](/foi-library/releases/759e22e37354-foi-24-25-0593-decision-document/release-materials/material-001__s47f-personal-privacy/)](/foi-library/releases/759e22e37354-foi-24-25-0593-decision-document/release-materials/material-001__s47f-personal-privacy/)](/foi-library/releases/759e22e37354-foi-24-25-0593-decision-document/release-materials/material-001__s47f-personal-privacy/) Sent: Tuesday, 22 August 2023 2:05 PM To: s47E(d) - certain operations of agencies Cc: s47F - personal privacy Subject: RE: Briefing for Sam Taylor National Autism Strategy Oversight Council workshop to discuss what the Strategy might look like [SEC=OFFICIAL]

Hi s47F - personal privacy

Thank you very much for your understanding.

Sam is available on

• Thursday 7 September – 9 – 11am or 2 – 3pm
• Friday 8 September – 11.00 – 2.00pm

Warm Regards s47F - personal privacy, s22(

Executive Support to Samantha Taylor PSM General Manager – Enterprise Process Improvement General Manager – Childrens Taskforce General Manager a/g – Policy Advice and Research Division

Mobile: s47F - personal privacy email: s47F - personal privacy

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—–Original Appointment—– From: <[[s47F - personal privacy](/foi-library/releases/759e22e37354-foi-24-25-0593-decision-document/release-materials/material-001__s47f-personal-privacy/)](/foi-library/releases/759e22e37354-foi-24-25-0593-decision-document/release-materials/material-001__s47f-personal-privacy/)> On Behalf Of Taylor, Samantha Sent: Monday, 21 August 2023 4:45 PM To: s47E(d) - certain operations of agencies Subject: Declined: National Autism Strategy Oversight Council workshop to discuss what the Strategy might look like [SEC=OFFICIAL] When: Thursday, 31 August 2023 1:30 PM-4:00 PM (UTC+10:00) Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney. Where: Microsoft Teams – virtual workshop

Hi

I would like to apologise for Sam who is unable to attend the workshop due to competing diary issues.

Sam has asked if she could please be briefed following the workshop.

Warm Regards

Executives Support to Samantha Taylor PSM General Manager – Enterprise Process Improvement General Manager – Childrens Taskforce General Manager a/g – Policy Advice and Research Division

Mobile: s47F - personal privacy email: s47F - personal privacy

********************************************************************** IMPORTANT: This e-mail is for the use of the intended recipient only and may contain information that is confidential, commercially valuable and/or subject to legal or parliamentary privilege. If you are not the intended recipient you are notified that any review, re-transmission, disclosure, dissemination or other use of, or taking of any action in reliance upon, this information is prohibited and may result in severe penalties. If you have received this e-mail in error please notify the sender immediately and delete all electronic and hard copies of this transmission together with any attachments. Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail **********************************************************************

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DOCUMENT 3

From: Taylor, Samantha Sent: Friday, 11 August 2023 2:30 PM To: s47E(d) - certain operations of agencies; [s47F - personal privacy](/foi-library/releases/759e22e37354-foi-24-25-0593-decision-document/release-materials/material-001__s47f-personal-privacy/); Cc: Subject: RE: FOR INFORMATION AND COMPLETION PLEASE: National Autism Strategy Oversight Council background information and Council membership pack for Samantha Taylor [SEC=OFFICIAL:Sensitive] Attachments: S Taylor National Autism Strategy Membership pack.pdf

Thank you – my management pack is attached. Sam

Samantha Taylor PSM

General Manager CEO Office National Disability Insurance Agency M s47F - personal privacy E s47F - personal privacy

The NDIA acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures and to Elders past, present and emerging.

s22(1)(a)(ii) - irrelevant material

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            [[[s47F - personal privacy](/foi-library/releases/759e22e37354-foi-24-25-0593-decision-document/release-materials/material-001__s47f-personal-privacy/)](/foi-library/releases/759e22e37354-foi-24-25-0593-decision-document/release-materials/material-001__s47f-personal-privacy/)](/foi-library/releases/759e22e37354-foi-24-25-0593-decision-document/release-materials/material-001__s47f-personal-privacy/)

From: <s47F - personal privacy > Sent: Wednesday, 2 August 2023 8:46 AM To: <s47E(d) - certain operations of agencies> Subject: RE: FOR CONFIRMATION PLEASE: Samantha Taylor attending the National Autism Strategy Oversight Council in person meeting on behalf of Sam Bennett [SEC=OFFICIAL]

Hi s47F - personal privacy

Sam Bennett has resigned and finishes up this Friday – Sam Taylor (she/her) is GM of the Children’s Taskforce and she will attend going forward.

Sam’s details;

M s47F - personal privacy E s47F - personal privacy 2 Page 9 of 344

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If you need any further information, please don’t hesitate in contacting me .

Warm Regards

Executive Support to Samantha Taylor PSM General Manager – Enterprise Process Improvement General Manager – Childrens Taskforce

Mobile: redacted email: redacted

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—–Original Appointment—– From: redacted On Behalf Of Taylor, Samantha Sent: Tuesday, 1 August 2023 4:25 PM To: redacted Subject: Accepted: National Autism Strategy Oversight Council in person meeting [SEC=OFFICIAL] When: Wednesday, 16 August 2023 9:00 AM-5:00 PM (UTC+10:00) Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney. Where: Canberra, A.C.T (Location to be advised)

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********************************************************************** IMPORTANT: This e-mail is for the use of the intended recipient only and may contain information that is confidential, commercially valuable and/or subject to legal or parliamentary privilege. If you are not the intended recipient you are notified that any review, re-transmission, disclosure, dissemination or other use of, or taking of any action in reliance upon, this information is prohibited and may result in severe penalties. If you have received this e-mail in error please notify the sender immediately and delete all electronic and hard copies of this transmission together with any attachments. Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail ********************************************************************** IMPORTANT: This e-mail is for the use of the intended recipient only and may contain information that is confidential, commercially valuable and/or subject to legal or parliamentary privilege. If you are not the intended recipient you are notified that any review, re-transmission, disclosure, dissemination or other use of, or taking of any action in reliance upon, this information is prohibited and may result in severe penalties. If you have received this e-mail in error please notify the sender immediately and delete all electronic and hard copies of this transmission together with any attachments. Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail **********************************************************************

DOCUMENT 4

From: Taylor, Samantha Sent: Monday, 14 August 2023 7:18 PM To: s47E(d) - certain operations of agencies Cc: Subject: RE: FOR INFORMATION: A pre-brief with , DSS National Autism Strategy Oversight Council co-chair [SEC=OFFICIAL:Sensitive]

Thanks . S

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From: Taylor, Samantha <s47F - personal privacy> Sent: Friday, 11 August 2023 4:51 PM To: s47E(d) - certain operations of agencies Cc: <[s47F - personal privacy](/foi-library/releases/759e22e37354-foi-24-25-0593-decision-document/release-materials/material-001__s47f-personal-privacy/)>; s47F - personal privacy <s47F - personal privacy> Subject: RE: THANK YOU AND FOR CONSIDERATION: Your signed National Autism Strategy Oversight Council membership pack and a brief chat with the DSS Council co-chair [SEC=OFFICIAL:Sensitive]

Thank you so much. I would very much appreciate a pre-brief with . I’m new to this space and want to make sure that I’ve got a good understanding of the commonwealth position. I could do a call with on Tuesday (between 9.30-12). He has my number I think. Thanks S

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Samantha Taylor PSM

General Manager CEO Office National Disability Insurance Agency M s47F - personal privacy E s47F - personal privacy

The NDIA acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures and to Elders past, present and emerging.

s22(1)(a)(ii) - irrelevant material

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From: Taylor, Samantha <[[s47F - personal privacy](/foi-library/releases/759e22e37354-foi-24-25-0593-decision-document/release-materials/material-001__s47f-personal-privacy/)](/foi-library/releases/759e22e37354-foi-24-25-0593-decision-document/release-materials/material-001__s47f-personal-privacy/)> Sent: Friday, 11 August 2023 3:00 PM To: s47E(d) - certain operations of agencies <s47E(d) - certain operations of agencies > s47F - personal privacy Cc: <s47F - personal privacy>; s47F - personal privacy <s47F - personal privacy> Subject: RE: FOR INFORMATION AND COMPLETION PLEASE: National Autism Strategy Oversight Council background information and Council membership pack for Samantha Taylor [SEC=OFFICIAL:Sensitive]

Thank you – my management pack is attached. Sam

Samantha Taylor PSM General Manager CEO Office National Disability Insurance Agency M s47F - personal privacy E s47F - personal privacy

The NDIA acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures and to Elders past, present and emerging.

s22(1)(a)(ii) - irrelevant material

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            [s47F - personal privacy](/foi-library/releases/759e22e37354-foi-24-25-0593-decision-document/release-materials/material-001__s47f-personal-privacy/)

From: <s47F - personal privacy > Sent: Wednesday, 2 August 2023 8:46 AM To: <s47E(d) - certain operations of agencies> Subject: RE: FOR CONFIRMATION PLEASE: Samantha Taylor attending the National Autism Strategy Oversight Council in person meeting on behalf of Sam Bennett [SEC=OFFICIAL]

Hi s47F - personal privacy

Sam Bennett has resigned and finishes up this Friday – Sam Taylor (she/her) is GM of the Children’s Taskforce and she will attend going forward.

Sam’s details;

M s47F - personal privacy E s47F - personal privacy

If you need any further information, please don’t hesitate in contacting me .

                                                          4
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Warm Regards

Executive Support to Samantha Taylor PSM General Manager – Enterprise Process Improvement General Manager – Childrens Taskforce

Mobile: redacted email: redacted

s22(1)(a)(ii) - irrelevant material

—–Original Appointment—– From: redacted Sent: Tuesday, 1 August 2023 4:25 PM To: redacted Subject: Accepted: National Autism Strategy Oversight Council in person meeting [SEC=OFFICIAL] When: Wednesday, 16 August 2023 9:00 AM-5:00 PM (UTC+10:00) Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney. Where: Canberra, A.C.T (Location to be advised)

                                5

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FOI 24/25-0332

IMPORTANT: This e-mail is for the use of the intended recipient only and may contain information that is confidential, commercially valuable and/or subject to legal or parliamentary privilege. If you are not the intended recipient you are notified that any review, re-transmission, disclosure, dissemination or other use of, or taking of any action in reliance upon, this information is prohibited and may result in severe penalties. If you have received this e-mail in error please notify the sender immediately and delete all electronic and hard copies of this transmission together with any attachments. Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail

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DOCUMENT 5

From: Taylor, Samantha Sent: Monday, 11 September 2023 8:43 AM To: s47E(d) - certain operations of agencies Cc: Burke, Anna; Goodall, Andrew; Murphy, Brooke; O’BRIEN, Garth; Morrell, Jaklin Subject: FW: National Autism Strategy - Oversight Council Social Inclusion Working Group Representative [SEC=OFFICIAL]

Thank you for the opportunity for the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) to provide nominations for the social inclusion, economic inclusion and diagnosis, supports and services working groups. Please see below our nominations:

• Social Inclusion working group: [s47F - personal privacy](/foi-library/releases/759e22e37354-foi-24-25-0593-decision-document/release-materials/material-001__s47f-personal-privacy/) , EL2 Director, Agency Policy – s47F - personal privacy
• Economic Inclusion working group: s47F - personal privacy , EL2 Director, Research and Evaluation – s47F - personal privacy
• Diagnosis, Supports and Services working group: s47F - personal privacy , EL2 Director, Children’s Taskforce – s47F - personal privacy

If you require further information, please let me know.

Sam

Samantha Taylor PSM General Manager, Policy Advice and Research General Manager, Childrens Taskforce General Manager, Enterprise Process Improvement National Disability Insurance Agency M s47F - personal privacy E s47F - personal privacy

The NDIA acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures and to Elders past, present and emerging.

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Guiding Principles

The Guiding Principles set out how the Strategy foundations will be put into practice. The Strategy foundations include the UNCRPD, the biopsychosocial model of disability, strengths-based and neurodiversity-affirming approach, and intersectionality.

In partnership - Nothing about us, without us

This Strategy will be co-designed, co-produced, co-reviewed and co-delivered with Autistic people, and their families and carers and support networks.

Accessible based on Universal Design

The development and implementation of this Strategy will be co-led by Autistic people and the Australian Government. It will be accessible, and based on Universal Design principles.

Self Determination and Autonomy

This Strategy will foster freedom of choice, control and support for Autistic people to make their own individual decisions about all aspects of life.

Aligned and Accountable Outcomes

This Strategy and actions will align with other key government strategies. This Strategy will be measurable, accountable and evidence-based.

Acceptance and Inclusivity

This Strategy will reflect that every Autistic person has unique strengths, abilities and attributes. This Strategy will seek to foster community understanding and acceptance of all Autistic people for who they are, and for their many contributions to Australia.

Rights

This Strategy will uphold the rights of all Autistic people to be respected and safe from all forms of discrimination, vilification, violence, and abuse everywhere in their lives.

Individualised and Holistic

This Strategy recognises that there are different aspects of a person’s identity¹ that can overlap and shape their diverse needs, abilities and experiences, and that other factors such as geography, socio-economic status, where they live, income, education, and the extent of support networks can also have an impact. This Strategy promotes an individualised and neurodiversity-affirming, holistic person and family-centred approach to meeting these needs and diverse communities across the whole life.

The focus of the working group meetings moving forward will be finalising actions to form part of the Strategies ‘action plans’.

The Secretariat is currently developing a table that maps the actions developed by working groups in 2023 to the finalised National Commitments that are in the draft Strategy. This table will be used during the meetings to identify where actions still need to be identified. It will also be used to prioritise proposed actions into short, medium and long-term timeframes. This information will then be provided to the Oversight Council for consideration.

Working in co-production with Autistic people design, develop and implement a targeted community and awareness education campaign that:

• raise awareness about Autism, our experiences, strengths and support needs
• challenge ableist attitudes about Autistic people
• include, promote and platform real stories told about and by Autistic people
• showcase best practice examples of how to support, include and accommodate for Autistic people.
• An education and awareness piece and training to include Autistic community in emergency and disaster situations.
• provide Autistic people with information about their rights in multiple accessible formats

Working in co-production with Autistic people design, develop and implement a targeted education, awareness activities, training and accreditation in specific settings, commencing with justice, health, housing, media and education.

(rework to combine 1.2 & 1.4)

Working in co-production with Autistic people, develop and implement national accessibility guidelines and training that inform/educate government entities, including the justice system, businesses and non-government organisations on how to ensure that they are accessible to Autistic and neurodivergent people. In ways that are, neuro-affirming, trauma informed, gender and culturally responsive, rights based, and person centred. (seek further clarification on national accessibility guidelines)

Influence policy and standards so that they provide a framework that is inclusive of Autistic people. With a focus on building standards… etc.

(seek further clarification on 1.4, could this be combined with 1.3? Should policy and legislation be a stand-alone item and not under a specific working group)

A harder approach is needed in critical settings and sectors i.e. justice system, courts, workplaces, education. Need to make it mandatory to provide information about Autism, what it means to be Autistic and how it impacts people in particular settings.

Working in co-production with Autistic people develop and implement a nationally accredited, mandatory training program that educates all workers in the justice system on Autism, the Social Model of Disability and how to provide support in ways that are accessible, neuro-affirming, trauma informed, gender and culturally responsive, rights based, and person centred.-(now covered in 1.2)

Working with national media incorporations such as the ABC, Invest in initiatives which platform the experiences, stories and leadership of Autistic people from all intersectional backgrounds and with a diverse range of experiences.(now covered in 1.3)

Inclusion in building standards. Improve longevity within these spaces, and make them more sustainable.(now covered in 1.4)

Working in co-production with Autistic people, develop national accessibility guidelines that inform government entities, business and non-government organisations on how to ensure they are accessible to Autistic and neurodivergent people.

Build on how sectors work with and communicate with Autistic people – a vocabulary about what it is like to be an Autistic person. Practical resources to build awareness in significant workforces to support them better to engage with and understand Autistic people.

Move to 1.2?

Need something more robust than an awareness campaign. Legislation and organisational policies would be most impactful.

Through the NAS, and in co-production with Autistic people, design, develop and implement a targeted education initiative that provides Autistic people with information about their rights in multiple accessible formats. Commit adequate, ongoing and sustainable funding to at least one non-profit advocacy organisation in each state, territory and region that is led by and for Autistic people-(covered in 1.1, last dot point)

Short – design & develop

Medium – implementation of community awareness campaign Begin consultation and design

Short – consult and design on sector specific content

Medium - design and develop targeted Long- specific training for specific settings Begin consultation and design

Short – consultation & design

Medium – develop and implement training Long - Nationally Accredited and Mandatory Implementation Begin the design phase of the training program. Understand what already exists.

Short Medium implement Long and Implementation

Short on Medium develop Long specific Short Medium community campaign Short on Medium develop Long specific Short Medium implement Long and Implementation

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Increase opportunities for social connections and peer support.

Improve Australian Government service delivery, communication, and information to meet the needs of Autistic people.

Undertake a review of the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and associated disability standards to ensure they are meeting the needs of Autistic people.

Improve the safety and welfare of Autistic people through the reduction of all forms of discrimination, violence, abuse, bullying, vilification and exploitation.

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Economic Inclusion

6. Increase meaningful employment opportunities (including business ownership, self-employment, entrepreneurship and social enterprise) for Autistic people.

6.1 Evaluate the effectiveness of Autistic-specific employment programs to determine what works well (to develop a foundation). Conduct a desktop review of what is already out there, what is done well, what has buy-in from the Autistic community.

6.2 Commit to achieving meaningful and long-term employment outcomes by changing ‘tick the box’ employment practices. Design programs to get Autistic people into jobs where success is based on retention not placement. (inclusive transportation) (support intersectionality effectively) *clarify what terms like

Support for Autistic Entrepreneurs and Employment

NAS to Fund Programs and Initiatives Supporting Autistic Entrepreneurship

NAS should fund programs and initiatives that support autistic entrepreneurship starting as early as possible, emphasizing finding purpose initially before moving into more practical skills for self-employment. Mentoring programs for autistic people who are starting businesses in areas such as tax, finance, HR etc., funding to support autistic entrepreneurs (specific autism accelerator and incubator programs), making government grants easier to apply for using plain English and transparency rather than the current system.

Support Employers to Hire and Retain Autistic Employees

7.1 Have a Dedicated Team to Collate Information on Accessible Hiring Practices

Have a dedicated team to collate information on accessible hiring practices, turn it into simple chunks of information. Content: Resources showing small changes employers can make to increase accessibility in their application and hiring practices (infographics, short video clips, comic strip images, short articles). Team should be Autistic-led. Distribution: The resulting resources can be shared via social media and provided in print form (e.g., flyers), distributed directly to potential employers, and possibly at relevant conferences.

7.2 Provide Genuine and Timely Support for Employers and Employees on Reasonable Adjustments

Provide genuine and timely support for employers and employees to identify and implement reasonable adjustments. Perhaps a call-in advice service on reasonable adjustments.

7.3 Develop Resources and Capacity Building Tools for Employers

Develop resources and capacity building tools for employers to support Autistic people in employment.

7.4 Establish a Data Clearing House Capturing Best Practice

Establish a data clearing house that captures best practice for others to learn from, including case study examples.

7.5 Promote Safe and Inclusive Workplace Environments

Promoting safe and inclusive workplace environments by reducing burnout experienced by Autistic people through constant ‘masking’ of neurotypical behaviors.

7.6 Work in Co-Production with Autistic People to Upskill Workplaces

Working in co-production with Autistic people, develop and implement a national program to upskill and build the capacity of workplaces, employers, and professionals to support and cater to the needs or Autistic people from all intersectional backgrounds and levels of employment.

7.7 Compulsory Professional Development for Hiring Processes

Compulsory professional development for those in charge of hiring processes, including decisions on bullying and managing reasonable adjustments. This training will make legislative requirements clear, outline support available to streamline these processes, and handle bullying situations.

7.8 Campaign/Professional Development Targeted at Employers

Campaign/professional development targeted at employers (social media shares or direct mail outs) providing information on issues job seekers have experienced. Can be infographics/comic style showing scenarios of incorrect employer action and consequences to employees, penalties for employers.

7.9 Real and Enforced Penalties for Employers Not Providing Adjustments

Real and enforced penalties for employers that do not provide reasonable adjustments or address bullying once they become aware of it.

7.10 Adjust Policy to Make It More Difficult for Poor Treatment

Adjust policy to make it more difficult for workplaces to get away with treating people poorly, while discrimination and bullying are commonly prohibited in policy and law but can be subtle ways that workplaces manage to get around it. Perhaps making it compulsory for workplaces to have clear pathways to report bullying or unfair treatment.

7.11 Government-Funded Education About Neurodiversity

Government-funded education about neurodiversity, sensory environments, personal days (neurodiversity package).

7.12 Job Providers’ Mentor-Type Service for Autistic People

After helping an Autistic person gain meaningful employment, job providers could refer Autistic people to a mentor-type service that will check in with them occasionally to ask how the job is going. They can help Autistic people transition into employment and also meet with them every 6 months or so for a check-in. This allows them to identify issues of underemployment, and the mentor provides advice on options including information and strategies for approaching employers for promotions to more meaningful work.

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Specialised employment services that can support people who need very flexible work.

E.g., people with health that fluctuates wildly or people with Autism, co-occurring conditions, and caring responsibilities. We need job providers who can support Autistic people in accessing flexible, meaningful work which may include typical work, but also support in setting themselves up as an independent contractor, becoming self-employed, the gig economy, crafting items to sell, even buying items to refurbish and resell. We need services that can truly understand an Autistic person’s needs, skills, experience, passions, and barriers to employment. And those services must provide truly individualised advice, support, and referrals that is not limited to “typical” employment.

NAS to consult with autistic people, business’ and organisations already supporting autism friendly workplaces to develop a national framework that includes resources for employers on autism friendly.

Including Autistic friendly job ads/position descriptions, interviews, on boarding, supervision, communication, strengths, and interests and environmental adaptations. This hub of resources should also include templates for employers to use as well as a directory of providers who can support organisations further through training.

Improve the supports and services available to Autistic people to ensure they have choice and control over their education and careers.

8.1 Provide a mentor for Autistic teens (preferably Autistic mentor).

Frequency of meetings: variable. May be weekly when students need to make big decisions and put in applications, but usually a few times/year. Length of mentor relationship: Start at least in Grade 10, continue on until a few years after they have left school. Description: Allow Autistic teens to look at their options – with no pressure – and explore their interests. Identify their interests and strengths and present options of things they may like to consider after they leave school and during. Not just university courses. Discuss TAFE, entry level work, volunteering, internship programs, hobbies and skills to develop. Provide specific opportunities, not vague suggestions. Needs to be approached with no pressure, e.g., as personal development, following interests. Mentor can support and help problem solve when things go wrong (e.g., did not get required grade for a course or they were offered a job but don’t know public transport).

Note from Department of Education: States/territories (or non-government education authorities) are best placed to organise and manage such an initiative, as having local knowledge and connections with jurisdiction schools and training providers will be critical to being a successful mentor.

8.2 Change policy so schools would need to provide reasonable adjustments to students. In circumstances where they cannot provide reasonable adjustments they are required to provide evidence as to why.

Note from Department of Education: Schools are already required to provide reasonable adjustments under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA) and the Disability Standards for Education 2005 (DSE).

What do we mean by ‘change of policy’?

8.3 Promote the Federal Government’s Work Assist program, to assist those who are at risk of losing their job due to illness, injury or disability. Many Autistic people are let go from their jobs within months of being employed.

8.4 Employment pilots to connect people to work in areas of skills shortage. Continue to provide support during employment to promote long-term arrangements.

8.5 Develop resources for Autistic people on self-advocacy in employment. Refer to Autism CRC’s Self Advocacy@work website.

8.6 People working in organisations, such as Centrelink, need to have disability training. Centrelink forms need to be in easy read formats, as they are currently confusing and difficult to understand. Increase in-person support to assist with completing paper work.

8.7 A possible action is to have clear, step by step guides for different areas of unemployment - not just writing a resume but things like how to actually contact Centrelink.

Increase representation of Autistic people in senior and board positions to promote people as visible role models.

9.1 Encourage neurodivergent people in senior roles to be visible role models.

9.2 Attract, recruit and retain more people with disability in the Australian Public Service, being a model employer of Autistic people.

Why is this action here? The action doesn’t match the commitment.

9.3 Increasing Autistic people in leadership positions will likely shift culture and lead to improvements in the accessibility of hiring practices.

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9.4 Increase visibility of existing neurodivergent role models who can share their stories including what has and hasn’t worked for them.

Improve inclusive practices and the quality and accessibility of advocacy resources for Autistic students across all education settings, and their families, carers and support networks

10.1 Have resources available to educators to increase awareness and understanding of Autism, and implementation capability of the Disability Standards for Education 2005.

Note from Department of Education: In response to the 2020 Review of the DSE (the DSE is reviewed every 5 years), the Government has funded new resources to build awareness of the DSE among student and their families and build capability in teachers and school leaders. We suggest that an initial step before this action would be to review whether existing resources meet the needs identified by the NAS WG/OC.

Note: delivery of school education is a matter for the states and territories.

10.2 Have national guidelines to make education more accessible but also have tailored supports/plans for different schools.

Note from Department of Education: We are unsure what further guidelines are needed beyond the existing requirements of the DSE and related mechanisms. We note that delivery of school education – including tailored supports etc – is a matter for the states and territories.

10.3 Acknowledge and acceptance of various learning styles and different areas of strength and weaknesses of Autistic students, reflected by teaching staff, department of education and curriculum.

This is an example of a draft Action that is not clearly ‘actionable’ as it’s currently written.

10.4 Have a wellbeing framework in place that was been designed by Autistic people. Incorporate regular check-in sessions with counsellor as part of studies.

Note from Department of Education: We note the Australian Student Wellbeing Framework and its supporting resources is freely available to schools. It is not clear who is intended to be the user/audience of this framework. Is it staff or students or a joint resource?

10.5 Provide opportunities for Autistic students to try new things and demonstrate their capacity.

Note: delivery of school education is a matter for the states and territories.

10.6 Develop and review resources for Autistic people on self-advocacy.

10.7 Neurodivergent awareness hubs to educate employers, educators, families and support networks, serviced by neurodivergent people.

Note from Department of Education: How these hubs would operate. Would they have remit to go out to the sectors and raise awareness or would they be ‘drop-in’ style operations?

10.8 Enable more pathways to University. The high academic approach where a high Tertiary Entrance Ranking is required does not suit everybody.

10.9 Allow Autistic students a way to pursue their passions more in school.

10.10 Provide more information on how to access University so there is a better understanding.

10.11 Place more focus on roles outside of Information and Communications Technology (ICT). Currently ICT is more of a focus, stemming from stereotypes of autistic people.

10.12 Address underemployment by identifying underutilised skills of Autistic people.

10.13 Employers to adopt flexible working arrangements to support those with complex health issues e.g. shorter working blocks for those unable to work for long periods.

10.14 Have an employer rating system. E.g. this is an Autism Friendly workplace/employer. Have a central location (i.e. website) that house all organisations that are certified so that autistic people know where is safe.

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Build on National Commitment 5 Improve the safety and welfare of Autistic people through the reduction of all forms of discrimination, violence, abuse, bullying, vilification and exploitation to specifically focus on Autistic students in all levels of education.

• 11.1 Diversify the standard method of teaching so learning and assessing is more inclusive of neurodivergent learning styles. This can be achieved, for example, by using more multimedia platforms to provide information, providing learning materials in more than one format (e.g., written and verbal), providing information in easy read formats, offering multiple options for assessment and removing mandatory standard examinations.

• 11.2 Undertake a comprehensive review of the national education curriculum. Provide flexibility in curriculum and grading. Allow students to have a choice in how they are assessed, assessing a range of different areas and allowing students to choose an area of passion. Do not assess on purely neurotypical or monocultural standards such as eye contact when public speaking.

• 11.3 Less reliance on standardised testing and assessments that only focus on particular areas of strength, such as NAPLAN.

• 11.4 Enabling students to take breaks when needed from the classroom, having an agreed place the student can retreat to for breaks.

• 11.5 Provide more flexibility in attendance when students are struggling, through regular check-ins from a trusted teacher when they are not attending, sessions during free time for students to complete work.

• 11.6 Get school principals invested in inclusivity, build into school culture. Reforms to governance structure, insert key measured on how they have demonstrated inclusion.

• 11.7 Campaigns around standing up for your colleagues or quietly reporting bullying if you see a colleague, whether you know they are autistic or not, being treated poorly due to their characteristics.

• 11.8 Clarify what counts as bullying and discrimination – not always the extreme and severe end, can be subtle too.

• 11.9 Employees need access to an external third party to report bullying and failure to provide reasonable adjustments. Employees can access this service to help them decide how to report to their employers and to decide whether they need to report elsewhere. Preferable if the external third party could assist practically if needed. E.g., assist in drafting a letter.

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| 12.7 – Providing centralised point of reference for information that is presented in different formats for information, training and further links to supports and services that all providers, supports and services (including employment, training, health, community justice, education etc.) are aware of and direct people to. | | Short – scope what already exists
Medium – set up central point | Scope what already exists.

| 12.8 – Providing mandated lived experience training for early childhood educators, teachers, healthcare workers and other professionals who have contact with children and young people who have disabilities or conditions which are common among Autistic individuals to identify signs of and screen for neurodivergence. This should include but not be limited to professionals who work with children and young people who have or display signs of ADHD, developmental delay, sensory sensitivities, chronic pain, gastrointestinal conditions and eating disorders. | | Similar to suggested in 12 regarding training. |

| 12.9 – Provide lived experience training to schools, early learning centres and educational institutions to understand their role in having clear and transparent information to provide to families and carers of Autistic children.
redacted: this needs to include child safety workers | | Medium? In line with other training rollout? |

Diagnosis, Supports and Services

• Conflict of Interest
• Funding sources
• Statement of Autistic/Community Involvement
• Statement of harm measured and reported | | Short/Medium/Long Term - 2-5 years | Action - 1st year | | 13. Develop a set of best practice resources to support Autistic people and their families, carers and support networks through the identification, assessment and diagnosis process.

13.1 – Where in-person services are inaccessible, allow practitioners to provide diagnostic assessments online.

13.2 – To assist with fast-tracking access to supports and diagnosis, have pre-diagnosis tools available that GPs etc. can direct people to, to complete prior seeking a formal diagnosis. Information would cover the diverse presentation of Autism (and across the lifespan) and co-occurring mental health and physical health conditions. Tools to be in accessible formats such as videos, visual information and handouts.

(is this referring to something along the lines of a ‘so you think you have Autism, pre self-diagnosis tool’, or a ‘what to expect at your first and subsequent appointments’, or ‘what does the Autism diagnosis journey look like?’ or all of this plus more?) | 13.1 – Where in-person services are inaccessible, allow health and mental health practitioners to provide diagnostic assessments online.

Short/Medium/Long Term - scope what exists? Medium - develop tools and roll out?

Look at ideas from point 12. | Short/Medium/Long Term - 5-7 years | Action - 1st year | | 14. Explore ways to improve access to primary care, including through | 14.1 – Expand Medicare Rebate to cover Autism assessments for people of all ages and increase rebate amount as well as ensure changes to rebate are known | Medium/Medium/Long Term - 2-5 years | Action - 1st year |

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Governance

X. National Commitments (not for workshopping)

21. Develop a governance framework to support: a) strong accountability mechanisms b) co-leadership and active involvement of Autistic people, as well as parents, carers and professionals within the Autism sector c) whole-of-government, cross-sectoral and coordinated approaches to implementation.

21.1 | |

Research

X. National Commitments (not for workshopping)

22. Establish an Expert Reference Group or similar to explore how autism research can best be fostered and applied to policy and service delivery and underpinned by the Strategy’s Guiding Principles.

22.1 | |

Evidence

X. National Commitments (not for workshopping)

23. Develop a National Autism Strategy Evidence Framework, including a Theory of Change, Program Logic, Outcomes Framework, and Evaluation Framework.

23.1 | |

Evaluation and Reporting

X. National Commitments (not for workshopping)

24. Develop a robust evaluation plan and reporting mechanism, co-led by Autistic people and the autism community, for the National Autism Strategy.

24.1 | |

Guiding Principles

The Guiding Principles set out how the Strategy foundations will be put into practice. The Strategy foundations include the UNCRPD, the biopsychosocial model of disability, strengths-based and neurodiversity-affirming approach, and intersectionality.

In partnership - Nothing about us, without us

This Strategy will be co-designed, co-produced, co-reviewed and co-delivered with Autistic people, and their families and carers and support networks.

Accessible based on Universal Design

The development and implementation of this Strategy will be coled by Autistic people and the Australian Government. It will be accessible, and based on Universal Design principles.

Self Determination and Autonomy

This Strategy will foster freedom of choice, control and support for Autistic people to make their own individual decisions about all aspects of life.

Aligned and Accountable Outcomes

This Strategy and actions will align with other key government strategies. This Strategy will be measurable, accountable and evidence-based.

Acceptance and Inclusivity

This Strategy will reflect that every Autistic person has unique strengths, abilities and attributes. This Strategy will seek to foster community understanding and acceptance of all Autistic people for who they are, and for their many contributions to Australia.

Rights

This Strategy will uphold the rights of all Autistic people to be respected and safe from all forms of discrimination, vilification, violence, and abuse everywhere in their lives.

Individualised and Holistic

This Strategy recognises that there are different aspects of a person’s identity that can overlap and shape their diverse needs, abilities and experiences, and that other factors such as geography, socio-economic status, where they live, income, education, and the extent of support networks can also have an impact. This Strategy promotes an individualised and neurodiversity-affirming, holistic person and family-centred approach to meeting these needs and diverse communities across the whole life.

The focus of the working group meetings moving forward will be finalising actions to form part of the Strategies ‘action plans’.

The Secretariat is currently developing a table that maps the actions developed by working groups in 2023 to the finalised National Commitments that are in the draft Strategy. This table will be used during the meetings to identify where actions still need to be identified. It will also be used to prioritise proposed actions into short, medium and long-term timeframes. This information will then be provided to the Oversight Council for consideration.

1. Improve understanding of, and change attitudes towards, Autistic people across all of society, through: a. Greater public education and awareness including a better understanding of autism within workplaces, with a focus on health, education and the Federal justice system. b. Increasing visibility and representation of Autistic people in the media, sports and the arts. c. Increasing accessible and sensory-friendly public and online spaces. d. Increasing the capability of advocates and advocacy organisations to challenge and reduce stigma of autism.

Social Inclusion

Increase opportunities for social connections and peer support.

| 2.1 | Evaluate what peer support models currently exist to determine what is working well. Ensure research/eval includes intersectionality of each person (how it looks within different equity groups, including cultural, geographical, varying disabilities, communication types and styles etc). Evaluate existing peaks with an intersectional lens to assess their capacity to meet the differing needs of all autistic people, taking into account their intersecting identities. |- Definition of ‘peer support’ provided by Ranji via email (28/02/24): | Peer support occurs when people provide knowledge, experience, emotional, social or practical help to each other.[1] It commonly refers to an initiative consisting of trained supporters (although it can be provided by peers without training) and can take a number of forms such as peer mentoring, |- reflective listening (reflecting content and/or feelings), or counselling. | Peer support is also used to refer to initiatives where colleagues, members of self-help organizations and others meet, in person or online, as equals to give each other connection and support on a reciprocal basis. | | — Page 45 of 344 —

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2.2 Commit adequate, ongoing and sustainable funding to at least one not-for-profit, Autistic-led, advocacy organisation in each state, territory and region that is led by and for all Autistic people.

2.3 Commit adequate, ongoing and sustainable funding to intentional peer support programs and networks run by and for all Autistic people, that undergoes regular monitoring and evaluation. Ensuring the safety of Autistic peer workers by providing adequate, safe, trauma-informed co-reflection and individual supervision.

3. Improve Australian Government service delivery, communication, and information to meet the needs of Autistic people.

New points and wording taken at WG meeting on on 13/03/24:

• Develop training in the provision of appropriate environments for Autistic people to upskill, support, and appoint Autistic people in leadership boards, advisory groups, research team and reference groups.

3.1 Appoint Autistic people in leadership boards, advisory groups, research teams and reference groups.

3.2 Develop not only pathways for Autistic people for career progression, including through tertiary education but also capability & cultural uplifts to engender more accessible environments.

3.3 Understand communication needs of Autistic people, develop a Standard Operational Procedure on communication needs and reasonable adjustments, complimented by providing training to government employees on accessibility for Autistic people. ‘What to expect’ documents when accessing government services.

3.4 Accessibility consultant in every department.

3.5 Provide physical environments that meet the needs of Autistic people, such as quiet offices/rooms.

4. Undertake a review of the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and associated disability standards to ensure they are meeting the needs of Autistic people.

Implement all of the recommendations from the Disability Royal Commission which pertain to the Disability Discrimination Act, including introducing positive duty requirements on government entities, business and the community sector to prevent and redress discrimination, vilification, and abuse.

4.1 In line with the recommendations from the Disability Royal Commission to introduce a Federal Disability Rights Act.

4.2 Introduce a Federal Autism Act which enshrines the National Autism Strategy and its implementation into Federal legislation.

4.3 Through the NAS, work with state and territory governments to fund, develop and implement a rights-driven Autism Strategy in all states and Territories.

Comment provided from the Diagnosis Supports and Services WG: Could we roll the federal and state strategy in one to avoid unnecessary duplication?

Social Inclusion

Improve the safety and welfare of Autistic people through the reduction of all forms of discrimination, violence, abuse, bullying, vilification and exploitation.

5.1 Appropriate levers, that may include legislation, to mandate inclusion, awareness training, and reasonable adjustments to make Autistic people feel safe in the workplace and broader settings.

Can this be covered/included in 5.2?

5.2 Develop policies that require government agencies and recipients of government funding to have Disability Inclusion Action Plans that cater for the needs of autistic people. Include this as a requirement in the Request for Quotation and procurement documentation as part of the contractual obligations.

5.3 Build on how sectors work with and communicate with Autistic people – a vocabulary about what it is like to be an Autistic person. Practical resources to build awareness in significant workforces to support them better to engage with and understand Autistic people.

(covered in 1.3)

Note from Secretariat (21.03.24): can we agree/check this item is covered in 1.3 and this action can be removed?

5.4 Autism training should be part of core competencies in education settings.

(covered in 1.2)

Note from Secretariat (21.03.24): can we agree/check this item is covered in 1.2 and this action can be removed?

5.5 Need to achieve a sense of safety – policies to ensure and harness safety in workplaces and schools and other environments.

(covered in 5.1)

Note from Secretariat (21.03.24): can we agree/check this item is covered in 5.1 and this action can be removed?

Economic Inclusion

6. Increase meaningful employment opportunities (including business ownership, self-employment, entrepreneurship and social enterprise) for Autistic people. | | | | 6.1 Evaluate the effectiveness of Autistic-specific employment programs to determine what works well from both an outcomes and autistic perspective (to develop a foundation). Conduct a desktop review of what is already out there, what is done well, what has buy-in from the Autistic community. Alternate wording suggestion, provided by [[[[s47F - personal privacy](/foi-library/releases/759e22e37354-foi-24-25-0593-decision-document/release-materials/material-001__s47f-personal-privacy/)](/foi-library/releases/759e22e37354-foi-24-25-0593-decision-document/release-materials/material-001__s47f-personal-privacy/)](/foi-library/releases/759e22e37354-foi-24-25-0593-decision-document/release-materials/material-001__s47f-personal-privacy/)](/foi-library/releases/759e22e37354-foi-24-25-0593-decision-document/release-materials/material-001__s47f-personal-privacy/) (5.03.24): Identify what helps Autistic people gain and maintain meaningful employment. Specifics actions include (but are not limited to): evaluating Autistic-specific employment programs that are widely accepted by the Autistic community and conducting a desktop review of existing evidence. Alternative wording suggestion, provided by s47F - personal privacy (14/03/24): Evaluate the current autism-specific employment program landscape to establish a foundation, with the purpose of:

• Identifying gaps
• Identifying challenges
• Identifying cases of good practice that can be implemented more broadly | Short/Medium + ongoing | Clarify scope of evaluation, measures of success, and team responsible for this action. Refine methods (add more specific actions if needed). | 6.2 Commit to achieving meaningful and long-term employment outcomes by changing ‘tick the box’ employment practices. Design programs to get Autistic people into jobs where success is based on retention not placement. (inclusive transportation) (support intersectionality effectively) *clarify what terms like

Economic Inclusion

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6.4 Give training to job providers, recruitment agencies, employers, career advisors, and educators on: • the benefits of hiring Autistic people • the benefits of adopting inclusive recruitment and management practices • how to adopt inclusive recruitment and management practice show to communicate this information to relevant parties (e.g., employers)

Comment from [[s47F - personal privacy](/foi-library/releases/759e22e37354-foi-24-25-0593-decision-document/release-materials/material-001__s47f-personal-privacy/)](/foi-library/releases/759e22e37354-foi-24-25-0593-decision-document/release-materials/material-001__s47f-personal-privacy/) on the above wording: I remember in a meeting, there was a lot of discussion about how accommodating Autistic employees improves practices for all employees. I have made points 2 & 3 not autism-specific because we don’t want to communicate that the benefits of accommodating Autistic employees means you know how to accommodate future Autistic employees. That would downplay the benefits. We want employers to know that inclusive practices will support Autistic employees AND other employees and, therefore, improve their business. Further comments: Basically, it’s about increasing employers’

Economic Inclusion

6.7 NAS to fund programs and initiatives that support autistic entrepreneurship starting as early as possible. The programs should have emphasise on finding purpose initially before moving into more practical skills for self-employment. Mentoring programs for autistic people who are starting business’ in areas such as tax, finance, HR etc. Funding to support autistic entrepreneurs get started (specific autism accelerator and incubator programs).

• Alternate wording suggestion, provided by [[[s47F - personal privacy](/foi-library/releases/759e22e37354-foi-24-25-0593-decision-document/release-materials/material-001__s47f-personal-privacy/)](/foi-library/releases/759e22e37354-foi-24-25-0593-decision-document/release-materials/material-001__s47f-personal-privacy/)](/foi-library/releases/759e22e37354-foi-24-25-0593-decision-document/release-materials/material-001__s47f-personal-privacy/) (5.03.24): Fund initiatives to support Autistic entrepreneurship. These programs should have an emphasis on finding purpose/direction before moving into more practical skills required for self-employment.

• Alternate wording suggestion provided by s47F - personal privacy (18.03.24): Create a program that enables autistic community to acquire micro credentials this includes focusing on areas such as job readiness e.g. workplace social skills, self-advocacy and self-determination, resume writing and interview skills. For those that are wanting to start their own microenterprises providing micro credentials in money management, setting up their home office, basic accounting and finance to be able to properly account for the money and create tools such that will assist with some of the executive challenges that may prevent individual from running a successful business.

Additional text provided by s47F - personal privacy (18.03.24): 6.8 Make government grants easier to apply for, using plain English and transparency rather than the current system. Introduce an easy wording grant application process, that reduces the confusions and provides clarifying statements for areas of the application that may not be immediately understood particularly when it comes to setting budget and grant milestone dates. In the way of mentorship provide access to experts that are available to assist with areas that may be challenging for the individual.

7. Support employers to hire and retain Autistic employees through improving the accessibility of recruitment processes and fostering workplace environments that are safe and inclusive for all Autistic people.

7.1 Have a dedicated team to collate information on accessible hiring practices and turn that information into simple, small chunks of information. Content: Resources to show small changes employers can make to increase accessibility of their application and hiring practices. Formats: create infographics, short video clips, comic strip images, short articles. Team: Team should be Autistic-led. Distribution: the resulting resources can be shared easily via social media, and provided in print form (e.g., flyers). Can be distributed to job providers who can share with their networks. Also distributed directly to potential employers, and possibly at relevant conferences. Autism CRC has a resource along those lines, therefore, adopt Autism CRC’s “The Integrated Employment Success Tool”. Promote the Federal Government’s Employee Assistance Fund where employers are provided with financial help to purchase work-related modifications and services.

• Comment from Diagnosis Supports and Services WG: Part of 6 and 7 overlap. I would put 7.1 in part 6.

7.2 Provide genuine, and timely support for employers and employees to identify and implement reasonable adjustments. Perhaps a call-in advice service on reasonable adjustments. Additional text provided by s47F - personal privacy (18.03.24):

Economic Inclusion

Introduce self-identification tools that will assist the employee to identify the types of reasonable adjustments that they would need, not all autistic individuals even know what reasonable accommodations to ask for.

Additional text provided by [[[s47F - personal privacy](/foi-library/releases/759e22e37354-foi-24-25-0593-decision-document/release-materials/material-001__s47f-personal-privacy/)](/foi-library/releases/759e22e37354-foi-24-25-0593-decision-document/release-materials/material-001__s47f-personal-privacy/)](/foi-library/releases/759e22e37354-foi-24-25-0593-decision-document/release-materials/material-001__s47f-personal-privacy/) (18.03.24): 7.3 Develop resources and capacity building tools for employers to support Autistic people in employment. Reinforced by Stories of change showcasing best practise examples of how an employer has been able to make the workplace neuro inclusive.

Establish a data clearing house that captures best practice for others to learn from, including case study examples.

Promoting safe, inclusive and accessible workplace environments, reducing burnout experienced by Autistic people by constantly ‘masking’ neurotypical behaviours. Additional text provided by s47F - personal privacy (18.03.24): This includes providing funding for employers to access sensory assessment audits.

Working in co-production with Autistic people, develop and implement a national program to upskill and build the capacity of workplaces, Comment from Diagnosis Supports and Services WG: I would put 7.6 with 6.5.

Compulsory professional development about autism, neurodiversity and inclusive practices for those in charge of hiring processes, hiring decisions, bullying, and managing reasonable adjustments. This professional development will not be appropriate for organisations of every size, however, will be suitable for all industries. The training could make the legislative requirements clear, outline the support available to streamline these processes and handle bullying and other difficult situations.

Campaign / information / professional development targeted to employers. This could be in the form of social media shares or more direct mail outs to employers to provide information on issues job seekers have experienced. Can be infographics / comic style. Show scenario – incorrect employer action – consequence to employee – penalties to employer. Then show the same scenario again with various positive ways to address it and show the outcomes. Additional text provided by s47F - personal privacy (18.03.24): (It is important to ensure that all content creation is based on universal design principles and in accessible formats.) Further comments (WG member): I think 7.8 could be combined with 7.5

Real and enforced penalties for employers that do not provide reasonable adjustments or do not address bullying once they become aware of it.

Adjust policy to make it more difficult for workplaces to get away with treating people poorly. While discrimination and bullying is commonly prohibited in policy and law, there are very subtle ways that workplaces manage to get around it. Perhaps making it compulsory for workplaces to have clear pathways to report bullying or unfair treatment. Additional text provided by s47F - personal privacy (18.03.24): This includes targeting employers who have inaccessible recruitment and selection processes, e.g. not including the employers willingness to provide reasonable adjustments during the recruitment and selection process, or not providing multiple options when it comes to submitting their applications e.g. video instead of written application etc. Comment from Diagnosis Supports and Services WG: I don’t think that this can be done under this strategy.

Economic Inclusion

Improve the supports and services available to Autistic people to ensure they have choice and control over their education and careers.

| 8.1 | Provide a mentor for Autistic teens (preferably Autistic mentor). Frequency of meetings: variable. May be weekly when students need to make big decisions and put in applications, but usually a few times/year. Length of mentor relationship: Start at least in Grade 10, continue on until a few years after they have left school. Description: Allow Autistic teens to look at their options – with no pressure – and explore their interests. Identify their interests and strengths and present options of things they may like to consider after they leave school and during. Not just university courses. Discuss TAFE, entry level work, volunteering, internship programs, hobbies and skills to develop. Provide specific opportunities, not vague suggestions. Needs to be approached with no pressure, e.g., as personal development, following interests. Mentor can support and help problem solve when things go wrong (e.g., did not get required grade for a course or they were offered a job but don’t know public transport). Target to youth (up to 25 years). Mentoring for parents of children aged 5-12. Address bullying. Alternate wording suggestion, provided by s47F - personal privacy (5.03.24): Mentorship for Autistic people aged 12 to about 25. Mentors support mentees in exploring & pursuing interests, strengths, & career options. Mentors become a familiar support person, provide practical support (e.g., completing applications), assistance with problem solving, and provide information on specific development opportunities that are in line with the mentee’s goals (not only TAFE/uni). | |

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| Divide into two action item groups: primary and secondary/Uni. | | | | Note from Department of Education: States/territories (or non-government education authorities) are best placed to organise and manage such an initiative, as having local knowledge and connections with jurisdiction schools and training providers will be critical to being a successful mentor. | | |

8.2 Ensure that policy in schools to provide reasonable adjustments to students are adhered to. In circumstances where they cannot provide reasonable adjustments they are required to provide evidence as to why. *Reframe action 8.2 to be about raising awareness and building capacity. *Resource hub for teachers. E.g. what reasonable adjustments look like for Autistic people. *Funding for schools to provide additional supports.

Note from Department of Education: Schools are already required to provide reasonable adjustments under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA) and the Disability Standards for Education 2005 (DSE). What do we mean by ‘change of policy’? Comment from Diagnosis Supports and Services WG: I wanted to just make some suggestions and feedback based on significant school trauma personally and working closely within the broken school systems. Extreme amounts of specific outline of what these adjustments actually look like and have an autistic run and monitored system to oversee implementation to ensure it isn’t just a tick box or quick fix or current stating they are but actually aren’t. wanted to put in here about ideas for monitoring supports and services changes to ensure it is in line with the strategy developed by autistic people - As many are aware in school systems they have disciplinary action warning system which majority of students who encounter this system are autistic children with other co-existing neurotypes because of the lack of support, understanding and flexibility to understand ways of supporting these children. This often means many children experience time outs, loss of lunch times, whole class humiliation (peg charts, dojos etc.), physical restraint, suspensions and expulsion. The current approach and ways in which autistic children are treated in this system is abusive, outdated and causes significant long term trauma and there is no sight of change without systemic change. To ensure accurate change is implemented, it is important that failure to get up to date with the autism strategy within the school system as a whole should result in verbal warnings, suspensions from work etc. similar to those enforced on students. A whole revamp of the system needs to occur and it is not just the education system that needs this because more and more children have lifelong trauma physically and psychologically from this and it is a very critical time of development which they are exposed to this which impacts their whole life. The change needs to occur at all levels of the dept of ed not just on a school by school basis because a local higher up in the dept of ed who I have had the pleasure of meeting as the individual school wasn’t going to support a child I supported told me that autistic people just put on meltdowns as manipulation and that this child needed more punishment to be held accountable. I have also been informed that the dept of ed policy is changing to remove warnings to hold kids accountable and they are going to suspend them straight away which is a massive discrimination issue. So much change is needed and I am very concerned nothing will happen due to the limited time we have left for the meetings, amount that needs to be covered and no update regarding what the next stages are. I am also concerned that there has been no update regarding draft strategy release or where to from here.

8.3 Promote the Federal Government’s Work Assist program, to assist those who are at risk of losing their job due to illness, injury or disability. Many Autistic people are let go from their jobs within months of being employed. Comment from member: Also access if the Work Assist program is effective at helping autistic people retain work.

8.4 Employment pilots to connect people to work in areas of skills shortage. Continue to provide support during employment to promote long-term arrangements.

8.5 Develop resources for Autistic people on self-advocacy in employment. Refer to Autism CRC’s Self Advocacy@work website.

Economic Inclusion

8.6 People working in organisations, such as Centrelink, need to have disability training. Centrelink forms need to be in easy read formats, as they are currently confusing and difficult to understand. Increase in-person support to assist with completing paper work. Comment from member: Not just organisations, this needs to be parts of government that interact with the general public, so Centrelink but also the Tax Office, Medicare, etc

9.7 Create clear, step by step guides for different areas of unemployment - not just writing a resume but things like how to actually contact Centrelink.

Increase representation of Autistic people in senior and board positions to promote people as visible role models.

9.1 Encourage neurodivergent people in senior roles to be visible role models. Alternate wording suggestion provided by s47F - pe (15.3.24) Make it so that every Autistic person young and old can have a dream to be a leader of not only tomorrow but today.

9.2 New action suggested by s47F - pe (15.3.24): Help foster an attitude change within the Australian Public Service and within the private sector to the largest possible extent that Autistic people are capable of senior roles and use examples of such. Provide funding for advancement (9.2) to enable a new generation of senior autistic role models to blaze a train through the highest levels of the Australian Government and Industry.

9.3 New action suggested by s47F - pe (15.3.24): Provide funding for scholarships to enable autistic people to attend development and training for senior and board positions. For example, DSS already partners with the Australian Institute of Company Directors to provide training for people with disabilities on a scholarship basis. This must be extended to people with autism.

9.4 New action suggested by s47F - pe (15.3.24): Build a corporate mentorship program to allow Autistic people to be mentored by senior employees and board members both within the Australian public service and corporate sector. Leverage the relationships with external consultants.

Comment from member: Why is this action here? The action doesn’t match the commitment. Secretariat follow up comment: Is there a suggestion on which commitment this would best fit under? Does it fit under a commitment?

9.5 Attract, recruit and retain more people with disability in the Australian Public Service, being a model employer of Autistic people. Comment from member: Maybe could some of the campaigns as suggested in 6.3 and 7.8 overlap/connect with this point – as in use campaigns to increase visibility.

9.6 Increasing Autistic people in leadership positions will likely shift culture and lead to improvements in the accessibility of hiring practices.

9.7 Increase visibility of existing neurodivergent role models who can share their stories including what has and hasn’t worked for them. Comment from member: Maybe could some of the campaigns as suggested in 6.3 and 7.8 overlap/connect with this point – as in use campaigns to increase visibility.

10. Improve inclusive practices and the quality and accessibility of advocacy resources for Autistic students across all education settings, and their families, carers and support networks

Economic Inclusion

Commitment Short/Medium/Long Term Action - 1st year Short – 1 year (bold text, not for workshopping) Medium – 2-5 years x.x Action items (for workshopping) Long – 5-7 years

                and training
      Disability Standards for Education 10.1   Have resources             available to educators to increase awareness and understanding of Autism, and implementation capability of the                                   Review of resources by
   Note from Department of Education:                                        2005.                                                                                                                                                             autistic people should                                                                                                                                                           happen in the short term                                               In response to the 2020 Review of the DSE (the DSE is reviewed every 5 years), the Government has funded                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       (first 6 months of strategy).      new resources to build awareness of the DSE among student and their families and build capability in teachers and school leaders.      We suggest that an initial step before this action would be to review whether existing resources meet the needs identified by the NAS WG/OC.         Note: delivery of school education is a matter for the states and territories.
    Note from Department of Education: We are unsure what further guidelines are needed beyond the existing requirements of the DSE and related 10.2   Have national guidelines to make education more accessible but also have tailored supports/plans for different schools.
    mechanisms. We note that delivery of school education – including tailored supports etc – is a matter for the states and territories.
   Comment provided by Diagnosis Supports and Services WG: Wanting to know if this includes private, independent and religious schools and how will this

10.3 Commitmentguideline be mandatedto providingto ensureeducationit is nottailoredignored.to various learning styles and different areas of strength and weaknesses of Autistic students, reflected by teaching staff, department of education and curriculum. 10.4 Have a wellbeing frameworks47F - per in place that was been designed by Autistic people. Incorporate regular check-in sessions with counsellor as part of Suggested wording from (5.03.24): Develop a wellbeing framework to support Autistic students and staff in all education settings. Suggested wording from [s47F - personal privac](/foi-library/releases/759e22e37354-foi-24-25-0593-decision-document/release-materials/material-001__s47f-personal-privacy/) (14.3.24): Develop a wellbeing framework designed by Autistic people that is evidence based, and provide co-designed wellbeing resources for autistic people, their support networks (incl parents, siblings and friends) as well as resources for professionals such as school teachers, head teachers, allied health therapists, GPs and school counsellors. • Conduct literature review on the available evidence of autistic wellbeing • Co-design national wellbeing framework for autistic people • Develop resources in collaboration with autistic people and key populations • Make resources available via peak bodies, DE, website, relevant associations etc Comment from member: I agree with this suggested wording from s47F - personal privac.. Note from Department of Education: We note the Australian Student Wellbeing Framework and its supporting resources is freely available to schools. It is not clear who is intended to be the user/audience of this framework. Is it staff or students or a joint resource? 10.5 Provide opportunities for Autistic students to try new things and demonstrate their capacity. Note: delivery of school education is a matter for the states and territories. 10.6 DevelopAutistic and review resources for Autistic people on self-advocacy. Autistic Note from Department of Education: 10.7 awareness hubs to educate employers, educators, families and support networks, serviced by people. How these hubs would operate. Would they have remit to go out to the sectors and raise awareness or would they be ‘drop-in’ style operations? 10.8 Enable more pathways to university. The high academic approach where a high Tertiary Entrance Ranking is required does not suit everybody.

Economic Inclusion

| 10.9 Allow Autistic students a way to pursue their passions more in school. | | | | 10.10 Provide more information on how to access University so there is a better understanding. | | | | 10.11 Place more focus on roles outside of Information and Communications Technology (ICT). Currently ICT is more of a focus, stemming from stereotypes of autistic people. | | | | 10.12 Address underemployment by identifying underutilised skills of Autistic people. | | | | 10.13 Employers to adopt flexible working arrangements to support those with complex health issues e.g. shorter working blocks for those unable to work for long periods. Comment from member: I think this point should also include help education institutions, from schools to higher education institutions adopt and create flexible arrangements to support autistic people, especially around attendance and complex support needs. | | | | 10.14 Have an employer rating system. E.g. this is an Autism Friendly workplace/employer. Have a central location (i.e. website) that house all organisations that are certified so that autistic people know where is safe. | | |

Build on National Commitment 5 Improve the safety and welfare of Autistic people through the reduction of all forms of discrimination, violence, abuse, bullying, vilification and exploitation to specifically focus on Autistic students in all levels of education.

Comment provided by Diagnosis Supports and Services Working Group: Changes need to also occur in tertiary education as it is still teaching non-affirming and extremely harmful learnings, accessibility whilst it is said to be done; is not being fully honoured by academics/teachers etc. and many barriers to accessibility across field that make achieving qualifications or getting through unachievable. Massive issue of school and how major changes need to occur in attitudes, supports provided in school and ablest that exists within education as this impacts the whole lifespan. within the education and training systems to correct information and strategies used i.e. zones of regulation, behavioural charts, behaviouristic frameworks etc. Suspension and warning systems for educators, teachers, academics etc. who continue to utilise discriminatory, outdated, behavioural modification and ablest approaches that do not align with strategy co-designed measures. Similar to those experienced by autistic students all the time for not ‘fitting the mould’ or meeting unachievable neuro-normative standards currently upheld by education providers.

| 11.1 Diversify the standard method of teaching so learning and assessing is more inclusive of neurodivergent learning styles. This can be achieved, for example, by using more multimedia platforms to provide information, provide learning materials in more than one format (e.g. written and verbal), providing information in easy read formats, offering multiple options for assessment and removing mandatory standard examinations. | | |

| 11.2 Undertake a comprehensive review of the national education curriculum. Provide flexibility in curriculum and grading. Allow students to have a choice in how they are assessed, assessing a range of different areas and allowing students to choose an area of passion. Do not assess on purely neurotypical or monocultural standards such as eye contact when public speaking. | | |

| 11.3 Less reliance on standardised testing and assessments that only focus on particular areas of strength, such as NAPLAN. Comment provided by Diagnosis Supports and Services WG: Is there anyway to remove these assessments all together and incorporate other strength-based ways to show learning outcomes. | | |

| 11.4 Enabling students to take breaks when needed from the classroom, having an agreed place the student can retreat to for breaks. | | |

Economic Inclusion

| Comment provided by Diagnosis Supports and Services WG: Many schools have this as conditional on if work is done, ‘behaviour shown’ and say they are doing this yet they aren’t. I am strongly in belief that nothing will change unless it is mandated. | | |

| 11.5 Provide more flexibility in attendance when students are struggling, through regular check-ins from a trusted teacher when they are not attending, sessions during free time for students to complete work. | | |

| 11.6 Get school principals invested in inclusivity, build into school culture. Reforms to governance structure, insert key measured on how they have demonstrated inclusion. | | |

| 11.7 Campaigns around standing up for your colleagues or quietly reporting bullying if you see a colleague, whether you know they are autistic or not, being treated poorly due to their characteristics. | | |

| 11.8 Clarify what counts as bullying and discrimination – not always the extreme and severe end, can be subtle too. | | |

| 11.9 Employees need access to an external third party to report bullying and failure to provide reasonable adjustments. Employees can access this service to help them decide how to report to their employers and to decide whether they need to report elsewhere. Preferable if the external third party could assist practically if needed. E.g. assist in drafting a letter. | | |

Diagnosis, Supports and Services

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• Conflict of Interest
• Funding sources
• Statement of Autistic/Community Involvement
• Statement of harm measured and reported | | | | |

13. Develop a set of best practice resources to support Autistic people and their families, carers and support networks through the identification, assessment and diagnosis process. 13.1 – Where in-person services are inaccessible, allow practitioners to provide diagnostic assessments online. 13.2 – To assist with fast-tracking access to supports and diagnosis, have pre-diagnosis tools available that GPs etc. can direct people to complete prior seeking a formal diagnosis. Information would cover the diverse presentation of Autism (and across the lifespan) and co-occurring mental health and physical health conditions. Tools to be in accessible formats such as videos, visual information and handouts. (is this referring to something along the lines of a ‘so you think you have Autism, pre self-diagnosis tool’, or a ‘what to expect at your first and subsequent appointments’, or ‘what does the Autism diagnosis journey look like?’ or all of this plus more?) | 13.1 – Where in-person services are inaccessible, allow health and mental health practitioners to provide diagnostic assessments online. | Short | | | | Short – scope what exists? Medium – develop tools and roll out? Comment provided: Look at ideas from point 12. |

Diagnosis, Supports and Services

• Domestic violence Comments from redacted (12/03/24):
• Create supports and services for marginalised and at risk Autistic people in specific areas such as:
• services and supports for Autistic people in Domestic Violence situations
• supports and services for Autistic children from prep-Grade 12 who do not meet the criteria for special education due to IQ score etc. but still need significant support to access and attend mainstream schooling
• support package for Autistic school leavers to assist transition to work, tafe, university etc. Bearing in mind Autistic burnout after finishing school and bearing in mind that full time work and school is often not sustainable for Autistic people
• Nationally consistent mandatory standards for supports and services that ALL universities MUST provide to accommodate Autistic people in higher education and working in academia (Autistic professor story) to reduce drop out from university and closure of these services
• supports, resources and services for Autistic women and AFAB navigating pregnancy, post-natal period, perimenopause and menopause
• LGBTQIA+ supports and services for the Autistic population
• Legal services that Autistic people can access – training for Legal Aid and disability discrimination services such as the human rights commission and workplace ombudsman. | Short term – development of framework Short term – creation of list on central database of ablest, harmful and not autistic co-run trainings to minimise utilisations of trainings that continue to utilise behaviourism, aba and other harmful modalities. Medium term – delegates to monitor consistent meeting of minimum requirement framework. Medium term – continual update of data base based on continual research and findings. | Short – 1 year Medium – 2-5 years Long – 5-7 years |

• Autism specific advocacy services to assist people to navigate all these systems and not drop through the cracks
• Autism training in housing services – Autistic people have specific needs and have difficulty navigating the system and end up homeless.
• service for older Autistic people to help them live at home longer, and create specific nursing homes that are Autism friendly so people don’t kill themselves rather than going into a nursing home and leaving their house and routine
• Autism hubs – such as the NHS does where you can access this all under one roof.
• Specific supports and services for Autistic parents, including supports navigating child safety and schools, legal and advocacy services for parents of Autistic children no matter the neurotype.
• Services and supports such as NDIS should take into account the family system and aim to address the whole of family by supporting the parents and carers
• respite for parents and carers of Autistic children and adults that provides a full wrap around service that addresses the barriers to people using the service.
• Autism specific training for addiction services, caring agencies, disability agencies, eating disorder organisations, and NDIS services
• Autism training for centrelink and medicare and increasing understanding of Autistic people how to get support from Centrelink ie: DSP | | Short – 1 year Medium – 2-5 years Long – 5-7 years | Short | Action - 1st year | | New action on supports and services | 16.3 – Implement a frequently updated system that indicates what services and supports are available and what type of service is available (e.g. telehealth, face to | | Short | Action - 1st year |

Diagnosis, Supports and Services

Diagnosis, Supports and Services

Diagnosis, Supports and Services

17. Encourage greater representation of people with lived experience in delivering supports and services. | 17.1 – Opportunities to access funded training and work within supporting autism strategy implementation through delegates, training delivery, regulation boards, further education or other opportunities.

• Increase peer support and peer led mentoring programs (redacted)
• Increase the intersectionality of representation of lived experience | |

18. Develop a set of best practice training and resource materials to for people providing service and supports to Autistic people. | 18.1 – Working in co-production with Autistic people design, develop and implement targeted education and campaign initiatives that:

• raise awareness about Autism, our experiences, strengths and support needs
• challenge ableist attitudes about Autistic people
• include, promote and platform real stories told about and by Autistic people
• showcase best practice examples of how to support, include and accommodate for Autistic people Comment: does this one fit under 18 or should it be moved? Just not sure where it best fits. | |

19. Explore the feasibility of a decision-making tool to empower Autistic people to make informed decisions about all areas of their life. | 19.1 – Working in co-production with Autistic people, develop national accessibility guidelines that inform government entities, business and non-government organisations on how to ensure that are accessible to Autistic and neurodivergent people. This should consider factors like: |

Governance

X. National Commitments (not for workshopping) x.x Action items (taken from Gov Teams, for workshopping)

21. Develop a governance framework to support:

• strong accountability mechanisms
• co-leadership and active involvement of Autistic people, as well as parents, carers and professionals within the Autism sector
• whole-of-government, cross-sectoral and coordinated approaches to implementation.

21.1

Research

X. National Commitments (not for workshopping) x.x Action items (taken from Gov Teams, for workshopping)

22. Establish an Expert Reference Group or similar to explore how autism research can best be fostered and applied to policy and service delivery and underpinned by the Strategy’s Guiding Principles.

22.1

Evidence

X. National Commitments (not for workshopping) x.x Action items (taken from Gov Teams, for workshopping)

23. Develop a National Autism Strategy Evidence Framework, including a Theory of Change, Program Logic, Outcomes Framework, and Evaluation Framework.

23.1

Evaluation and Reporting

X. National Commitments (not for workshopping) x.x Action items (taken from Gov Teams, for workshopping)

24. Develop a robust evaluation plan and reporting mechanism, co-led by Autistic people and the autism community, for the National Autism Strategy.

24.1

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Diagnosis, Supports and Services Working Group Meeting Agenda

2pm – 4pm (AEST), Thursday 16 May 2024

National Autism Strategy

Agenda Item 4: Whole Working Group come together to discuss proposed Actions for National Autism Strategy Action Plans for Commitments 13, 14, 15 and 16

If not agreed to break out into separate rooms, continue discussion on Commitments 13, 14, 15 and 16

Agenda Item 5: Next Steps and close

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Agenda

Diagnosis, Supports and Services Working Group and Health and Mental Health Working Group Joint Meeting

2pm – 4:10pm (AEST), Thursday 18 April 2024

Page 75 of 344 1 | Page

National Autism Strategy

Diagnosis, Supports and Services Working Group Meeting Agenda

2pm – 4pm (AEST), Thursday 27 June 2024

Page 77 of 344 1| Page

Boundary principles for commitments under the National Autism Strategy and the National Roadmap for Improving the Health and Mental Health of Autistic People

1 Feb 2024

The National Autism Strategy (the NAS) and the National Roadmap for Improving the Health and Mental Health of Autistic People (the Roadmap) are being developed in parallel by the Department of Social Services (DSS) and the Department of Health and Aged Care (DoHAC) respectively. The NAS will have four outcome areas and commitments, one of which will be the health and mental health commitments developed by DoHAC in the Roadmap. The outcome areas are:

• Social inclusion
• Economic inclusion
• Diagnosis, services and support, and
• Health and mental health (the Roadmap).

Relationship between Diagnosis, Services and Supports and Health and Mental Health

Actions and commitments under the last two outcome areas are expected to interface and cross-relate, especially where commitments focus on health or mental health services or practitioners.

To ensure that these relationships are constructive, the secretariats for the NAS and Roadmap work closely together, including having a senior official from DOHAC sits on the NAS Oversight Council. Where input is provided to the NAS that more appropriately fits within the scope of the Roadmap (or vice versa) the input will be shared between secretariats to ensure individuals do not need to repeat their views.

To provide clarity for members of the community involved in developing the NAS and Roadmap, the following principles have been developed. These will be applied when developing and implementing commitments across the two outcome areas.

Essentially, the NAS is intended to deliver across the range of service sectors that Autistic people engage with, including initial engagement with the health system, whereas the Roadmap delivers within the health and mental health service sectors. This is outlined in detail in the table below.

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Examples include:

• Improving identification and screening of people who might be Autistic in settings such as education, disability services or the workplace
• Supporting the process for referrals to health practitioners (e.g. psychiatrists and paediatricians) for the purpose of diagnosis

Mental Health Services (see Appendix B)

Examples include:

• How health and mental health services, including preventive care and crisis support, can be better tailored to the needs of Autistic people
• Continuity of care, care coordination, and integration within the health and mental health systems

Tools Used for Screening, Assessment, Diagnosis and Outcome Measurement

The NAS will include actions regarding screening, assessment, diagnostic or other psychometric tools. Where such tools are regulated or administered in the health system the actions will include consultation with health experts and be value-based. Example approach: Actions are:

• focused on outcomes that matter to autistic people
• acknowledge existing standards and the need for clinical validation (where relevant)
• fit-for-purpose to service objectives The Roadmap may include actions to broadly improve evidence and clinical practice within the health and mental health sectors. This may include health or mental health specific outcome tools. Specific actions on screening, assessment and diagnostic tools, and outcome tools outside of health and mental health, will be referred to the NAS.

Note: The above table refers to ‘actions’ only for brevity. The principles and scope outlined below will apply to all actions, commitments or other work arising from the NAS and Roadmap in these areas. Page 79 of 344

Appendix A - NAS consultation findings for the two relevant outcome areas

| Diagnosis, services and supports | - Addressing issues with NDIS access and use

• Ensuring affordable, accessible and safe services
• Providing safe and inclusive diagnosis
• Supporting families and carers
• Ensuring affordable and timely diagnosis
• Improving diagnostic tools and processes
• Ensuring continuity of support services
• Providing respite services for caregivers | | | Health and mental health | - Providing autism-friendly health and mental healthcare
• Training for health and mental healthcare professionals
• Caring for people with co-occurring neurotypes, disabilities, mental health conditions and medical health conditions
• Addressing high rates of mental illness and suicide |

Appendix B – Guiding Principles and Elements for the National Roadmap for Improving the Health and Mental Health of Autistic People (the Roadmap)

Roadmap Guiding Principles

Principle 1. Address the intersecting needs affecting Autistic people’s experience of health and mental health services

• An overarching goal and driver of the Roadmap is to reduce the health inequity that autistic people currently experience.
• Autistic people experience significantly poorer health and mental health outcomes than the general population and significantly greater barriers in accessing appropriate support from health and mental health systems. A key driver for the Roadmap is the progressive realisation of health and mental health services in which Autistic Australians enjoy their right to the highest attainable standard of health without discrimination on the basis of disability.
• To assist with this, the Roadmap will also refer to, and be aligned with the broader work of the National Autism Strategy, including the Economic and Social Inclusion Working Groups.

Principle 2. Acknowledge and address the specific needs of priority population’s experience of health and mental health services

• Many Autistic people experience multiple intersecting factors in their lives which impact how they are treated in health and mental health services. Based on evidence and experience, the key groups which the Roadmap will focus on include:
  • People with high or complex disability needs, including:
    • Complex communication needs
    • Complex behaviour support needs
    • People in residential settings
    • People in institutional settings
    • People with intellectual disability
  • First Nations people
  • Culturally and linguistically diverse people
  • LGBTIQA+ people
  • Women and girls
  • People who live in rural and remote areas, and
  • People who are from low socio-economic backgrounds.

Principle 3. Address mental health needs across the Roadmap

• Mental health is a key determinant of general health and wellbeing. Autistic people experience poorer mental health, including higher rates of co-occurring mental health conditions, than non-Autistic people. They are also more at risk of experiences that can contribute to poor mental health, including bullying and social isolation. In addition, Autistic people are at greater risk of suicide. Due to these factors, there is a critical need for appropriate, effective, accessible and trauma-informed mental health supports and services that can meet the needs of Autistic people.

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Roadmap Elements

Element A. Improving support for Autistic people, their families and carers in health and mental health services

• How health and mental health services, including preventive care and crisis support, can be better tailored to the needs of Autistic people.
  • This may include:
    • ensuring information is accessible and aligned with preferred forms of communication to accommodate complex communication needs
    • making services more sensory friendly and better at accommodating people with varied communication needs, and
    • ensuring Autistic people are not refused access to health and mental health services on the basis of their diagnosis, by ensuring services are capable and prepared to provide reasonable adjustments for autistic needs.
  • How Autistic people, and their families and carers, can be supported to know and understand their rights, enabling them to navigate the healthcare system. A key aspect of this is ensuring rights are upheld where an Autistic person may not have the capacity to communicate their needs or provide consent.

Element B. Improving the quality, safety and availability of neurodiversity-affirming health and mental health care for Autistic people across their lifespan

• Neurodiversity-affirming health and mental health care practices that are appropriate for children, young people, adults, and older people
• Continuity of care, care coordination, and integration within the health and mental health systems, and
• Eliminating the use of harmful restrictive practices and ensuring neurodiversity-affirming approaches to behaviours of concern

Element C. Building better connections between health, mental health and other service sectors, including the NDIS

• Considering ways Autistic people, including those with complex health care needs and co-occurring conditions, can be better supported by health professionals to access and coordinate services
• Improving coordination and communication between the health and other Commonwealth, state and territory services, including community services, the NDIS, and other government services, such as education, early childhood services, justice and social services, and
• Providing Autistic people, Autistic advocates, and Autistic-led organisations, with up to date, accurate and relevant information to assist Autistic people navigate the health, mental health and other service systems.

Element D. Improving autism education and training for health and disability professionals

• Improvements to health, mental health and disability professionals’ education and training in partnership with Autistic people and the autism sector.

• Address capabilities in the most practical settings for each profession, such as pre-registration education, vocational training, formal qualifications as well as post-graduate and in-service professional development.

• Improving competency in supporting Autistic people, disability literacy, and disability system literacy for the health and mental health sectors.

Element E. Research and data on health and mental health outcomes of Autistic people and their families and carers

• Ways of addressing the gaps in research and data about health and mental health outcomes, with a focus on reducing health inequities, mental health and other inequities faced by Autistic people.

• Identifying opportunities for co-produced research and improved research translation that reflects the priorities of the Autistic community.

Element F. Arrangements for oversight, monitoring, and implementation

• Provide a framework that assists the Department and stakeholders to take necessary actions arising from the Roadmap to meet the needs of the autism community. It will include meaningful engagement with Autistic people and the Autism community in areas such as:

  • Communication strategy, including co-produced knowledge translation so that the community, end-users, and stakeholders have access to meaningful and relevant information, and the Autistic community is given the necessary knowledge to be empowered and advocate.

  • Implementation timeframes,

  • Monitoring, and evaluation and reporting framework.

Diagnosis, Supports and Services Working Group Meeting

2pm to 4pm, Thursday 1 February 2024 Summary of comments from the Chat

Summary of Comments

• With respect to supports and services it is also important to look for and address the risk of harm from those lobbying for business within the autism sector.

• In terms of the NDIS, the NDIA maintains that the gender discrepancy in participation rates is in part because autism is a male-dominated diagnosis. If we’re improving understanding of presentation of autism in under-represented cohorts within this work, it’s critical to engage with the NDIS Review.

• The (Strategy’s) Glossary should be reviewed by all Working Groups before it is released – Secretariat noted this as an action item.

• Addition to supports for the table: all government disability training needs to be updated to be neurodiversity affirming.

• Feel like we are being blamed for causing a budget increase in the NDIS. Places can chuck the word disability onto services and charge 1000% more, like a D&D group costing hundreds of dollars a sessions per child, or selling VRs and saying you can use it for autism etc. It needs to be regulated, as well as tools too – it’s so frustrating.

• Deeply concerning that the early identification component has been cut from the trial.

• Suggestions to add to the table: we need to add a section on creating supports and services for Autistic people across the lifespan:

  1. aged care,
  2. early supports and identification, and
  3. supports for NT parents of Autistic kids.

• Need for more specialised supports for Autistic parents, increase appropriate respite that looks at actual accessibility. There is a lack of respite, but then if there is respite available there is no one to take care of the person’s Autistic child – particularly if they have high support needs.

• We need to create supports that are whole family focused instead of focusing on each participant in the NDIS, instead (focussing) on how funding and services benefit the whole family holistically. Noone seems to understand that by supporting the Autistic parents the whole family benefits and without support the whole family struggles.

• In the context of the National Autism Strategy, best practice is:

  • Strengths-based, trauma informed and Neuro-affirming, embracing safety, choice, collaboration, empowerment, and respect for diversity.
  • Co-leadership between government and the Autistic and autism Community.
  • Informed and guided by lived experience expertise and insights.
  • Evidence-based decision making.
  • Data-driven, outcomes focused, with robust monitoring and evaluation.

Diagnosis, Supports and Services Working Group Meeting

2pm to 4pm, Thursday 1 February 2024 Summary of comments from the Chat

Suggestions for the National Roadmap

• One suggestion for the roadmap is for the section in the document sent to the Working Group in the last 24 hours, is one suggested addition to the vulnerable groups. Add medically complex Autistic people, so important and often not mentioned. People with co-occurring medical conditions including chronic pain, especially if you have 3+ medical conditions you are vulnerable in the health system.
• Autistic children become Autistic adults. The elderly population also includes Autistic people, so we need a whole of life support system.
• Appropriate stakeholders should always include Autistic people.
• The assessment, screening and outcome tools (National) commitment remains as it was finalised.
• The problem with government is that they can change their mind for political or financial reasons at any time.
• Where is the accountability and shut down of those who do not uphold these standards/commitments? Like an Autistic Protection Act across all domains of the Strategy?
• Roadmap meeting summaries are available online:https://www.health.gov.au/resources/collections/health-roadmap-working-group-meeting-summaries?language=en
• A suggestion on a peer support program for government workers who are Autistic:
  • Would a peer support program for Autistic and health workers come under the Roadmap, within hospitals? There is a peer support ND program in WA that has been very successful and I’m talking to hospitals about implementing it in Brisbane.
• The problem with autism awareness training is that we Autistic people are not a homogeneous group, other people tend to generalise about Autism and put us all in the one basket.

Comments on the National Commitments (NC)

NC 12:

• Can we add the words across the lifespan to that?
• The text of 12.1 should probably explicitly include

Boundary principles for commitments under the National Autism Strategy and the National Roadmap for Improving the Health and Mental Health of Autistic People

8 Feb 2024

The National Autism Strategy (the NAS) and the National Roadmap for Improving the Health and Mental Health of Autistic People (the Roadmap) are being developed in parallel by the Department of Social Services (DSS) and the Department of Health and Aged Care (DoHAC) respectively. The NAS will have four outcome areas and commitments, one of which will be the health and mental health commitments developed by DoHAC in the Roadmap. The outcome areas are:

• Social inclusion
• Economic inclusion
• Diagnosis, services and support, and
• Health and mental health (the Roadmap).

Relationship between Diagnosis, Services and Supports and Health and Mental Health

Actions and commitments under the last two outcome areas are expected to interface and cross-relate, especially where commitments focus on health or mental health services or practitioners. To ensure that these relationships are constructive, the secretariats for the NAS and Roadmap work closely together, including having a senior official from each agency represented on each governance group. Where input is provided to the NAS that more appropriately fits within the scope of the Roadmap (or vice versa) the input will be shared between secretariats to ensure individuals do not need to repeat their views. The image below illustrates the relationship between the two groups.

[Image not converted to Markdown – “Relationship between Diagnosis, Services and Supports and Health and Mental Health” – check the source PDF page for the actual content] Essentially, the NAS is intended to deliver across the range of service sectors that Autistic people engage with, including initial engagement with the health system, whereas the Roadmap delivers within the health and mental health service sectors. This is outlined in detail in the table below.

Page 86 of 344

Boundary Principles

To provide clarity for members of the community involved in developing the NAS and Roadmap, the following principles have been established. These will be applied when developing and implementing commitments across the two outcome areas.

Examples include:

• Improving identification and screening of people who might be Autistic in settings such as education, disability services or the workplace
• Supporting the process for referrals to health practitioners (e.g. psychiatrists and paediatricians) for the purpose of diagnosis | Actions will be limited to the areas outlined in the Roadmap Guiding Principles and Elements, which include access to, and quality of, health and mental health services (see Appendix B).

Examples include:

• How health and mental health services, including preventive care and crisis support, can be better tailored to the needs of Autistic people
• Continuity of care, care coordination, and integration within the health and mental health systems | | Tools used for screening, assessment, diagnosis and outcome measurement | The NAS will include actions regarding screening, assessment, diagnostic or other psychometric tools. Where such tools are regulated or administered in the health system the actions will include consultation with health experts and be value-based.

Example approach: Actions are:

• focused on outcomes that matter to autistic people
• acknowledge existing standards and the need for clinical validation (where relevant)
• fit-for-purpose to service objectives | The Roadmap may include actions to broadly improve evidence and clinical practice within the health and mental health sectors. This may include health or mental health specific outcome tools.

Specific actions on screening, assessment and diagnostic tools, and outcome tools outside of health and mental health, will be referred to the NAS. |

Note: the above table refers to ‘actions’ only for brevity. The principles and scope outlined below will apply to all actions, commitments or other work arising from the NAS and Roadmap in these areas.

Appendix A – Guiding Principles and Elements for the National Roadmap for Improving the Health and Mental Health of Autistic People (the Roadmap)

Roadmap Guiding Principles

Principle 1. Address the intersecting needs affecting Autistic people’s experience of health and mental health services

• An overarching goal and driver of the Roadmap is to reduce the health inequity that autistic people currently experience.
• Autistic people experience significantly poorer health and mental health outcomes than the general population and significantly greater barriers in accessing appropriate support from health and mental health systems. A key driver for the Roadmap is the progressive realisation of health and mental health services in which Autistic Australians enjoy their right to the highest attainable standard of health without discrimination on the basis of disability.
• To assist with this, the Roadmap will also refer to, and be aligned with the broader work of the National Autism Strategy, including the Economic and Social Inclusion Working Groups.

Principle 2. Acknowledge and address the specific needs of priority population’s experience of health and mental health services

• Many Autistic people experience multiple intersecting factors in their lives which impact how they are treated in health and mental health services. Based on evidence and experience, the key groups which the Roadmap will focus on include:
  • People with high or complex disability needs, including:
    • Complex communication needs
    • Complex behaviour support needs
    • People in residential settings
    • People in institutional settings
    • People with intellectual disability
  • First Nations people
  • Culturally and linguistically diverse people
  • LGBTIQA+ people
  • Women and girls
  • People who live in rural and remote areas, and
  • People who are from low socio-economic backgrounds.

Principle 3. Address mental health needs across the Roadmap

• Mental health is a key determinant of general health and wellbeing. Autistic people experience poorer mental health, including higher rates of co-occurring mental health conditions, than non-Autistic people. They are also more at risk of experiences that can contribute to poor mental health, including bullying and social isolation. In addition, Autistic people are at greater risk of suicide. Due to these factors, there is a critical need for appropriate, effective, accessible and trauma-informed mental health supports and services that can meet the needs of Autistic people.

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Roadmap Elements

Element A. Improving support for Autistic people, their families and carers in health and mental health services

• How health and mental health services, including preventive care and crisis support, can be better tailored to the needs of Autistic people.
  • This may include:
    • ensuring information is accessible and aligned with preferred forms of communication to accommodate complex communication needs
    • making services more sensory friendly and better at accommodating people with varied communication needs, and
    • ensuring Autistic people are not refused access to health and mental health services on the basis of their diagnosis, by ensuring services are capable and prepared to provide reasonable adjustments for autistic needs.
  • How Autistic people, and their families and carers, can be supported to know and understand their rights, enabling them to navigate the healthcare system. A key aspect of this is ensuring rights are upheld where an Autistic person may not have the capacity to communicate their needs or provide consent.

Element B. Improving the quality, safety and availability of neurodiversity-affirming health and mental health care for Autistic people across their lifespan

• Neurodiversity-affirming health and mental health care practices that are appropriate for children, young people, adults, and older people
• Continuity of care, care coordination, and integration within the health and mental health systems, and
• Eliminating the use of harmful restrictive practices and ensuring neurodiversity-affirming approaches to behaviours of concern

Element C. Building better connections between health, mental health and other service sectors, including the NDIS

• Considering ways Autistic people, including those with complex health care needs and co-occurring conditions, can be better supported by health professionals to access and coordinate services
• Improving coordination and communication between the health and other Commonwealth, state and territory services, including community services, the NDIS, and other government services, such as education, early childhood services, justice and social services, and
• Providing Autistic people, Autistic advocates, and Autistic-led organisations, with up to date, accurate and relevant information to assist Autistic people navigate the health, mental health and other service systems.

Element D. Improving autism education and training for health and disability professionals

• Improvements to health, mental health and disability professionals’ education and training in partnership with Autistic people and the autism sector.

• Address capabilities in the most practical settings for each profession, such as pre-registration education, vocational training, formal qualifications as well as post-graduate and in-service professional development.

• Improving competency in supporting Autistic people, disability literacy, and disability system literacy for the health and mental health sectors.

Element E. Research and data on health and mental health outcomes of Autistic people and their families and carers

• Ways of addressing the gaps in research and data about health and mental health outcomes, with a focus on reducing health inequities, mental health and other inequities faced by Autistic people.

• Identifying opportunities for co-produced research and improved research translation that reflects the priorities of the Autistic community.

Element F. Arrangements for oversight, monitoring, and implementation

• Provide a framework that assists the Department and stakeholders to take necessary actions arising from the Roadmap to meet the needs of the autism community. It will include meaningful engagement with Autistic people and the Autism community in areas such as:

  • Communication strategy, including co-produced knowledge translation so that the community, end-users, and stakeholders have access to meaningful and relevant information, and the Autistic community is given the necessary knowledge to be empowered and advocate.

  • Implementation timeframes,

  • Monitoring, and evaluation and reporting framework.

GovTeams engagement rules

To create a respectful and inclusive environment, where all participants can contribute meaningfully, please:

• Respect other participants’ contributions of perspectives and opinions and their place to contribute and be heard
• Understand that contributions come from a wide range of diversity and experience, and all contributions are valuable
• Always treat other participants, and their contributions, with professional courtesy and respect
• Track any changes you make, and do not alter any other participants’ contribution in any way
• Use strengths-based language that promotes understanding and acceptance of autism
• Avoid acronyms and jargon, if mentioned please type them out in full so everyone can understand what you mean
• Consider the sensitivity and potential impact of your contribution and provide trigger warnings if appropriate
• Be open to collaborate fully and be accountable for your own contribution
• Respect other participants time by keeping discussions relevant efficient
• Offer feedback constructively, respectfully and clearly
• Understand that other participants work at their own pace and comfort, and have competing demands of their time

Guiding Principles

The Guiding Principles set out how the Strategy foundations will be put into practice. The Strategy foundations include the UNCRPD, the biopsychosocial model of disability, strengths-based and neurodiversity-affirming approach, and intersectionality.

In partnership - Nothing about us, without us

This Strategy will be co-designed, co-produced, co-reviewed and co-delivered with Autistic people, and their families and carers and support networks.

Accessible based on Universal Design

The development and implementation of this Strategy will be co-led by Autistic people and the Australian Government. It will be accessible, and based on Universal Design principles.

Self Determination and Autonomy

This Strategy will foster freedom of choice, control and support for Autistic people to make their own individual decisions about all aspects of life.

Aligned and Accountable Outcomes

This Strategy and actions will align with other key government strategies. This Strategy will be measurable, accountable and evidence-based.

Acceptance and Inclusivity

This Strategy will reflect that every Autistic person has unique strengths, abilities and attributes. This Strategy will seek to foster community understanding and acceptance of all Autistic people for who they are, and for their many contributions to Australia.

Rights

This Strategy will uphold the rights of all Autistic people to be respected and safe from all forms of discrimination, vilification, violence, and abuse everywhere in their lives.

Individualised and Holistic

This Strategy recognises that there are different aspects of a person’s identity that can overlap and shape their diverse needs, abilities and experiences, and that other factors such as geography, socio-economic status, where they live, income, education, and the extent of support networks can also have an impact. This Strategy promotes an individualised and neurodiversity-affirming, holistic person and family-centred approach to meeting these needs and diverse communities across the whole life.

The focus of the working group meetings moving forward will be finalising actions to form part of the Strategies ‘action plans’.

The Secretariat is currently developing a table that maps the actions developed by working groups in 2023 to the finalised National Commitments that are in the draft Strategy. This table will be used during the meetings to identify where actions still need to be identified. It will also be used to prioritise proposed actions into short, medium and long-term timeframes. This information will then be provided to the Oversight Council for consideration.

1. Improve understanding of, and change attitudes towards, Autistic people across all of society, through: a. Greater public education and awareness including a better understanding of autism within workplaces, with a focus on health, education and the Federal justice system. b. Increasing visibility and representation of Autistic people in the media, sports and the arts. c. Increasing accessible and sensory-friendly public and online spaces. d. Increasing the capability of advocates and advocacy organisations to challenge and reduce stigma of autism.

Social Inclusion

Increase opportunities for social connections and peer support.

| 2.1 | Evaluate what peer support models currently exist to determine what is working well. Ensure research/eval includes intersectionality of each person (how it looks within different equity groups, including cultural, geographical, varying disabilities, communication types and styles etc). Evaluate existing peaks with an intersectional lens to assess their capacity to meet the differing needs of all autistic people, taking into account their intersecting identities. |- Definition of ‘peer support’ provided by Ranji via email (28/02/24): | Peer support occurs when people provide knowledge, experience, emotional, social or practical help to each other.[1] It commonly refers to an initiative consisting of trained supporters (although it can be provided by peers without training) and can take a number of forms such as peer mentoring, |- reflective listening (reflecting content and/or feelings), or counselling. | Peer support is also used to refer to initiatives where colleagues, members of self-help organizations and others meet, in person or online, as equals to give each other connection and support on a reciprocal basis. | Short/medium – research, design and undertake evaluations |

Social Inclusion

2.2 Commit adequate, ongoing and sustainable funding to at least one not-for-profit, Autistic-led, advocacy organisation in each state, territory and region that is led by and for all Autistic people.

2.3 Commit adequate, ongoing and sustainable funding to intentional peer support programs and networks run by and for all Autistic people, that undergoes regular monitoring and evaluation. Ensuring the safety of Autistic peer workers by providing adequate, safe, trauma-informed co-reflection and individual supervision.

Short – consult and design

Medium – fund and establish

Long – evaluation

3. Improve Australian Government service delivery, communication, and information to meet the needs of Autistic people.

New points and wording taken at WG meeting on on 13/03/24:

• Develop training in the provision of appropriate environments for Autistic people to upskill, support, and appoint Autistic people in leadership boards, advisory groups, research team and reference groups.

3.1 Appoint Autistic people in leadership boards, advisory groups, research teams and reference groups.

3.2 Develop not only pathways for Autistic people for career progression, including through tertiary education but also capability & cultural uplifts to engender more accessible environments.

3.3 Understand communication needs of Autistic people, develop a Standard Operational Procedure on communication needs and reasonable adjustments, complimented by providing training to government employees on accessibility for Autistic people. ‘What to expect’ documents when accessing government services.

3.4 Accessibility consultant in every department.

3.5 Provide physical environments that meet the needs of Autistic people, such as quiet offices/rooms.

4. Undertake a review of the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and associated disability standards to ensure they are meeting the needs of Autistic people.

Implement all of the recommendations from the Disability Royal Commission which pertain to the Disability Discrimination Act, including introducing positive duty requirements on government entities, business and the community sector to prevent and redress discrimination, vilification, and abuse.

4.1 In line with the recommendations from the Disability Royal Commission to introduce a Federal Disability Rights Act.

4.2 Introduce a Federal Autism Act which enshrines the National Autism Strategy and its implementation into Federal legislation.

4.3 Through the NAS, work with state and territory governments to fund, develop and implement a rights-driven Autism Strategy in all states and Territories.

Comment provided from the Diagnosis Supports and Services WG: Could we roll the federal and state strategy in one to avoid unnecessary duplication?

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Social Inclusion

Improve the safety and welfare of Autistic people through the reduction of all forms of discrimination, violence, abuse, bullying, vilification and exploitation.

5.1 Appropriate levers, that may include legislation, to mandate inclusion, awareness training, and reasonable adjustments to make Autistic people feel safe in the workplace and broader settings.

Can this be covered/included in 5.2?

5.2 Develop policies that require government agencies and recipients of government funding to have Disability Inclusion Action Plans that caters for the needs of autistic people. Include this as a requirement in the Request for Quotation and procurement documentation as part of the contractual obligations.

5.3 Build on how sectors work with and communicate with Autistic people – a vocabulary about what it is like to be an Autistic person. Practical resources to build awareness in significant workforces to support them better to engage with and understand Autistic people.

(covered in 1.3)

Note from Secretariat (21.03.24): can we agree/check this item is covered in 1.3 and this action can be removed?

5.4 Autism training should be part of core competencies in education settings.

(covered in 1.2)

Note from Secretariat (21.03.24): can we agree/check this item is covered in 1.2 and this action can be removed?

5.5 Need to achieve a sense of safety – policies to ensure and harness safety in workplaces and schools and other environments.

(covered in 5.1)

Note from Secretariat (21.03.24): can we agree/check this item is covered in 5.1 and this action can be removed?

Economic Inclusion

6. Increase meaningful employment opportunities (including business ownership, self-employment, entrepreneurship and social enterprise) for Autistic people. | | | | 6.1 Evaluate the effectiveness of Autistic-specific employment programs to determine what works well from both an outcomes and autistic perspective (to develop a foundation). Conduct a desktop review of what is already out there, what is done well, what has buy-in from the Autistic community. Alternate wording suggestion, provided by [[[[s47F - personal privacy](/foi-library/releases/759e22e37354-foi-24-25-0593-decision-document/release-materials/material-001__s47f-personal-privacy/)](/foi-library/releases/759e22e37354-foi-24-25-0593-decision-document/release-materials/material-001__s47f-personal-privacy/)](/foi-library/releases/759e22e37354-foi-24-25-0593-decision-document/release-materials/material-001__s47f-personal-privacy/)](/foi-library/releases/759e22e37354-foi-24-25-0593-decision-document/release-materials/material-001__s47f-personal-privacy/) (5.03.24): Identify what helps Autistic people gain and maintain meaningful employment. Specifics actions include (but are not limited to): evaluating Autistic-specific employment programs that are widely accepted by the Autistic community and conducting a desktop review of existing evidence. Alternative wording suggestion, provided by s47F - personal privacy (14/03/24): Evaluate the current autism-specific employment program landscape to establish a foundation, with the purpose of:

• Identifying gaps
• Identifying challenges
• Identifying cases of good practice that can be implemented more broadly | Short/Medium + ongoing | Clarify scope of evaluation, measures of success, and team responsible for this action. Refine methods (add more specific actions if needed). | 6.2 Commit to achieving meaningful and long-term employment outcomes by changing ‘tick the box’ employment practices. Design programs to get Autistic people into jobs where success is based on retention not placement. (inclusive transportation) (support intersectionality effectively) *clarify what terms like

Economic Inclusion

*Build community capacity to better support autistic people into meaningful long term employment through: a. the provision of resources designed for different groups of people. These resources should be linked to the above campaign, branding and messaging should be consistent and all should be housed on one webpage to minimize confusion and make it easy for people to use. (this also aligns with 10.7). Examples of groups to target:

• Recruitment agencies, job providers
• Large employers
• Small business’
• Further education (ie university, TAFE) b. the provision of autistic consultants to work with organisations to implement resources and support further organisational capacity building.* |

Alternate wording suggestion: Launch a campaign that shows the mutual benefits of hiring and accommodating Autistic people in a variety of fields. Show realistic successful cases where employers describe how hiring and accommodating Autistic employees has benefited their business. E.g., benefits to workplace culture and clients/customers, improvements in hiring practices and flexible working arrangements that ultimately benefit all employees. Show Autistic person describing how employment benefited them, too. Can include showcasing how hiring Autistic people benefited employers because of the Autistic person’s strengths, but must be careful to avoid supporting stereotypes.

Comment from [s47F - personal privacy](/foi-library/releases/759e22e37354-foi-24-25-0593-decision-document/release-materials/material-001__s47f-personal-privacy/) on the above wording: I added in the bit about showcasing not just the benefits of hiring an Autistic person, but the benefits of accommodating an Autistic employee. This was discussed at a previous meeting but is not written here. Have added the word

Economic Inclusion

6.4 Give training to job providers, recruitment agencies, employers, career advisors, and educators on: • the benefits of hiring Autistic people • the benefits of adopting inclusive recruitment and management practices • how to adopt inclusive recruitment and management practice show to communicate this information to relevant parties (e.g., employers)

Comment from [[s47F - personal privacy](/foi-library/releases/759e22e37354-foi-24-25-0593-decision-document/release-materials/material-001__s47f-personal-privacy/)](/foi-library/releases/759e22e37354-foi-24-25-0593-decision-document/release-materials/material-001__s47f-personal-privacy/) on the above wording: I remember in a meeting, there was a lot of discussion about how accommodating Autistic employees improves practices for all employees. I have made points 2 & 3 not autism-specific because we don’t want to communicate that the benefits of accommodating Autistic employees means you know how to accommodate future Autistic employees. That would downplay the benefits. We want employers to know that inclusive practices will support Autistic employees AND other employees and, therefore, improve their business. Further comments: Basically, it’s about increasing employers’

Economic Inclusion

Economic Inclusion

Introduce self-identification tools that will assist the employee to identify the types of reasonable adjustments that they would need, not all autistic individuals even know what reasonable accommodations to ask for.

Additional text provided by [[[s47F - personal privacy](/foi-library/releases/759e22e37354-foi-24-25-0593-decision-document/release-materials/material-001__s47f-personal-privacy/)](/foi-library/releases/759e22e37354-foi-24-25-0593-decision-document/release-materials/material-001__s47f-personal-privacy/)](/foi-library/releases/759e22e37354-foi-24-25-0593-decision-document/release-materials/material-001__s47f-personal-privacy/) (18.03.24): 7.3 Develop resources and capacity building tools for employers to support Autistic people in employment. Reinforced by Stories of change showcasing best practise examples of how an employer has been able to make the workplace neuro inclusive.

7.4 Establish a data clearing house that captures best practice for others to learn from, including case study examples.

7.5 Promoting safe, inclusive and accessible workplace environments, reducing burnout experienced by Autistic people by constantly ‘masking’ neurotypical behaviours. Additional text provided by s47F - personal privacy (18.03.24): This includes providing funding for employers to access sensory assessment audits.

7.6 Working in co-production with Autistic people, develop and implement a national program to upskill and build the capacity of workplaces, employers and professionals to support and cater to the needs or Autistic people, from all intersectional backgrounds and levels of employment. Comment from Diagnosis Supports and Services WG: I would put 7.6 with 6.5.

7.7 Compulsory professional development about autism, neurodiversity and inclusive practices for those in charge of hiring processes, hiring decisions, bullying, and managing reasonable adjustments. This professional development will not be appropriate for organisations of every size, however, will be suitable for all industries. The training could make the legislative requirements clear, outline the support available to streamline these processes and handle bullying and other difficult situations.

7.8 Campaign / information / professional development targeted to employers. This could be in the form of social media shares or more direct mail outs to employers to provide information on issues job seekers have experienced. Can be infographics / comic style. Show scenario – incorrect employer action – consequence to employee – penalties to employer. Then show the same scenario again with various positive ways to address it and show the outcomes. Additional text provided by s47F - personal privacy (18.03.24): (It is important to ensure that all content creation is based on universal design principles and in accessible formats.) Further comments (WG member): I think 7.8 could be combined with 7.5

7.9 Real and enforced penalties for employers that do not provide reasonable adjustments or do not address bullying once they become aware of it.

7.10 Adjust policy to make it more difficult for workplaces to get away with treating people poorly. While discrimination and bullying is commonly prohibited in policy and law, there are very subtle ways that workplaces manage to get around it. Perhaps making it compulsory for workplaces to have clear pathways to report bullying or unfair treatment. Additional text provided by s47F - personal privacy (18.03.24): This includes targeting employers who have inaccessible recruitment and selection processes, e.g. not including the employers willingness to provide reasonable adjustments during the recruitment and selection process, or not providing multiple options when it comes to submitting their applications e.g. video instead of written application etc. Comment from Diagnosis Supports and Services WG: I don’t think that this can be done under this strategy.

Economic Inclusion

Improve the supports and services available to Autistic people to ensure they have choice and control over their education and careers.

| 8.1 | Provide a mentor for Autistic teens (preferably Autistic mentor). Frequency of meetings: variable. May be weekly when students need to make big decisions and put in applications, but usually a few times/year. Length of mentor relationship: Start at least in Grade 10, continue on until a few years after they have left school. Description: Allow Autistic teens to look at their options – with no pressure – and explore their interests. Identify their interests and strengths and present options of things they may like to consider after they leave school and during. Not just university courses. Discuss TAFE, entry level work, volunteering, internship programs, hobbies and skills to develop. Provide specific opportunities, not vague suggestions. Needs to be approached with no pressure, e.g., as personal development, following interests. Mentor can support and help problem solve when things go wrong (e.g., did not get required grade for a course or they were offered a job but don’t know public transport). Target to youth (up to 25 years). Mentoring for parents of children aged 5-12. Address bullying. Alternate wording suggestion, provided by s47F - personal privacy (5.03.24): Mentorship for Autistic people aged 12 to about 25. Mentors support mentees in exploring & pursuing interests, strengths, & career options. Mentors become a familiar support person, provide practical support (e.g., completing applications), assistance with problem solving, and provide information on specific development opportunities that are in line with the mentee’s goals (not only TAFE/uni). | |

Economic Inclusion

| Divide into two action item groups: primary and secondary/Uni. | | | | Note from Department of Education: States/territories (or non-government education authorities) are best placed to organise and manage such an initiative, as having local knowledge and connections with jurisdiction schools and training providers will be critical to being a successful mentor. | | |

8.2 Ensure that policy in schools to provide reasonable adjustments to students are adhered to. In circumstances where they cannot provide reasonable adjustments they are required to provide evidence as to why. *Reframe action 8.2 to be about raising awareness and building capacity. *Resource hub for teachers. E.g. what reasonable adjustments look like for Autistic people. *Funding for schools to provide additional supports.

Note from Department of Education: Schools are already required to provide reasonable adjustments under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA) and the Disability Standards for Education 2005 (DSE). What do we mean by ‘change of policy’? Comment from Diagnosis Supports and Services WG: I wanted to just make some suggestions and feedback based on significant school trauma personally and working closely within the broken school systems. Extreme amounts of specific outline of what these adjustments actually look like and have an autistic run and monitored system to oversee implementation to ensure it isn’t just a tick box or quick fix or current stating they are but actually aren’t. wanted to put in here about ideas for monitoring supports and services changes to ensure it is in line with the strategy developed by autistic people - As many are aware in school systems they have disciplinary action warning system which majority of students who encounter this system are autistic children with other co-existing neurotypes because of the lack of support, understanding and flexibility to understand ways of supporting these children. This often means many children experience time outs, loss of lunch times, whole class humiliation (peg charts, dojos etc.), physical restraint, suspensions and expulsion. The current approach and ways in which autistic children are treated in this system is abusive, outdated and causes significant long term trauma and there is no sight of change without systemic change. To ensure accurate change is implemented, it is important that failure to get up to date with the autism strategy within the school system as a whole should result in verbal warnings, suspensions from work etc. similar to those enforced on students. A whole revamp of the system needs to occur and it is not just the education system that needs this because more and more children have lifelong trauma physically and psychologically from this and it is a very critical time of development which they are exposed to this which impacts their whole life. The change needs to occur at all levels of the dept of ed not just on a school by school basis because a local higher up in the dept of ed who I have had the pleasure of meeting as the individual school wasn’t going to support a child I supported told me that autistic people just put on meltdowns as manipulation and that this child needed more punishment to be held accountable. I have also been informed that the dept of ed policy is changing to remove warnings to hold kids accountable and they are going to suspend them straight away which is a massive discrimination issue. So much change is needed and I am very concerned nothing will happen due to the limited time we have left for the meetings, amount that needs to be covered and no update regarding what the next stages are. I am also concerned that there has been no update regarding draft strategy release or where to from here.

8.3 Promote the Federal Government’s Work Assist program, to assist those who are at risk of losing their job due to illness, injury or disability. Many Autistic people are let go from their jobs within months of being employed. Comment from member: Also access if the Work Assist program is effective at helping autistic people retain work.

8.4 Employment pilots to connect people to work in areas of skills shortage. Continue to provide support during employment to promote long-term arrangements.

8.5 Develop resources for Autistic people on self-advocacy in employment. Refer to Autism CRC’s Self Advocacy@work website.

Economic Inclusion

8.6 People working in organisations, such as Centrelink, need to have disability training. Centrelink forms need to be in easy read formats, as they are currently confusing and difficult to understand. Increase in-person support to assist with completing paper work. Comment from member: Not just organisations, this needs to be parts of government that interact with the general public, so Centrelink but also the Tax Office, Medicare, etc

9.7 Create clear, step by step guides for different areas of unemployment - not just writing a resume but things like how to actually contact Centrelink.

Increase representation of Autistic people in senior and board positions to promote people as visible role models.

9.1 Encourage neurodivergent people in senior roles to be visible role models. Alternate wording suggestion provided by s47F - pe (15.3.24) Make it so that every Autistic person young and old can have a dream to be a leader of not only tomorrow but today.

9.2 New action suggested by s47F - pe (15.3.24): Help foster an attitude change within the Australian Public Service and within the private sector to the largest possible extent that Autistic people are capable of senior roles and use examples of such. Provide funding for advancement (9.2) to enable a new generation of senior autistic role models to blaze a train through the highest levels of the Australian Government and Industry.

9.3 New action suggested by s47F - pe (15.3.24): Provide funding for scholarships to enable autistic people to attend development and training for senior and board positions. For example, DSS already partners with the Australian Institute of Company Directors to provide training for people with disabilities on a scholarship basis. This must be extended to people with autism.

9.4 New action suggested by s47F - pe (15.3.24): Build a corporate mentorship program to allow Autistic people to be mentored by senior employees and board members both within the Australian public service and corporate sector. Leverage the relationships with external consultants.

Comment from member: Why is this action here? The action doesn’t match the commitment. Secretariat follow up comment: Is there a suggestion on which commitment this would best fit under? Does is fit under a commitment?

9.5 Attract, recruit and retain more people with disability in the Australian Public Service, being a model employer of Autistic people. Comment from member: Maybe could some of the campaigns as suggested in 6.3 and 7.8 overlap/connect with this point – as in use campaigns to increase visibility.

9.6 Increasing Autistic people in leadership positions will likely shift culture and lead to improvements in the accessibility of hiring practices.

9.7 Increase visibility of existing neurodivergent role models who can share their stories including what has and hasn’t worked for them. Comment from member: Maybe could some of the campaigns as suggested in 6.3 and 7.8 overlap/connect with this point – as in use campaigns to increase visibility.

10. Improve inclusive practices and the quality and accessibility of advocacy resources for Autistic students across all education settings, and their families, carers and support networks

Economic Inclusion

Commitment Short/Medium/Long Term Action - 1st year Short – 1 year (bold text, not for workshopping) Medium – 2-5 years x.x Action items (for workshopping) Long – 5-7 years

                and training
      Disability Standards for Education 10.1   Have resources             available to educators to increase awareness and understanding of Autism, and implementation capability of the                                   Review of resources by
   Note from Department of Education:                                        2005.                                                                                                                                                             autistic people should                                                                                                                                                          happen in the short term                                               In response to the 2020 Review of the DSE (the DSE is reviewed every 5 years), the Government has funded                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     (first 6 months of strategy).      new resources to build awareness of the DSE among student and their families and build capability in teachers and school leaders.      We suggest that an initial step before this action would be to review whether existing resources meet the needs identified by the NAS WG/OC.        Note: delivery of school education is a matter for the states and territories.

    Note from Department of Education: We are unsure what further guidelines are needed beyond the existing requirements of the DSE and related 10.2   Have national guidelines to make education more accessible but also have tailored supports/plans for different schools.
    mechanisms. We note that delivery of school education – including tailored supports etc – is a matter for the states and territories.

   Comment provided by Diagnosis Supports and Services WG: Wanting to know if this includes private, independent and religious schools and how will this

10.3 guidelineCommitmentbe mandatedto providingto ensureeducationit is nottailoredignored.to various learning styles and different areas of strength and weaknesses of Autistic students, reflected by teaching staff, department of education and curriculum.

    Suggested wording from Jess (5.03.24): Develop a wellbeing framework to support Autistic students and staff in all education settings.
      studies.
    Suggested wording from Rebecca (14.3.24): Develop a wellbeing framework designed by Autistic people that is evidence based, and provide co-designed
     wellbeing resources for autistic people, their support networks (incl parents, siblings and friends) as well as resources for professionals such as school
     teachers, head teachers, allied health therapists, GPs and school counsellors.
        •  Conduct literature review on the available evidence of autistic wellbeing
        •   Co-design national wellbeing framework for autistic people
        •  Develop resources in collaboration with autistic people and key populations
        •  Make resources available via peak bodies, DE, website, relevant associations etc
   Comment from member: I agree with this suggested wording from Rebecca.

    Note from Department of Education:                             We note the Australian Student Wellbeing Framework and its supporting resources is freely available to         schools. It is not clear who is intended to be the user/audience of this framework. Is it staff or students or a joint resource?

10.5 Provide opportunities for Autistic students to try new things and demonstrate their capacity. Note: delivery of school education is a matter for the states and territories.

10.6 DevelopAutistic and review resources for Autistic people on self-advocacy. Autistic Note from Department of Education:

10.7 awareness hubs to educate employers, educators, families and support networks, serviced by people.

   How these hubs would operate. Would they have remit to go out to the sectors and raise awareness or would        they be ‘drop-in’ style operations?

10.8 Enable more pathways to university. The high academic approach where a high Tertiary Entrance Ranking is required does not suit everybody.

Economic Inclusion

| 10.9 Allow Autistic students a way to pursue their passions more in school. | | | | 10.10 Provide more information on how to access University so there is a better understanding. | | | | 10.11 Place more focus on roles outside of Information and Communications Technology (ICT). Currently ICT is more of a focus, stemming from stereotypes of autistic people. | | | | 10.12 Address underemployment by identifying underutilised skills of Autistic people. | | | | 10.13 Employers to adopt flexible working arrangements to support those with complex health issues e.g. shorter working blocks for those unable to work for long periods. Comment from member: I think this point should also include help education institutions, from schools to higher education institutions adopt and create flexible arrangements to support autistic people, especially around attendance and complex support needs. | | | | 10.14 Have an employer rating system. E.g. this is an Autism Friendly workplace/employer. Have a central location (i.e. website) that house all organisations that are certified so that autistic people know where is safe. | | |

Build on National Commitment 5 Improve the safety and welfare of Autistic people through the reduction of all forms of discrimination, violence, abuse, bullying, vilification and exploitation to specifically focus on Autistic students in all levels of education.

Comment provided by Diagnosis Supports and Services Working Group: Changes need to also occur in tertiary education as it is still teaching non-affirming and extremely harmful learnings, accessibility whilst it is said to be done; is not being fully honoured by academics/teachers etc. and many barriers to accessibility across field that make achieving qualifications or getting through unachievable. Massive issue of school and how major changes need to occur in attitudes, supports provided in school and ablest that exists within education as this impacts the whole lifespan. within the education and training systems to correct information and strategies used i.e. zones of regulation, behavioural charts, behaviouristic frameworks etc. Suspension and warning systems for educators, teachers, academics etc. who continue to utilise discriminatory, outdated, behavioural modification and ablest approaches that do not align with strategy co-designed measures. Similar to those experienced by autistic students all the time for not ‘fitting the mould’ or meeting unachievable neuro-normative standards currently upheld by education providers.

| 11.1 Diversify the standard method of teaching so learning and assessing is more inclusive of neurodivergent learning styles. This can be achieved, for example, by using more multimedia platforms to provide information, provide learning materials in more than one format (e.g. written and verbal), providing information in easy read formats, offering multiple options for assessment and removing mandatory standard examinations. | | |

| 11.2 Undertake a comprehensive review of the national education curriculum. Provide flexibility in curriculum and grading. Allow students to have a choice in how they are assessed, assessing a range of different areas and allowing students to choose an area of passion. Do not assess on purely neurotypical or monocultural standards such as eye contact when public speaking. | | |

| 11.3 Less reliance on standardised testing and assessments that only focus on particular areas of strength, such as NAPLAN. Comment provided by Diagnosis Supports and Services WG: Is there anyway to remove these assessments all together and incorporate other strength-based ways to show learning outcomes. | | |

| 11.4 Enabling students to take breaks when needed from the classroom, having an agreed place the student can retreat to for breaks. | | |

Economic Inclusion

| Comment provided by Diagnosis Supports and Services WG: Many schools have this as conditional on if work is done, ‘behaviour shown’ and say they are doing this yet they aren’t. I am strongly in belief that nothing will change unless it is mandated. | | |

| 11.5 Provide more flexibility in attendance when students are struggling, through regular check-ins from a trusted teacher when they are not attending, sessions during free time for students to complete work. | | |

| 11.6 Get school principals invested in inclusivity, build into school culture. Reforms to governance structure, insert key measured on how they have demonstrated inclusion. | | |

| 11.7 Campaigns around standing up for your colleagues or quietly reporting bullying if you see a colleague, whether you know they are autistic or not, being treated poorly due to their characteristics. | | |

| 11.8 Clarify what counts as bullying and discrimination – not always the extreme and severe end, can be subtle too. | | |

| 11.9 Employees need access to an external third party to report bullying and failure to provide reasonable adjustments. Employees can access this service to help them decide how to report to their employers and to decide whether they need to report elsewhere. Preferable if the external third party could assist practically if needed. E.g. assist in drafting a letter. | | |

Diagnosis, Supports and Services

Commitment: Undertake an independent evaluation/assessment on the use and consistency of current identification screening, outcome and diagnostic tools and work with relevant professional bodies to develop a set of standardised co-designed training/professional development and resource materials to support professionals involved in the identification, assessment and diagnosis of autism to improve the experience, and quality of this process for Autistic people and their families and carers.

Possible Actions for the NAS:

• Actions under Commitment 12 to be led by the Autistic community, co-designed with others in the industry. This would include Autistic researchers, academics, clinicians and community members.
• 12.1 – Evaluate the use and consistency of current tools and training used in identification screening and diagnostic tools to understand what training already exists.

Possible Actions for the Roadmap WG:

• Short/Medium: - Collation of list of tools/assessments with what benefits and shortcomings each tool has (including training faults/flaws, elements missing from implementation and overall success at identifying range of autistic traits within all communities to ensure they can identify all autistic people.
• Medium: - Collation of all the information from the short-term actions to co-design a screening and diagnostic tool with autistic people that is accessible to use and access, is easy to interpret and provides support for the user of the tool and recipient to know whether they are autistic.

Action - 1st year:

• Determine scope of evaluation and engage an independent evaluator.
• Short Term: Scoping and review of existing screening and diagnostic tools, including looking at how these tools supports intersectionality. As part of scoping, include emerging screening and diagnostic tools.
• Look at what outcomes the existing screening tools are measuring. Consult with the Autistic community whether what the tools are measuring are appropriate and relevant.

Comment provided on above point: There are already many screening tools etc and it is outside of this remit to be able to do this and it cannot be done in a year and be a robust tool. I do not support these ‘steps’. I do support a review of the tools already available and their access quality training required to complete the assessment.

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Diagnosis, Supports and Services

Diagnosis, Supports and Services

Diagnosis, Supports and Services

like to ensure that these =o ensure that the to ensuret | | 12.5 – Help practitioners gain the skills and qualifications to provide quadruple diagnoses AND provide approval to GPs to dispense medication to people with dual diagnoses from psychologists (as psychiatrists are hard to access). I would suggest that this is outside of the remit of this NAS and the ability to prescribe etc is tied to many parts of training and legislation that are not related to autism. | | | |

Diagnosis, Supports and Services

Diagnosis, Supports and Services

| 12.8 – Providing mandated lived experience training for early childhood educators, teachers, healthcare workers and other professionals who have contact with children and young people who have disabilities or conditions which are common among Autistic individuals to identify signs of and screen for neurodivergence. This should include but not be limited to professionals who work with children and young people who have or display signs of ADHD, developmental delay, sensory sensitivities, chronic pain, gastrointestinal conditions and eating disorders. | | Similar to suggested in 12 regarding training. Note that this is highly specific and not likely to be doable for the majority of people working with children. A broader educative approach is indicated | Medium? In line with other training rollout? |

| 12.9 – Provide lived experience training to schools, early learning centres and educational institutions to understand their role in having clear and transparent information to provide to families and carers of Autistic children. | | | |

| 12.10 – Increase understanding of Autism in community programs, nursing homes and organisations. Provide information on what Autism may look like across the lifespan, providing information on linking support services to help navigate “what comes next” especially for later diagnosed Autistic people. Comment provided: Could this also be provided in centralised location for lived-experience resources discussed in 12.8? | [s47F - personal privacy](/foi-library/releases/759e22e37354-foi-24-25-0593-decision-document/release-materials/material-001__s47f-personal-privacy/): implement screening questions for Autism when people are accessing community programs, nursing homes and organisation so they can access appropriate accommodations and supports while gathering information about and accessing these services. | | |

| If we screen we then need to know what to do with the results so any screening requires a follow on plan for further assessment and referral - need to be aware of this to consider this approach | | | |

Diagnosis, Supports and Services

• Conflict of Interest
• Funding sources
• Statement of Autistic/Community Involvement
• Statement of harm measured and reported

13. Develop a set of best practice resources to support Autistic people and their families, carers and support networks through the identification, assessment and diagnosis process. | 13.1 – Where in-person services are inaccessible, allow practitioners to provide diagnostic assessments online. 13.2 – To assist with fast-tracking access to supports and diagnosis, have pre-diagnosis tools available that GPs etc. can direct people to complete prior seeking a formal diagnosis. Information would cover the diverse presentation of Autism (and across the lifespan) and co-occurring mental health and physical health conditions. Tools to be in accessible formats such as videos, visual information and handouts. (is this referring to something along the lines of a ‘so you think you have Autism, pre self-diagnosis tool’, or a ‘what to expect at your first and subsequent appointments’, or ‘what does the Autism diagnosis journey look like?’ or all of this plus more?)

14. Explore ways to improve access to primary care, including through the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS), to: a) Improve quality health and mental health services for Autistic people, with a focus on continuity of care, b) Explore ways to make Autism diagnosis and assessment processes more timely and accessible. | 13.1 – Where in-person services are inaccessible, allow practitioners to provide diagnostic assessments online.

14.2 – Increase awareness of what services GPs provide and what services are provided elsewhere. Autism specific services Number of sessions to be expanded Suggested from redacted: s47F - person 14.2 (to replace 14.2) ’ Co-design a widespread, public facing campaign that aims to raise awareness of the role that GP’s play in referring individuals for Autism and related diagnoses.’ | Short – scope what exists? Medium – develop tools and roll out? Comment provided: Look at ideas from point 12.

14.1 – Expand Medicare Rebate to cover Autism assessments for people of all ages and increase rebate amount as well as ensure changes to rebate are known across different practitioners so people don’t get different information about what is covered and not covered in the rebate. | Medium |

Diagnosis, Supports and Services

Diagnosis, Supports and Services

Commitment

Possible Actions for the NAS Possible Actions for the Roadmap WG Short/Medium/Long Term Action - 1st year Short – 1 year Medium – 2-5 years Long – 5-7 years

Short/MediumLong – 5-7 years

Short - Collating what resources are in the community that is in line with NAS.

Where do we think these are actually occurring in schools? Which developmental assessments for primary school aged children, especially those who have family history of Autism (including, are for premature example, or those identified who as are having gifted) are needed in the gaps. Action for SEC: neurodevelopmental differences into assessments done in schools - they are all academic in nature if done.

Medium – developing what is needed in the gaps.

Do we want schools and teachers to be ‘screeners’ for autism.

15.2 – Include screening and developmental surveillance for early signs of Autism in standard school developmental assessments for primary school aged children, especially those who have family history of Autism (including, are for premature example, or those identified who as are having gifted).

Comment provided: I would not offer this as it is not doable in a practical way. There are no regular developmental assessments for all primary school aged children.

15.3 – Training for health providers to identify and minimise impact of own bias about autism and other co-existing neuro-types to minimise gate keeping or misdiagnosis of autism as other conditions.

Short – develop guidelines Autistic lead to define Medium/long - equitable supports and services implementation for Autistic people, including for people living in rural, regional and guidelines for service providers and organisations.

16. Improve access to quality, timely, neurodiversity-affirming and remote areas.

Define ‘co-design’, ‘co-production’ - to go into glossary Funding to provide access to neuro-affirming practices Awareness of these providers acknowledgment of Autistic work* Co-design to occur at every level.

16.1 – Autistic people to design, lead development and implementation for Autistic people, including for national neurodivergent accessibility guidelines.

• Legal services that Autistic people can access – training for Legal Aid and disability discrimination services such as the human rights commission and workplace ombudsman.
• Increasing services for Autistic people navigating the probation and parole service, prisons and courts and training for the police regarding Autism and vulnerability including reported sexual assault and domestic violence
• Autism specific advocacy services to assist people to navigate all these systems and not drop through the cracks
• Autism training in housing services – Autistic people have specific needs and have difficulty navigating the system and end up homeless.
• service for older Autistic people to help them live at home longer, and create specific nursing homes that are Autism friendly so people don’t kill themselves rather than going into a nursing home and leaving their house and routine
• Autism hubs – such as the NHS does where you can access this all under one roof.
• Specific supports and services for Autistic parents, including supports navigating child safety and schools, legal and advocacy services for parents of Autistic children no matter the neurotype.
• Services and supports such as NDIS should take into account the family system and aim to address the whole of family by supporting the parents and carers
• respite for parents and carers of Autistic children and adults that provides a full wrap around service that addresses the barriers to people using the service.
• Autism specific training for addiction services, caring agencies, disability agencies, eating disorder organisations, and NDIS services
• Autism training for centrelink and medicare and increasing understanding of Autistic people how to get support from Centrelink ie: DSP | | | Short – 1 year Medium – 2-5 years Long – 5-7 years | Action - 1st year |

Diagnosis, Supports and Services

Possible Reword Work with accountability bodies such as the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission and the ACCC to ensure there is accountability for providers… - medium No restricted and accessible for all organisations – rainbow tick | | Short-term – identification and warning of providers and services of time period to complete trainings and generate proof of implementation. Suspension of right to operate and practice until completed trainings and provided proof of changes made prior to re-opening if deemed appropriate by autistic run regulation council. Short term – creation of list on central database of ablest, harmful and not autistic co-run trainings to minimise utilisations of trainings that continue to utilise behaviourism, aba and other harmful modalities. Medium term – continual update of data base based on continual research and findings. | Short – 1 year Medium – 2-5 years Long – 5-7 years | I would do not action until this item is clearly worked through - a review of what is already -occurring around accountability and service provision from ‘providers’ and how (if at all) the NAS needs to add to this. | | 16.8 – Create a service system that works together as a network, providing collective supports which works towards the goals of the autistic person. Develop a collaborative network of professional support services to support the needs of the autistic person

• Ask re support services | | | |

Diagnosis, Supports and Services

As a requirement of the “neuro-affirming tick” Actions being – short: Educate, medium: Develop, long: Implement | | Again, what would this look like? Who helps with the plan, who assesses the plan? Would you exclude all practitioners who don’t have this plan? How often is it renewed and what to do if it Isn’t working?

Need to consider the large multitude of environments that our health force work in and what this means for ie solo practitioners, mobile OT’s; paediatric clinic junior doctors etc. | Short – 1 year Medium – 2-5 years Long – 5-7 years | | | 16.10 – Create family focused supports and services for Autistic people across their lifespan. Including early identification and support, support for parents of Autistic children, adults and Autistic people in Aged Care.

Including - Community health clinics *Peer support for Autistic parents and parents of Autistic children. We want support from those who have experience similar. Not clinicians telling us how to fix our kids Especially the transition through life stages

Comment taken from the chat from s47F - personal privacy: We need to add a section on creating supports and services for Autistic people across the lifespan, 1) aged care , 2) early supports and identification 3) supports for NT parents of autistic kids, and then more specialised supports for autistic parents, increase appropriate respite and looks at actual accessibility, there is a lack of respite but then if there is respite available there is no-one to take care of the persons autistic child particularly if they have high support needs. We need to create supports that are whole family focused instead of focusing on each participant in the NDIS instead of how funding and services benefit the whole family holistically. No-one seems to understand that by supporting the autistic parents the whole family benefits and without support the whole family struggles | |

Diagnosis, Supports and Services

• Increase peer support and peer led mentoring programs (redacted)
• Increase the intersectionality of representation of lived experience sec team to look at Economic Inclusion. | Short – 1 year Medium – 2-5 years Long – 5-7 years | | | 18. Develop a set of best practice training and resource materials to for people providing service and supports to Autistic people. | 18.1 - Short: undertake a review of current targeted training, education and campaigns. for people providing service and supports to Autistic people. 18.1 – Working in co-production with Autistic people design, develop and implement targeted training, education and campaign initiatives that:
• raise awareness about Autism, our experiences, strengths and support needs
• challenge ableist attitudes about Autistic people
• include, promote and platform real stories told about and by Autistic people
• showcase best practice examples of how to support, include and accommodate for Autistic people Comment: does this one fit under 18 or should it be moved? Just not sure where it best fits. Medium: develop resources for autistic trainers Medium to Long: implement Autism specific education and training units | Short-term – scope what is already available and collaborate with neurodivergent advocates/organisations to design and be recognised for their role in resources to be distributed. | | | 19. Explore the feasibility of a decision-making tool to empower Autistic people to make informed decisions about all areas of their life. | Short: scoping study of the needs of Autistic people regarding decision-making tool. Autistic people to make informed decisions about all areas of their life. 19.1 – Working in co-production with Autistic people, develop national accessibility guidelines that inform government entities, business and non-government organisations on how to ensure that are accessible to Autistic and neurodivergent people. This should consider factors like:
• Lighting
• Noise
• Design
• Need for remote service provision (e.g. Via telehealth) Flexibility in deliver methods and timing | Medium : develop tool Long: update and manage | |

Governance

21. Develop a governance framework to support: | | | a) strong accountability mechanisms | | | b) co-leadership and active involvement of Autistic people, as well as parents, carers and professionals within the Autism sector | | | c) whole-of-government, cross-sectoral and coordinated approaches to implementation. | | | 21.1 | | |

Research

22. Establish an Expert Reference Group or similar to explore how autism research can best be fostered and applied to policy and service delivery and underpinned by the Strategy’s Guiding Principles. | | | 22.1 | | |

Evidence

23. Develop a National Autism Strategy Evidence Framework, including a Theory of Change, Program Logic, Outcomes Framework, and Evaluation Framework. | | | 23.1 | | |

Evaluation and Reporting

24. Develop a robust evaluation plan and reporting mechanism, co-led by Autistic people and the autism community, for the National Autism Strategy. | | | 24.1 | | |

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National Autism Strategy – Collaborative workshop

High level Agenda

Department of Social Services 3 June 2024 2:00pm – 4:00pm

Break – 10 mins

National Autism Strategy

Draft Strategy Survey (hard copy)

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Feedback on the Draft National Autism Strategy

Complete the survey

The Department of Social Services wants your feedback on the Draft National Autism Strategy. You can provide your feedback by answering this survey, or you can email your comments to xxxxxxxxxxxx@xxx.xxx.xx.

When completing these questions, you should refer to the Draft National Autism Strategy.

Background

The Australian Government Department of Social Services is working with the Autistic and autism community to create a National Autism Strategy that will support Autistic people across Australia to live the lives they want and deserve.

The Australian Government, alongside the National Autism Strategy Oversight Council, has developed a Draft National Autism Strategy. The Oversight Council is made up of 10 Autistic members and also includes six (6) government representatives from across social services, education, health, NDIA, Prime Minister and Cabinet and employment.

The Draft Strategy has been developed from evidence and what we heard from thousands of Autistic people, their families and carers, and other stakeholders. During September to November 2023, we asked people to share their ideas about what the Strategy should do and include. You can read about the consultation process and what people said in the Consultation Reports.

About the survey

The Australian Government now wants to know what you think of the draft Strategy: whether you think it covers everything it needs to and if it will be effective in improving life outcomes for Autistic Australians.

This survey is for anyone who wants to give feedback, including:

• Autistic people and their families
• People who work with or care for Autistic people
• Other people with an interest in the Strategy.

To complete this survey, we encourage you to download and refer to the Draft National Autism Strategy.

Download the Draft Strategy from http://engage.dss.gov.au/developing-the-national-autism-strategy/draft-strategy/

If you don’t have this document, you can still respond to the survey as we provide information from the Draft Strategy with each question.

The survey will take approximately 15 to 30 minutes to complete, depending on the length of your written responses.

The survey will be open until 3:00pm AEST, Friday 31 May 2024.

Who is conducting the survey?

This survey is being conducted by the Department of Social Services (https://www.dss.gov.au/).

You can find the Department of Social Service’s Privacy Policy here (https://www.dss.gov.au/privacy-policy).

Your participation in this survey is voluntary.

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What is in the survey?

This survey contains 4 main sections covering:

• Strategy Overview: Provide your feedback about the Vision, Goal and Guiding Principles
• Commitments: Provide your feedback about the different Commitments. These are grouped under 3 main themes: 1) Social Inclusion, 2) Economic Inclusion, 3) Diagnosis, Supports and Services. We’ll also ask for your feedback on the commitments relating to governance, research, evidence and evaluation and reporting.
• Strategy Gaps: Tell us if you think the Strategy is missing things.
• About you: We’ll ask some questions about you such as your age, gender, where you live. This won’t include your name and all of this information will be kept private. It helps us to know that we are hearing from people with different experiences and from different parts of Australia.

The survey includes some questions that ask you to rate items on a scale and other questions that ask you to write about your views and suggestions.

If you do not want to answer a question, you can select the ‘Prefer not to say’ response option or skip the question.

How will responses be used?

Answers to this survey will be brought together with other community feedback on the Draft National Autism Strategy to write a report about what, if any, updates people want to the final Strategy. No personal or identifying information, such as your name, will be shared in this report.

Support to help you complete the survey

If you need help to complete this survey, please email the Autism Policy team at xxxxxxxxxxxx@xxx.xxx.xx. You can also use these details to ask for a hard copy of this survey.

If any of the questions or content in this survey causes you distress, you can end the survey at any time.

If you or someone you know is in crisis or feeling distressed and needs support, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636. You can also contact Autism Connect (a free, national helpline providing independent and expert Autism information that you can trust over phone, email and webchat) on 1300 308 699 or by visiting the website [http://amaze.org.au/autismconnect/]. Thank you for sharing your experiences. 4 Page 128 of 344

Privacy notice

The Department of Social Services is seeking feedback on the Draft National Autism Strategy.

Personal information

Your personal information is protected by law, including the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) set out in Schedule 1 to the Privacy Act 1988 (Privacy Act). Personal information is information or an opinion about an identified individual or an individual who is reasonably identifiable. Personal information includes an individual’s name and contact details.

Collection of your personal information

This survey is intended to be anonymous and does not ask for your name, email address or phone number.

However, if you choose to provide your personal information it may be collected if you choose to provide it, including your name, email address, phone number, the state/territory you reside in, the organisation you represent (if applicable), and any other information that is included in your submission.

The information you provide is collected for the purposes of receiving feedback and related purposes. The Department, and its contractors, may use and disclose this personal information for the purposes of:

• administering the feedback process;
• informing or contributing to feedback process;
• development of any report/s;
• further consultation or reporting relevant to the subject of this process; - policy development related to the subject of this process

Privacy Policy

The Department of Social Services is committed to ensure that the handling, security and disclosure of any personal information you provide to us is guided by privacy laws.

You can find the Department of Social Service’s Privacy Policy at https://www.dss.gov.au/privacy-policy.

Consent to participate in this survey.

By completing this survey, you agree that:

• you have read the information about this survey on the previous pages,
• your participation is voluntary ,
• you are at least 14 years of age.

Q. Do you consent to participating in this survey?

• Yes
• No

Your interest in the Strategy

Before we get started, can you please tell us:

Q. Which of the following best describe you? (Please select all that apply.)

• I am an autistic person / a person with autism
• I am a family member of an autistic person or people
• I am an informal carer of an autistic person
• I am looking into whether I might be autistic
• I am looking into whether someone in my care might be autistic
• I work with an autistic person or people
• I am a disability support worker
• I work as a health, education or other professional
• I work for an autism or disability organisation
• I work in federal, state/territory or local government
• Other (please specify)
• Prefer not to say

Q. Do you represent a particular organisation or sector within the autism community?

If yes, please list them below.

Q. How much of the draft National Autism Strategy document have you read? (Select one option.)

Section 1: Strategy Overview

In this section, we now want to know how ‘appropriate’ you think the Vision and Goal are for the Strategy. When we say ‘appropriate’, we mean that it helps the Strategy do what it’s supposed to and doesn’t add anything that shouldn’t be in the Strategy.

Vision

The draft Vision for the National Autism Strategy is “…for a safe, inclusive society where all Autistic people are empowered to fully participate in all aspects of life, in line with international human rights.”

Q. How appropriate do you think this Vision is for the Strategy? (Select one option.)

Q. Do you have any ways to improve the Vision? If yes, please list them.

Goal

The draft goal of the National Autism Strategy is “…to improve life outcomes for all Autistic people.”

Q. How appropriate do you think this Goal is for the Strategy? (Select one option.)

Q. Do you have any ways to improve the Goal? If yes, please list them.

Guiding Principles

This section asks for your feedback about the Guiding Principles in the draft Strategy.

The Guiding Principles set out how the Strategy will be put into practice.

The Guiding Principles are listed below.

You will be asked to rate how ‘important’ each principle is for the Strategy. When we say ‘important’, we mean how much the Strategy should follow the Principle.

Principle: In partnership – Nothing about us, without us

This Strategy will be co-designed, co-produced, co-reviewed and co-delivered with Autistic people, and their families and carers and support networks.

Q. How important is this Principle to guide the Strategy? (Select one option.)

Principle: Accessible based on Universal Design

The development and implementation of this Strategy will be co-led by Autistic people and the Australian Government. It will be accessible, and based on Universal Design principles.

Q. How important is this Principle to guide the Strategy? (Select one option.)

Principle: Self Determination and Autonomy

This Strategy will foster freedom of choice, control and support for Autistic people to make their own individual decisions about all aspects of life.

Q. How important is this Principle to guide the Strategy? (Select one option.)

Principle: Aligned and Accountable Outcomes

This Strategy and actions will align with other key government strategies. This Strategy will be measurable, accountable and evidence-based.

Q. How important is this Principle to guide the Strategy? (Select one option.)

Principle: Acceptance and Inclusivity

This Strategy will reflect that every Autistic person has unique strengths, abilities and attributes. This Strategy will seek to foster community understanding and acceptance of all Autistic people for who they are, and for their many contributions to Australia.

Q. How important is this Principle to guide the Strategy? (Select one option.)

Principle: Rights

This Strategy will uphold the rights of all Autistic people to be respected and safe from all forms of discrimination, vilification, violence, and abuse everywhere in their lives.

Q. How important is this Principle to guide the Strategy? (Select one option.)

Principle: Individualised and Holistic

This Strategy recognises that there are different aspects of a person’s identity that can overlap and shape their diverse needs, abilities and experiences, and that other factors such as geography, socio-economic status, where they live, income, education, and the extent of support networks can also have an impact. This Strategy promotes an individualised and neurodiversity-affirming, holistic person and family-centred approach to meeting these needs and diverse communities across the whole life.

Q. How important is this Principle to guide the Strategy? (Select one option.)

1 2 3 4 5 Not at all Slightly Moderately Very Extremely Unsure important important important important important

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Guiding Principles (continued)

We now want to know how ‘appropriate’ you think the Principles are overall. When we say ‘appropriate’, we mean that it helps the Strategy do what it’s supposed to and doesn’t add anything that shouldn’t be in the Strategy.

Q. Overall, how appropriate are the Guiding Principles in the draft Strategy? (Select one option.)

Q. Do you have any ways to improve the Guiding Principles? If yes, please list them.

For example, you may like to tell us if you think the wording is clear or if there are any principles missing.

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Section 2: Commitments

The Draft National Autism Strategy is focussed on four key outcome areas:

• social inclusion
• economic inclusion
• diagnosis, services and support, and
• health and mental health (the National Roadmap).

The Draft National Autism Strategy includes Commitments for three of these outcome areas. The specific actions to achieve Commitments will be detailed in separate Action Plans.

Please note: Commitments for the health and mental health outcome are not included. The Australian Government has committed to implementing actions to address health and mental health of Autistic people through a national roadmap. Consultation on this roadmap is underway through the Department of Health and Aged Care. You can find out more about the Roadmap on the Department of Health and Aged Care website.

In this section, we want your feedback on the Commitments. These are commitments that the government will make to help improve life outcomes for Autistic Australians.

Social Inclusion

This section asks you about specific Commitments for the Social Inclusion key outcome area.

Q. How much of a priority are each of the following Commitments for Social Inclusion? (Select one option for each item (row).)

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Improving Autistic People’s Inclusion

• Improve Australian Government service delivery, communication and information to meet the needs of Autistic people.
• Ensure consideration of the needs of Autistic people in future amendments to or reviews of the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and associated disability standards.
• Improve the safety and welfare of Autistic people through the reduction of all forms of discrimination, violence, abuse, bullying, vilification and exploitation.

Q. Do you have any other feedback about the Commitments for Social Inclusion? If so, please write your feedback here.

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Economic Inclusion

This section asks you about specific Commitments for the Economic Inclusion key outcome area.

Q. How much of a priority are each of the following Commitments for Economic Inclusion? (Select one option for each item (row).)

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10. Improve inclusive practices and the quality and accessibility of advocacy resources for Autistic students across all education settings, and their families, carers and support networks.

11. Build on Commitment 5 Improve the safety and welfare of Autistic people through the reduction of all forms of discrimination, violence, abuse, bullying, vilification and exploitation to specifically focus on Autistic students in all levels of education.

Q. Do you have any other feedback about the Commitments for Economic Inclusion? If so, please write your feedback here.

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Diagnosis, Supports and Services

This section asks you about specific Commitments for the Diagnosis, Supports and Services key outcome area.

Q. How much of a priority are each of the following Commitments for Diagnosis, Supports and Services? (Select one option for each item (row).)

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people, with a focus on continuity of care , and

b. Explore ways to make Autism diagnosis and assessment processes more timely and accessible.

15. Consider early screening and identification arrangements, and improved access to health professionals, in conjunction with proposed reforms under the NDIS Review *.

• Consideration is to be given to how this commitment links with joint work being undertaken by the Australian and state and territory governments as part of Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021-31 and in response to the Independent Review of the NDIS. Details on work to meet this commitment will be developed in Action Plan/s.

16. Improve access to quality, timely, neurodiversity-affirming and equitable supports and services for Autistic people, including for people living in rural, regional and remote areas.

17. Encourage greater representation of people with lived experience in delivering supports and services to Autistic people.

18. Develop a set of best practice training and resource materials for people providing service and supports to Autistic people

19. Explore the feasibility of a decision-making tool to empower Autistic people to make informed decisions about all areas of their life.

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20. Work with state and territories to improve service integration between the NDIS, foundational supports and mainstream services.

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Q. Do you have any other feedback about the Commitments for Diagnosis, Supports and Services? If so, please write your feedback here.

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Governance, Research and Reporting

This section asks you for your feedback on the Commitments for Governance, Research and Reporting. These commitments are numbers 21 – 24 in the Draft Strategy. They are:

Governance

• Develop a governance framework to support:
  • strong accountability mechanisms
  • co-leadership and active involvement of Autistic people, as well as parents, carers and professionals within the Autism sector
  • whole-of-government, cross-sectoral and coordinated approaches to implementation.

Research

• Explore how autism research can best be fostered and applied to policy and service delivery and underpinned by the Strategy’s Guiding Principles.

Evidence

• Develop a National Autism Strategy Evidence Framework, including a Theory of Change, Program Logic, Outcomes Framework, and Evaluation Framework.

Evaluation and Reporting

• Develop a robust evaluation plan and reporting mechanism, co-led by Autistic people and the autism community, for the National Autism Strategy

Q. Do you have any feedback about these Commitments? If so, please write your feedback here?

Section 3: Strategy Gaps

This section asks about what might be missing or other opinions you might have about the draft National Autism Strategy.

Q. Overall, how satisfied are you that the draft Strategy addresses the needs and aspirations of Autistic people?

Q. Is there anything you think is missing from the Draft National Autism Strategy? If yes, please let us know about it below.

Q. Is there anything else you want to say about how the Draft National Autism Strategy could be improved? If yes, please let us know about it below.

Section 4: About You

So that we can better understand the different perspectives we are gaining through this survey, we have a few final questions about you.

Q. What state or territory do you live in? (Select one option.)

• Australian Capital Territory
• New South Wales
• Northern Territory
• Queensland
• South Australia
• Tasmania
• Victoria
• Western Australia
• I do not live in Australia

Q. Where do you live? (Select one option.)

• In a capital city or a large city
• In a regional, rural or remote area
• Prefer not to say

Q. What is your gender? (Select one option.)

• Male

• Female

• Other / I’d prefer to describe myself (please specify)

• Prefer not to say

Q. How old are you? (Select one option.)

• Under 18 years

• 18-24 years

• 25-34 years

• 35-44 years

• 45-54 years

• 55-64 years

• 65-74 years

• 75 years or older

• Prefer not to say

Q. Do you identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander? (Select one option.)

• Yes

• No

• Prefer not to say

Q. Do you identify as LGBTIQA+? (Select one option.)

• Yes

• No

• Prefer not to say

Q. Do you identify as having a disability other than Autism? (Select one option.)

• Yes

• No

• Prefer not to say

Q. Which of the following apply to you? Please select all that apply.

• Intellectual disability
• Physical disability
• Deaf or hard of hearing
• Blind or low vision
• Psychosocial disability or mental health condition
• Neurological condition (other than autism) (e.g., Tourette’s, epilepsy, ADHD)
• Other learning disability (e.g., dyslexia)
• Other sensory disability
• Other
  • Prefer not to say
• Not applicable

Q. Do you often use a language other than English at home? (Select one option.)

• Yes
• No
• Prefer not to say

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Q. What other language/s do you speak at home? Please select all that apply.

• Arabic
• Cantonese/Mandarin
• Greek
• Hindi
• Italian
• Punjabi
• Spanish
• Tagalog
• Vietnamese

• Other (please specify)

• Prefer not to say
• Not applicable

Q. Can we include quotes from your responses in the report summarising the findings

from this survey? If you say yes, we will make sure you cannot be identified (that nobody can tell who you are from what is written).

• Yes

• No

Thank you for taking the time to share your valuable feedback.

To continue to get updates about the National Autism Strategy visit the Department of Social Services website at https://engage.dss.gov.au/developing-the-national-autism-strategy/

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Diagnosis, Supports and Services Working Group – Commitments 13, 14, 15 and 16 – Potential first year, medium and long-term action items

Commitment 13

Develop a set of best practice resources to support Autistic people and their families, carers and support networks through the identification, assessment and diagnosis process.

Possible first year actions

• Where in-person services are inaccessible, allow practitioners to provide diagnostic assessments online. (action item 13.1 in the matrix – action to be shared with roadmap)
• To assist with fast-tracking access to supports and diagnosis, have pre-diagnosis tools available that GPs etc. can direct people to, to complete prior seeking a formal diagnosis. Information would cover the diverse presentation of Autism (and across the lifespan) and co-occurring mental health and physical health conditions. Tools to be in accessible formats such as videos, visual information and handouts. (action item 13.2 in the matrix)

Possible medium to long-term actions

• Develop tools and roll out – To assist with fast-tracking access to supports and diagnosis, have pre-diagnosis tools available that GPs etc. can direct people to, to complete prior seeking a formal diagnosis. Information would cover the diverse presentation of Autism (and across the lifespan) and co-occurring mental health and physical health conditions. Tools to be in accessible formats such as videos, visual information and handouts. (action item 13.2 in the matrix) – look at idea from Commitment 12 in the matrix

Commitment 14

Explore ways to improve access to primary care, including through the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS), to:

• Improve quality health and mental health services for Autistic people, with a focus on continuity of care,
• Explore ways to make Autism diagnosis and assessment processes more timely and accessible.

Possible first year actions

• Increase awareness of what services GPs provide and what services are provided elsewhere. (action item 14.2 in the matrix)
• Co-design a widespread, public facing campaign that aims to raise awareness of the role that GP’s play in referring individuals for Autism and related diagnoses. (suggestion from Heidi - action item 14.2 in the matrix)
• Encourage GPs to use bulk-billing for appointments made for the purpose of accessing a referral for an Autism diagnosis. (action item 14.4 in the matrix)

Comment in the matrix: I would disagree that we should try and direct a professional group to charge a particular fee or not for a service. BB rates are very low for these professionals and do not cover costs. I would not support this

Possible medium to long-term actions

• Expand Medicare Rebate to cover Autism assessments for people of all ages and increase rebate amount as well as ensure changes to rebate are known across different practitioners so people don’t get different information about what is covered and not covered in the rebate. (action item 14.1 in the matrix – action to be shared with roadmap)

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National Autism Strategy

Commitment 15: Consider early screening and identification, and improved access to health professionals.

Possible first year actions

• Include Autism screening in standard developmental assessments for babies/toddlers, especially those who are premature or identified as having development delays/differences etc. (action item 15.1 in the matrix – action to be shared with roadmap)
• Include Autism screening in standard developmental assessments for primary school-aged children, especially those who are identified as having development delays/differences etc. (action item 15.2 in the matrix)

Comment: I would not offer this as it is not doable in a practical way. There are no regular developmental assessments for all primary school-aged children but could be offered to those who are identified through a screening process with a survey etc.

Possible medium to long-term actions

• Training for health providers to identify and minimise impact of own bias about autism and other co-existing neuro-types to minimise gatekeeping or misdiagnosis of autism as other conditions. (action item 15.3 in the matrix – action to be shared with roadmap)

Commitment 16: Improve access to quality, timely, neurodiversity-affirming and equitable supports and services for Autistic people, including for people living in rural, regional and remote areas.

Possible first year actions

• Develop guidelines – Autistic people to design, lead development and implementation of national neurodivergent accessibility guidelines for service providers and organisations. (action item 16.1 in the matrix)
• Develop a minimum requirement framework that all support and service providers have to meet. Create a list on central of ableist, harmful and not autistic co-run trainings to minimise utilisations of training that continue to utilise behaviourism, ABA and other harmful modalities. (action item 16.2 in the matrix)
• Source of research available – Ensure research represents the Autistic population, including representation from women, CALD, Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander, LGBQITA+ and rural and remote communities. Ensure researchers are aware of common co-presenting conditions in screening processes such as Pathological Demand Avoidance, ADHD, chronic pain etc. (action item 16.4 in the matrix)
• Identification and warning of providers and services of time period to complete trainings and generate proof of implementation. Suspension of right to operate and practice until completed trainings and provided proof of changes made prior to re-opening if deemed appropriate by autistic run regulation council – Accountability for providers, supports funded and mainstream services to be shut down when they are doing wrong. Consistency in shut down and closure of loopholes that exist that may allow these businesses/services to operate who continue to do the wrong thing such as change of name, abn etc. (action item 16.7 in the matrix)
• Creation of list on central database of ableist, harmful and not autistic co-run trainings to minimise utilisations of trainings that continue to utilise behaviourism, aba and other harmful modalities – Accountability for providers, supports funded and mainstream services to be shut down when they are doing wrong. Consistency in shut down and closure of loopholes that exist that may allow these businesses/services to operate who continue to do the wrong thing such as change of name, abn etc. (action item 16.7 in the matrix). Could this be combined with proposed action 2?

Diagnosis Supports and Services Working Group – Commitments 13, 14, 15 and 16 – Potential first year, medium and long-term actions

dss.gov.au/National-Autism-Strategy Page 157 of 344

Possible medium to long-term actions

• Implementation – Autistic people to design, lead development and implementation of national neurodivergent accessibility guidelines for service providers and organisations. (action item 16.1 in the matrix)
• Implement a minimum requirement framework that all support and service providers have to meet. Delegates to monitor consistent meeting of minimum requirement framework. Continual update of data base on continu8al research and findings (action item 16.2 in the matrix)
• Implement a frequently updated system that indicates what services and supports are available and what type of service is available (e.g. telehealth, face to face). The system is easily accessible where services can indicate their availability (e.g. green available, yellow available within next 6 months, red = full). (action item 16.3 in the matrix)
• Co-designed and co-led research designing – Ensure research represents the Autistic population, including representation from women, CALD, Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander, LGBQITA+ and rural and remote communities. Ensure researchers are aware of common co-presenting conditions in screening processes, such as Pathological Demand Avoidance, ADHD, chronic pain etc. (action item 16.4 in the matrix)
• Conduct and continued publication of research to keep up evidence base – Ensure research represents the Autistic population, including representation from women, CALD, Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander, LGBQITA+ and rural and remote communities. Ensure researchers are aware of common co-presenting conditions in screening processes, such as Pathological Demand Avoidance, ADHD, chronic pain etc. (action item 16.4 in the matrix)
• Nationally referred to and utilised data-base that is free to access with neuro-affirming screeners to assist with diagnostic process, information written by and for autistic people that replaces current systems/screeners/information available that is conflicting, ablest and inaccessible. (action item 16.5 in the matrix)
• Upskill community health workers in regional remote areas. (action item 16.6 in the matrix)
• Continual update of data base based on continual research and findings – Accountability for providers, supports funded and mainstream services to be shut down when they are doing wrong. Consistency in shut down and closure of loopholes that exist that may allow these businesses/services to operate who continue to do the wrong thing such as change of name, abn etc. (action item 16.7 in the matrix)
• Create a service system that works together as a network, providing collective supports which works towards the goals of the autistic person. (action item 16.8 in the matrix)
• Require all services and organisations that work with Autistic people to have Neurodiversity inclusive Disability Inclusion Action Plan’s (DIAP’s) as internal mechanisms to drive, monitor and evaluate the inclusion of Autistic people within organisations. (action item 16.9 in the matrix)
• Create family focused supports and services for Autistic people across their lifespan. Including early identification and support, support for parents of Autistic children, and Autistic people in Aged Care. (action item 16.10 in the matrix)

Focus Area A: Improving support for Autistic people, their families, and carers, in health and mental health services

Roadmap Outcomes

A1. Health and mental health facilities are able to accommodate the sensory, communication and accessibility needs of Autistic and autism community members. A2. Information and resources about health and mental health services are accessible for Autistic people and autism community members. Information is provided in appropriate alternative formats for different communication and cultural contexts. A3. Autistic people, their families and carers, know and understand the information they are provided, their health rights and what it is to give informed consent. They are actively supported to participate as equal partners in their health care. A4. Autistic people’s interoceptive differences, including experiences of symptoms, emotions, and pain are understood, supported, and accommodated in the health and mental health systems. A5. Health practitioners are skilled and proactive in upholding Autistic people’s rights, especially where they may not have the capacity to communicate their needs or provide consent. A6. Autistic people, or their appointed carer at times when they do have capacity, are supported to make informed decisions about their health care. A7. Financial and administrative barriers to accessing health and mental health services are reduced for Autistic people across primary and specialist care.

Possible actions

• Review, collate and identify the best examples of health and mental health literacy resources for Autistic people, their families, and carers in partnership with Autistic and autism community members.
• Review existing, or if needed develop and promote, tools for best practice models of care for supporting autonomy, facilitating support for decision-making, obtaining informed consent for treatment, and ensuring adequate and ethical safeguards for those that lack capacity to provide informed consent. These models should also consider the role of parents, carers, and guardians.

Your comments

Please keep comments concise and within scope of Focus Area A.

Regularly review existing Australian Government health and mental health information and resources for consumers and health practitioners, to ensure Autistic people’s adjustment needs are explicitly addressed.

Develop information in areas identified as key gaps in the review of health literacy resources for Autistic people. Key topics could include:

• when you might need to see a professional
• how different kinds of professionals can help
• how to navigate services, including making appointments
• the symptoms and varied presentations of autism
• pain expression, interoception, emotions and alexithymia.

Include requirements for autism friendly spaces and other autism adjustments in the Australasian Health Facility Guidelines and related building and accessibility standards. Updates to these guidelines should include consultation with Autistic people to ensure these revisions are appropriate for the needs of Autistic people and autism community members.

Develop resources for health and mental health professionals and health service staff to improve their understanding and competency regarding symptomology, interoception and pain expression in autism in partnership with Autistic people, autism community members and health practitioners.

Explore changes to primary care and the Medicare Benefits Scheme to improve access and reduce out-of-pocket costs for health and mental health care for Autistic people, their families, and carers. This could include:

• expand the Medicare rebate for diagnostic assessment of complex neurodevelopmental disorders to cover Autism assessments for people of all ages
• increase or enhance Mental Health Treatment Plans for Autistic people
• increase access to long consultations to accommodate different cognitive processing and communication needs
• otherwise increase affordability and ways that health professionals can provide additional supports to Autistic people.

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Co-design a national Clinical Care Standard for autism that outlines Autism Affirming considerations and adjustments Autistic people should be offered by health professionals and providers, in alignment with the Autism Affirming Framework (see Focus Area B).

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Focus Area B: Improving the quality, safety and availability of neurodiversity-affirming health and mental health care for Autistic people across their lifespan

Autism Health Roadmap Outcomes

Possible actions

Promote best practice care of Autistic people within existing sector reform efforts based on an Autism Affirming Framework.

This could include further provisions that enable health practitioners to spend more time with Autistic patients. Further, there is more consideration of the communication needs and diverse abilities of Autistic people, including those with co-occurring conditions and complex or high disability support needs.

Establish a national practice recognition initiative to make it easier for Autistic people to identify health professionals who, within their scope of practice and aligned with an Autism Affirming Framework, specialise services for Autistic people.

Pilot and promote best practice models of Autism Affirming care, as defined by an Autism Affirming Framework. Ensure that the specialised needs of the priority populations are considered in selection of the pilots.

Review the National Safety and Quality Health Services (NSQHS) Standards concerning the reduction of patient harm to ensure their applicability and suitability to autism and alignment to an Autism Affirming Framework. This should include self-harm, suicide risk mitigation, and the reduction and elimination of restrictive practices.

Develop practice guidance and education material on the use of psychotropic medicines for Autistic people and Autistic experiences of chemical restraint, with reference to:

• an Autism Affirming Framework
• the Psychotropic Medicines in Cognitive Disability or Impairment Clinical Care Standard
• Existing evidence and practice guidance on the use of medicines to address behaviours with Autistic peoples, including systematic reviews of pharmacological interventions, alternatives to prescribing medicines, and deprescribing practices.

Focus Area C: Building better connections between health, mental health and other service sectors, including the NDIS

Autism Health Roadmap Outcomes

Possible actions

• Develop and publicise an “autism passport” that contains information on an individual’s sensory, cognitive, communication, co-occurring conditions, and treatment preferences. This would also translate the individual’s preference to health and disability service contexts. Opportunities for digital integration should be explored.
• Develop and pilot models for Autistic and autism-proficient service navigators/liaison officers in health and mental health services. Consider whether disability health navigators (recommended in the NDIS Review) could be equipped to play this role.
• Engage state and territories on specialised multi-disciplinary health care service options, either improving existing services or establishing new services. These centres could provide comprehensive, physical, and mental health care planning and services, including telehealth, tailored to Autistic people and capable of working with highly complex conditions.

Your comments

Please keep comments concise and within scope of Focus Area C.

Focus Area D: Improving Autism education and training for health and disability professionals

Autism Health Roadmap Outcomes

| D2. Health, mental health, and disability professionals are skilled at effectively communicating and engaging with Autistic people in ways that lead to Autistic people’s personal wellbeing goals being better met. | |

| D3. Health and mental health professionals are better skilled at providing Autistic and autism-affirming health care for Autistic people, including practices appropriate to different life stages and the intersecting needs of priority populations. | |

| D4. Autistic people are supported to train and thrive as health professionals, by: |-|-| | - understanding the rates of Autistic health professionals | | | - working with professional bodies to address barriers to Autistic people openly identifying in their workplaces | | | - improving understanding of reasonable adjustments in health and mental health service workplaces for Autistic practitioners. | |

Possible actions

The Department of Health and Aged Care to work with other portfolios like Justice, child protection, education and the National Disability Insurance Scheme about improvements about how the health and mental health of Autistic people can be supported through how they approach their interface with Autistic people. | |

Establish a competency-based national program of professional development to improve health and mental health workforce in the following areas (could be aligned with an Autism Affirming Framework): | |

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• autism, including diverse presentations, communication, interoception and pain expression
• intersectionality and complexity
• National Standards of care and how they apply to autism
• relevant legislative frameworks, adjustments, and accommodations
• informed consent and assent for all Autistic people, with a specific focus on people who do not have the capacity to give informed consent
• supporting people with very high and complex disability needs
• trauma-informed care.

Focus Area E: Research and data on health and mental health outcomes of Autistic people and their families and carers

Autism Health Roadmap Outcomes

Possible actions

• Fund research which addresses the following priority areas and population groups:
  • ways to improve Autistic people’s overall health, particularly in areas where diagnostic overshadowing is an issue
  • suicide prevention
  • child and adolescent health
  • intersections of autism health with intellectual and cognitive disabilities
• Leverage existing and upcoming data and reporting reforms, where disability identifiers in data sets are being improved to develop a comprehensive and consistent set of autism identifiers. This would be required for an ongoing basis of national health and mental health data collections and reporting.
• Develop and establish national evidence-based standards in pain measurement for Autistic people. This should have applicability across diverse settings such as bedside care, ambulance transport and childbirth, plus across all ages, abilities and intersectional experiences.
• Review the current measurement tools and practice guidelines used to identify co-occurring health and mental health conditions for Autistic people. The review should

identify options for further development of existing or new tools and guidelines that are appropriate for Autistic people. The options should be valid for Autistic people with co-existing conditions and for priority populations.

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Focus Area F: Arrangements for oversight, monitoring, and implementation

Autism Health Roadmap Outcomes

Your comments

Please keep comments concise and within scope of Focus Area F.

F1. A program of work to improve the health and mental health of Autistic people is overseen by a diverse group of stakeholders and incorporates best practice standards of engagement with Autistic people and autism community members. Key groups include:

• Autistic people, including Autistic people from all priority populations
• Families and carers of Autistic people
• Representatives from the health, mental health and disability sectors
• Representatives of universities, professional colleges, accreditation, and registration bodies;
• Cross-government representation

F2. Autistic people, autism community members and other stakeholders have access to accessible and relevant information about work towards improving the health and mental health of Autistic people. This should include a way to feed back about implementation.

F3. Work towards improving the health and mental health of Autistic people is underpinned by clear implementation timeframes and a robust monitoring, evaluation, and reporting framework.

Possible actions

Your comments

• Establish a Governance Group to oversee and monitor work to improve the health and mental health of Autistic people. This should include Autistic and autism representatives, practitioners and their representative bodies, and government representatives.
• Report annually on implementation and progress of work to improve the health and mental health of Autistic people.
• Through the Governance Group, develop an Outcomes, Monitoring and Evaluation Framework. Critical data gaps should be identified and addressed.

Focus Area A: Improving support for Autistic people, their families, and carers, in health and mental health services

A4. Add: and staff working in these systems are attune to the different presentations of symptoms that occur among Autistic people who experience intersectional disadvantage based on factors such as race and gender.

A5. Everyone has the capacity to provide consent with the right support.

A6. Why would someone have an appointed carer if they ‘do have capacity’? Also comment as per above. Autistic people should in 99.9% of cases be supported to make their own decisions.

A7. |

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• expand the Medicare rebate for diagnostic assessment of complex neurodevelopmental disorders to cover Autism assessments for people of all ages
• increase or enhance Mental Health Treatment Plans for Autistic people
• increase access to long consultations to accommodate different cognitive processing and communication needs
• otherwise increase affordability and ways that health professionals can provide additional supports to Autistic people. Co-design a national Clinical Care Standard for autism that outlines Autism Affirming considerations and adjustments Autistic people should be offered by health professionals and providers, in alignment with the Autism Affirming Framework (see Focus Area B).

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Focus Area B: Improving the quality, safety and availability of neurodiversity-affirming health and mental health care for Autistic people across their lifespan

Autism Health Roadmap Outcomes

Possible actions

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Promote best practice care of Autistic people within existing sector reform efforts based on an Autism Affirming Framework. This could include further provisions that enable health practitioners to spend more time with Autistic patients. Further, there is more consideration of the communication needs and diverse abilities of Autistic people, including those with co-occurring conditions and complex or high disability support needs.

Establish a national practice recognition initiative to make it easier for Autistic people to identify health professionals who, within their scope of practice and aligned with an Autism Affirming Framework, specialise services for Autistic people.

Pilot and promote best practice models of Autism Affirming care, as defined by an Autism Affirming Framework. Ensure that the specialised needs of the priority populations are considered in selection of the pilots.

Review the National Safety and Quality Health Services (NSQHS) Standards concerning the reduction of patient harm to ensure their applicability and suitability to autism and alignment to an Autism Affirming Framework. This should include self-harm, suicide risk mitigation, and the reduction and elimination of restrictive practices.

Develop practice guidance and education material on the use of psychotropic medicines for Autistic people and Autistic experiences of chemical restraint, with reference to:

• an Autism Affirming Framework
• the Psychotropic Medicines in Cognitive Disability or Impairment Clinical Care Standard
• Existing evidence and practice guidance on the use of medicines to address behaviours with Autistic peoples, including systematic reviews of pharmacological interventions, alternatives to prescribing medicines, and deprescribing practices.

Focus Area C: Building better connections between health, mental health and other service sectors, including the NDIS

Autism Health Roadmap Outcomes

Possible actions

• Develop and publicise an “autism passport” that contains information on an individual’s sensory, cognitive, communication, co-occurring conditions, and treatment preferences. This would also translate the individual’s preference to health and disability service contexts. Opportunities for digital integration should be explored.
• Develop and pilot models for Autistic and autism-proficient service navigators/liaison officers in health and mental health services. Consider whether disability health navigators (recommended in the NDIS Review) could be equipped to play this role.
• Engage state and territories on specialised multi-disciplinary health care service options, either improving existing services or establishing new services. These centres could provide comprehensive, physical, and mental health care planning and services, including telehealth, tailored to Autistic people and capable of working with highly complex conditions.

Your comments

Please keep comments concise and within scope of Focus Area C.

Comments:

• There is already a communication passport being piloted for Autistic people. It is currently being piloted in Tasmania through Autism Tasmania. Consider expanding this rather than reinventing the wheel?

Focus Area D: Improving Autism education and training for health and disability professionals

| D2. Health, mental health, and disability professionals are skilled at effectively communicating and engaging with Autistic people in ways that lead to Autistic people’s personal wellbeing goals being better met. | |

| D3. Health and mental health professionals are better skilled at providing Autistic and autism-affirming health care for Autistic people, including practices appropriate to different life stages and the intersecting needs of priority populations. | Change to ‘autism and neurodiversity-affirming care.’ |

| D4. Autistic people are supported to train and thrive as health professionals, by: |- understanding the rates of Autistic health professionals
- working with professional bodies to address barriers to Autistic people openly identifying in their workplaces
- improving understanding of reasonable adjustments in health and mental health service workplaces for Autistic practitioners. | Add dot point:
Creating roles for Autistic people as peer workers in health settings.
Your comments |

| Possible actions | Your comments |

| Establish resources or services for health and mental health practitioners in primary care supporting Autistic patients who need care beyond the practitioner’s direct expertise. Examples might include: |- an extension of Health Pathways
- hotline to a specialised health practitioner
- Primary Health Network resources provided to local practitioners | All information and resources for and regarding Autistic people should be led by, co-designed and/or co-developed with Autistic people.
Your comments |

| The Department of Health and Aged Care to work with other portfolios like Justice, child protection, education and the National Disability Insurance Scheme about improvements about how the health and mental health of Autistic people can be supported through how they approach their interface with Autistic people. | How??
Your comments |

| Establish a competency-based national program of professional development to improve health and mental health workforce in the following areas (could be aligned with an Autism Affirming Framework): | Neurodiversity?
Your comments |

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• autism, including diverse presentations, communication, interoception and pain expression
• intersectionality and complexity
• National Standards of care and how they apply to autism
• relevant legislative frameworks, adjustments, and accommodations
• informed consent and assent for all Autistic people, with a specific focus on people who do not have the capacity to give informed consent
• supporting people with very high and complex disability needs
• trauma-informed care.

Focus Area E: Research and data on health and mental health outcomes of Autistic people and their families and carers

Autism Health Roadmap Outcomes

Possible actions

• Fund research which addresses the following priority areas and population groups:
  • ways to improve Autistic people’s overall health, particularly in areas where diagnostic overshadowing is an issue
  • suicide prevention
  • child and adolescent health
  • intersections of autism health with intellectual and cognitive disabilities
• Leverage existing and upcoming data and reporting reforms, where disability identifiers in data sets are being improved to develop a comprehensive and consistent set of autism identifiers. This would be required for an ongoing basis of national health and mental health data collections and reporting.
• Develop and establish national evidence-based standards in pain measurement for Autistic people. This should have applicability across diverse settings such as bedside care, ambulance transport and childbirth, plus across all ages, abilities and intersectional experiences.
• Review the current measurement tools and practice guidelines used to identify co-occurring health and mental health conditions for Autistic people. The review should

identify options for further development of existing or new tools and guidelines that are appropriate for Autistic people. The options should be valid for Autistic people with co-existing conditions and for priority populations.

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Focus Area F: Arrangements for oversight, monitoring, and implementation

Autism Health Roadmap Outcomes

Your comments

Please keep comments concise and within scope of Focus Area F.

F1. A program of work to improve the health and mental health of Autistic people is overseen by a diverse group of stakeholders and incorporates best practice standards of engagement with Autistic people and autism community members. Key groups include:

• Autistic people, including Autistic people from all priority populations
• Families and carers of Autistic people
• Representatives from the health, mental health and disability sectors
• Representatives of universities, professional colleges, accreditation, and registration bodies;
• Cross-government representation

F2. Autistic people, autism community members and other stakeholders have access to accessible and relevant information about work towards improving the health and mental health of Autistic people. This should include a way to feed back about implementation.

F3. Work towards improving the health and mental health of Autistic people is underpinned by clear implementation timeframes and a robust monitoring, evaluation, and reporting framework.

Possible actions

Your comments

• Establish a Governance Group to oversee and monitor work to improve the health and mental health of Autistic people. This should include Autistic and autism representatives, practitioners and their representative bodies, and government representatives. Made of majority Autistic people and Autistic researchers
• Report annually on implementation and progress of work to improve the health and mental health of Autistic people. How?
• Through the Governance Group, develop an Outcomes, Monitoring and Evaluation Framework. Critical data gaps should be identified and addressed.

Social Inclusion

X. National Commitments (not for workshopping)

x.x Action items (taken from Gov Teams, for workshopping)

1. Improve understanding of, and change attitudes towards, Autistic people across all of society, through:

a. Greater public education and awareness including a better understanding of autism within workplaces, with a focus on health, education and the Federal justice system. b. Increasing visibility and representation of Autistic people in the media, sports and the arts. c. Increasing accessible and sensory-friendly public and online spaces. d. Increasing the capability of advocates and advocacy organisations to challenge and reduce stigma of autism.

1.1 Working in co-production with Autistic people design, develop and implement a targeted community and awareness education campaign that:

• raise awareness about Autism, our experiences, strengths and support needs
• challenge ableist attitudes about Autistic people
• include, promote and platform real stories told about and by Autistic people
• showcase best practice examples of how to support, include and accommodate for Autistic people.
• An education and awareness piece and training to include Autistic community in emergency and disaster situations.
• provide Autistic people with information about their rights in multiple accessible formats

1.2 Design, develop and implement targeted education, awareness activities, training and accreditation in specific settings, commencing with justice, health, housing, media and education.

1.3 (rework to combine 1.2 & 1.4)

Working in co-production with Autistic people, develop and implement national accessibility guidelines and training that inform/educate government entities, including the justice system, businesses and non-government organisations on how to ensure that they are accessible to Autistic and neurodivergent people. In ways that are, neuro-affirming, trauma informed, gender and culturally responsive, rights based, and person centred. (seek further clarification on national accessibility guidelines)

1.4 Influence policy and standards so that they provide a framework that is inclusive of Autistic people. With a focus on building standards… etc.

(seek further clarification on 1.4, could this be combined with 1.3? Should policy and legislation be a stand-alone item and not under a specific working group)

1.3 A harder approach is needed in critical settings and sectors i.e. justice system, courts, workplaces, education. Need to make it mandatory to provide information about Autism, what it means to be Autistic and how it impacts people in particular settings.

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Increase opportunities for social connections and peer support.

Improve Australian Government service delivery, communication, and information to meet the needs of Autistic people.

Undertake a review of the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and associated disability standards to ensure they are meeting the needs of Autistic people.

Improve the safety and welfare of Autistic people through the reduction of all forms of discrimination, violence, abuse, bullying, vilification and exploitation.

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| 5.2 | Mandate policies/programs – government agencies, recipients of government funding, and workplaces should have a Disability Inclusion Action Plan – including a Neurodiversity Inclusion Action Plan. Include this as a requirement in RFQ documentation. | | 5.3 | Build on how sectors work with and communicate with Autistic people – a vocabulary about what it is like to be an Autistic person. Practical resources to build awareness in significant workforces to support them better to engage with and understand Autistic people. | | 5.4 | Autism training should be part of core competencies in education settings. | | 5.5 | Need to achieve a sense of safety – policies to ensure and harness safety in workplaces and schools and other environments. |

Economic Inclusion

| 6.1 Evaluate the efficiency of Autistic-specific employment programs to determine what works well (to develop a foundation). | Short/Medium + ongoing | Set up plan of action. What programs will be evaluated, what timeframe. Who will conduct the evaluation? | | | 6.2 Switch to achieving meaningful and long-term employment outcomes by challenging ‘tick the box’ employment practices. Design programs to get Autistic people into jobs where success based on retention not placement. (inclusive transportation) | Short/Medium | Review current incentive models. Accountability mapping. | | | 6.3 Launch a campaign showing the mutual benefits of hiring Autistic people. Show successful cases where employers describe how employing an Autistic person has benefited their business and the Autistic employee shares how it has benefited them. | Short | Launch as soon as possible (12-18 months to ensure messaging is clear). | | | 6.4 Train/show job providers, recruitment agencies, employers and educators the benefits of hiring Autistic people, and provide training/knowledge around working with Autistic people, so they can communicate these benefits with potential employers. | Short – identify/develop
Medium – develop/implement
Ongoing – scale up | Identify gaps in current training. Who will deliver the training? Who will launch? | | | 6.5 Job providers, recruitment agencies, employers and educators to be given the resources and support to develop a strong network with all employers in their region, not just entry-level employers. A diverse network of employers will allow job providers to identify opportunities that align with the Autistic person’s interests, skills, experiences and goals. | Short + ongoing | | | | 6.6 through 6.10 were double ups and have been removed | | | | | 6.11 Educate on life skills, such as money management, taxes, managing a business, how to find and apply for work. | Short/long + ongoing | | | | 6.12 NAS to fund programs and initiatives that support autistic entrepreneurship starting as early as possible. The programs should have emphasis on finding purpose initially before moving into more practical skills for self-employment.
Mentoring programs for autistic people who are starting business’ in areas such as tax, finance, HR etc.
Funding to support autistic entrepreneurs get started (specific autism accelerator and incubator programs).
Make government grants easier to apply for, using plain English and transparency rather than the current system. | Short + ongoing
Short – design, Medium - delivery
Ongoing | | |

Support employers to hire and retain Autistic employees through improving the accessibility of recruitment processes and fostering workplace environments that are safe and inclusive for all Autistic people.

7.1 Have a dedicated team to collate information on accessible hiring practices and turn that information into simple, small chunks of information.
Content: Resources to show small changes employers can make to increase accessibility of their application and hiring practices. Formats: create infographics, short video clips, comic strip images, short articles. Team: Team should be Autistic-led. Distribution: the resulting resources can be shared easily via social media, and provided in print form (e.g., flyers). Can be distributed to job providers who can share with their networks. Also distributed directly to potential employers, and possibly at relevant conferences. Autism CRC has a resource along those lines, therefore, adopt | | |

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Autism CRC’s “The Integrated Employment Success Tool” and Other Recommendations

• Promote the Federal Government’s Employee Assistance Fund where employers are provided with financial help to purchase work-related modifications and services.

7.2 Provide genuine, and timely support for employers and employees to identify and implement reasonable adjustments. Perhaps a call-in advice service on reasonable adjustments.

7.3 Develop resources and capacity building tools for employers to support Autistic people in employment.

7.4 Establish a data clearing house that captures best practice for others to learn from, including case study examples.

7.5 Promoting safe and including workplace environments, reducing burnout experienced by Autistic people by constantly ‘masking’ neurotypical behaviours.

7.6 Working in co-production with Autistic people, develop and implement a national program to upskill and build the capacity of workplaces, employers and professionals to support and cater to the needs or Autistic people, from all intersectional backgrounds and levels of employment.

7.7 Compulsory professional development for those in charge of hiring processes, hiring decisions, bullying, and managing reasonable adjustments. This professional development will not be appropriate for organisations of every size, however, will be suitable for all industries. The training could make the legislative requirements clear, outline the support available to streamline these processes and handle bullying and other difficult situations.

7.8 Campaign / information / professional development targeted to employers. This could be in the form of social media shares or more direct mail outs to employers to provide information on issues job seekers have experienced. Can be infographics / comic style. Show scenario – incorrect employer action – consequence to employee – penalties to employer. Then show the same scenario again with various positive ways to address it and show the outcomes.

7.9 Real and enforced penalties for employers that do not provide reasonable adjustments or do not address bullying once they become aware of it.

7.10 Adjust policy to make it more difficult for workplaces to get away with treating people poorly. While discrimination and bullying is commonly prohibited in policy and law, there are very subtle ways that workplaces manage to get around it. Perhaps making it compulsory for workplaces to have clear pathways to report bullying or unfair treatment.

7.11 Government funded education about neurodiversity, about sensory environment looks like, personal days. Neurodiversity package, neurodivergent led.

7.12 Possibly, after helping an Autistic person gain meaningful employment, job providers could refer Autistic people to a mentor-type service that will check in with them on occasion to ask how the job is going. They could help Autistic people transition into employment and also meet with them every 6 months or so for a check-in. This will allow them to identify issues of underemployment and the mentor could provide advice on options. Inc. Information and strategies for approaching employers for promotions to more meaningful work, and discussing other options such as a secondary job, changing jobs, or upskilling to move into more meaningful work within the same organisation.

7.13 Specialised employment services that can support people who need very flexible work. E.g., people with health that fluctuates wildly or people with Autism, co-occurring conditions, and caring responsibilities. We need job providers who can support Autistic people in accessing flexible, meaningful work which may include typical work, but also support in setting themselves up as an independent contractor, becoming self-employed, the gig economy, crafting items to sell, even buying items to refurbish and resell. We need services that can truly understand an Autistic person’s needs, skills, experience, passions, and barriers to employment. And those services must provide truly individualised advice, support, and referrals that is not limited to

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| | their interests and strengths and present options of things they may like to consider after they leave school and during. Not just university courses. Discuss TAFE, entry level work, volunteering, internship programs, hobbies and skills to develop. Provide specific opportunities, not vague suggestions. Needs to be approached with no pressure, e.g., as personal development, following interests. Mentor can support and help problem solve when things go wrong (e.g., did not get required grade for a course or they were offered a job but don’t know public transport). | | | — | — | | 8.2 | Change policy so schools would need to provide reasonable adjustments to students. In circumstances where they cannot provide reasonable adjustments they are required to provide evidence as to why. | | | 8.3 | Promote the Federal Government’s Work Assist program, to assist those who are at risk of losing their job due to illness, injury or disability. Many Autistic people are let go from their jobs within months of being employed. | | | 8.4 | Employment pilots to connect people to work in areas of skills shortage. Continue to provide support during employment to promote long-term arrangements. | | | 8.5 | Develop resources for Autistic people on self-advocacy in employment. Refer to Autism CRC’s Self Advocacy@work website. | | | 8.6 | People working in organisations, such as Centrelink, need to have disability training. Centrelink forms need to be in easy read formats, as they are currently confusing and difficult to understand. Increase in-person support to assist with completing paper work. | | | 8.7 | A possible action is to have clear, step by step guides for different areas of unemployment - not just writing a resume but things like how to actually contact Centrelink. | |

Increase representation of Autistic people in senior and board positions to promote people as visible role models.

| 9.1 | Encourage neurodivergent people in senior roles to be visible role models. | | | 9.2 | Attract, recruit and retain more people with disability in the Australian Public Service, being a model employer of Autistic people. | | | 9.3 | Increasing Autistic people in leadership positions will likely shift culture and lead to improvements in the accessibility of hiring practices. | | | 9.4 | Increase visibility of existing neurodivergent role models who can share their stories including what has and hasn’t worked for them. | |

Improve inclusive practices and the quality and accessibility of advocacy resources for Autistic students across all education settings, and their families, carers and support networks

| 10.1 | Have resources available to educators to increase awareness and understanding of Autism, and implementation capability of the Disability Standards for Education 2005. | | | 10.2 | Have national guidelines to make education more accessible but also have tailored supports/plans for different schools. | | | 10.3 | Acknowledge and acceptance of various learning styles and different areas of strength and weaknesses of Autistic students, reflected by teaching staff, department of education and curriculum. | | | 10.4 | Have a wellbeing framework in place that was been designed by Autistic people. Incorporate regular check-in sessions with counsellor as part of studies. | | | 10.5 | Provide opportunities for Autistic students to try new things and demonstrate their capacity. | | | 10.6 | Develop and review resources for Autistic people on self-advocacy. | | | 10.7 | Neurodivergent awareness hubs to educate employers, educators, families and support networks, serviced by neurodivergent people. | | | 10.8 | Enable more pathways to University. The high academic approach where a high Tertiary Entrance Ranking is required does not suit everybody. | | | 10.9 | Allow Autistic students a way to pursue their passions more in school. | | | 10.10 | Provide more information on how to access University so there is a better understanding. | |

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| 10.11 | Place more focus on roles outside of Information and Communications Technology (ICT). Currently ICT is more of a focus, stemming from stereotypes of autistic people. | | 10.12 | Address underemployment by identifying underutilised skills of Autistic people. | | 10.13 | Employers to adopt flexible working arrangements to support those with complex health issues e.g. shorter working blocks for those unable to work for long periods. | | 10.14 | Have an employer rating system. E.g. this is an Autism Friendly workplace/employer. Have a central location (i.e. website) that house all organisations that are certified so that autistic people know where is safe. | | 11. Build on National Commitment 5 Improve the safety and welfare of Autistic people through the reduction of all forms of discrimination, violence, abuse, bullying, vilification and exploitation to specifically focus on Autistic students in all levels of education. | | | 11.1 | Diversify the standard method of teaching so learning and assessing is more inclusive of neurodivergent learning styles. This can be achieved, for example, by using more multimedia platforms to provide information, provide learning materials in more than one format (e.g. written and verbal), providing information in easy read formats, offering multiple options for assessment and removing mandatory standard examinations. | | 11.2 | Undertake a comprehensive review of the national education curriculum. Provide flexibility in curriculum and grading. Allow students to have a choice in how they are assessed, assessing a range of different areas and allowing students to choose an area of passion. Do not assess on purely neurotypical or monocultural standards such as eye contact when public speaking. | | 11.3 | Less reliance on standardised testing and assessments that only focus on particular areas of strength, such as NAPLAN. | | 11.4 | Enabling students to take breaks when needed from the classroom, having an agreed place the student can retreat to for breaks. | | 11.5 | Provide more flexibility in attendance when students are struggling, through regular check-ins from a trusted teacher when they are not attending, sessions during free time for students to complete work. | | 11.6 | Get school principals invested in inclusivity, build into school culture. Reforms to governance structure, insert key measured on how they have demonstrated inclusion. | | 11.7 | Campaigns around standing up for your colleagues or quietly reporting bullying if you see a colleague, whether you know they are autistic or not, being treated poorly due to their characteristics. | | 11.8 | Clarify what counts as bullying and discrimination – not always the extreme and severe end, can be subtle too. | | 11.9 | Employees need access to an external third party to report bullying and failure to provide reasonable adjustments. Employees can access this service to help them decide how to report to their employers and to decide whether they need to report elsewhere. Preferable if the external third party could assist practically if needed. E.g. assist in drafting a letter. |

Diagnosis, Supports and Services

National Commitments (not for workshopping)

x.x Action items (taken from Gov Teams, for workshopping)

12. Undertake an independent evaluation/assessment on the use and consistency of current identification screening, outcome and diagnostic tools and work with relevant professional bodies to develop a set of standardised co-designed training/professional development and resource materials to support professionals involved in the identification, assessment and diagnosis of autism to improve the experience, and quality of this process for Autistic people and their families and carers.

• Evaluate the use and consistency of current training used in identification screening, outcome and diagnostic tools to understand what training already exists.
  • Short
    • Determine scope of evaluation and engage an independent evaluator.
• Identify the strong points/aspects of training currently available to determine what aspects could be built on to develop a National training package.
  • Short/Medium
• Work with relevant professional bodies to develop standardised lived experience co-designed training/professional development resource materials. Conduct regular reviews of training.
  • Medium/Long
• Standardised lived experience training is mandated to all services and supports that interact with Autistic people. This needs to occur through regulatory agencies such as AHPRA, Speech Pathology Australia, NDIS, Dept of Education etc. with all registered practitioners of all levels of registration despite years within the profession.
  • Medium/Long
• Provision of mandatory training to understand the crossover of and full presentation of different diagnoses that cross over with autism regardless of time practitioners have been in a profession to ensure that autism isn’t dismissed as another condition and gatekeeping occurs like it currently does. (reworded above)
  • Short – evaluate existing training to understand strengths of different training that already exists.
    • Medium – trial training
    • Long – training as standard, regular reviews of training
• Prevision of and lived experience training mandated to enhance practitioners understanding and ability to support autistic people to explore diagnosis and access supports and services. (reworded above)
• Help practitioners gain the skills and qualifications to provide dual diagnoses AND provide approval to GPs to dispense medication to people with dual diagnoses from psychologists (as psychiatrists are hard to access). (was this a Dept of Health responsibility? Add back in if it’s not)
• Transparent process of prescription authority provision to GP’s from Paediatricians and Psychiatrists readily available in multiple areas (GP office, websites, applications such as hot doc used to book appointments etc. (is being covered off in Roadmap)

| 12.5 | All services and supports that interact with Autistic people undergo mandatory lived experience training and accreditation of what approaches and support services they provide to ensure it is beneficial for autistic people based on standards established by and monitored by autistic community groups. This needs to occur through regulatory agencies such as AHPRA, Speech Pathology Australia, NDIS, Dept of Education etc. with all registered practitioners of all levels of registration despite years within the profession. (reworded above) |

| 12.6 | Ensure all services and support providers who interact with Autistic people are compliant with mandatory lived experience training or are unable to provide services. (is this covered in 12.7?) (please feel free to reword/remove any of the actions if I haven’t captured them correctly) Level of compliance to upkeep with lived experience training and supports to ensure all services and supports continue to provide services in an affirming way or are unable to provide services. |

| 12.7 | Funding for a national certification in neurodiversity affirming practices and upkeep in monitoring of this status by autistic led organisations Short – scope what already exists Medium – develop and implement national certificate Scope what funding already exists. |

| 12.8 | Providing centralised point of reference for information that is presented in different formats for information, training and further links to supports and services that all providers, supports and services (including employment, training, health, community justice, education etc.) are aware of and direct people to. Short – scope what already exists Medium – set up central point Scope what already exists. |

| 12.9 | Providing lived experience training for early childhood educators, teachers, healthcare workers and other professionals who have contact with children and young people who have disabilities or conditions which are common among Autistic individuals to identify signs of and screen for neurodivergence. This should include but not be limited to professionals who work with children and young people who have or display signs of ADHD, developmental delay, sensory sensitivities, chronic pain, gastrointestinal conditions and eating disorders.

| previously 13.5 | Provide lived experience training to schools, early learning centres and educational institutions to understand their role in having clear and transparent information to provide to families and carers of Autistic children. Medium? I line with other training rollout? Schools, early learning centres and educational institutions having outdated perspectives and understanding of what autism is, why it is important to assist families/carers to seek out further support and from where they can access this. – i.e. having lived experience training for all staff routinely and training staff through educational institutions to understand this and having clear transparent information to provide to families/carers once identified.

| previously 13.6 | Increase understanding of Autism in community programs, nursing homes and organisations. Provide information on what Autism may look like across the lifespan, providing information on linking support services to help navigate “what comes next” especially for later diagnosed Autistic people. (I’ve tried to make this less wordy without losing what is trying to be said) Increasing understanding in community programs, nursing homes, organisations about what autism is, what this may look like across the lifespan, providing linking support services to help navigate “what comes next” and services following diagnosis especially for late diagnosed/older autistic people because there is so much unknown following a diagnosis and grief of what if people knew etc. the person may experience.

| 12.10 | Minimum reporting standards for research. Recommendations include:

• Conflict of Interest |

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Develop a set of best practice resources to support Autistic people and their families, carers and support networks through the identification, assessment and diagnosis process.

Where in-person services are inaccessible, allow practitioners to provide diagnostic assessments online.

Short

To assist with fast-tracking access to supports and diagnosis, have pre-diagnosis tools available that GPs etc. can direct people to, to complete prior seeking a formal diagnosis. Information would cover the diverse presentation of Autism and co-occurring conditions. Tools to be in accessible formats such as videos, visual information and handouts.

(is this referring to something along the lines of a ‘so you think you have Autism, pre self-diagnosis tool’, or a ‘what to expect at your first and subsequent appointments’, or ‘what does the Autism diagnosis journey look like?’ or all of this plus more?) To assist with accessibility and fast-tracking access to supports having screeners and diagnosis specific things that cover the diverse autism presentation in format of videos, visual information, handouts etc. in a central location that GP’s and other practitioners, services, institutions etc. can direct people to and for them to complete prior to online diagnostic appointments. Short – scope what exists? Medium – develop tools and roll out?

Develop holistic screening tools that assesses people who have co-occurring conditions and want to know if they are Autistic (worked into 13.2)

Medium

Autistic youth struggle with diagnosis and little family support, need accessible medical records for school.

(statement)

Schools, early learning centres and educational institutions having outdated perspectives and understanding of what autism is, why it is important to assist families/carers to seek out further support and from where they can access this. – i.e., having lived experience training for all staff routinely and training staff through educational institutions to understand this and having clear transparent information to provide to families/carers once identified.

(moved and reworded under 12)

Increasing understanding in community programs, nursing homes, organisations about what autism is, what this may look like across the lifespan, providing linking support services to help navigate “what comes next” and services following diagnosis especially for late diagnosed/older autistic people because there is so much unknown following a diagnosis and grief of what if people knew etc. the person may experience.

(move and reworded under 12)

Explore ways to improve access to primary care, including through the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS), to:

a) Improve quality health and mental health services for Autistic people, with a focus on continuity of care, and b) Explore ways to make Autism diagnosis and assessment processes more timely and accessible.

Expand Medicare Rebate to cover Autism assessments for people of all ages and increase rebate amount as well as ensure changes to rebate are known across different practitioners so people don’t get different information about what is covered and not covered in the rebate.

Medium

Increase awareness of what services GPs provide and what services are provided elsewhere.

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Increase early screening and identification, and improved access to health professionals, in conjunction with proposed reforms under the NDIS Review

15.1 Include Autism screening in standard developmental assessments for babies / toddlers, especially those who are premature or identified as having development delays / differences etc. Potentially having a follow-up assessment as they enter school/preschool age either through attachment of reminder for follow-up added to their medical documents or sent to family GP. (separate action below)

15.2 Include Autism screening in standard developmental assessments for primary school aged children, especially those who are identified as having development delays / differences etc.

Improve access to quality, timely, neurodiversity-affirming and equitable supports and services for Autistic people, including for people living in rural, regional and remote areas.

16.1 Develop and implement national neurodivergent accessibility guidelines for service providers and organisations in co-design with Autistic people.

16.2 Implement a minimum requirement framework that all support and service providers have to meet.

16.3 Implement a frequently updated system that indicates what services and supports are available and what type of service is available (e.g. telehealth, face to face). The system is easily accessible where services can indicate their availability (e.g. green available, yellow available within next 6 months, red = full).

16.4 Ensure research represents the Autist population, including representation from women, CALD, Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander, LGBQITA+ and rural and remote communities. Ensure researchers are aware of common co-presenting conditions in screening processes, such as Pathological Demand Avoidance, ADHD, chronic pain etc.

16.5 Nationally referred to and utilised data-base that is free to access with neuro-affirming screeners to assist with diagnostic process, information written by and for autistic people that replaces current systems/screeners/information available that is conflicting, ablest and inaccessible.

16.6 Upskill community health workers in regional remote areas. Opportunities to upskill community health workers would help in regional remote areas.

16.7 Accountability for providers, supports funded and mainstream services to be shut down when they are doing wrong. Consistency in shut down and closure of loopholes that exist that may allow these businesses/services to operate who continue to do the wrong thing such as change of name, abn etc.

16.8 Create a service system that works together as a network, providing collective supports which works towards the goals of the autistic person.

16.9 Working in co-production with Autistic people develop and implement a nationally accredited, mandatory training program that educates workers in the Autism, disability and broader support and care sector on the Social Model of Disability and how to provide support in ways that are accessible, neuro-affirming, trauma informed, gender and culturally responsive, rights-based and person centred. (I feel this is covered under 12)

16.10 Requiring all services and organisations that work with Autistic people to have Neurodiversity inclusive Disability Inclusion Action Plan’s (DIAP’s) as internal mechanisms to drive, monitor and evaluate the inclusion of Autistic people within organisations.

Encourage greater representation of people with lived experience in delivering supports and services.

18. Develop a set of best practice training and resource materials to for people providing service and supports to Autistic people.

18.1 Working in co-production with Autistic people design, develop and implement targeted education and campaign initiatives that:

• raise awareness about Autism, our experiences, strengths and support needs
• challenge ableist attitudes about Autistic people
• include, promote and platform real stories told about and by Autistic people
• showcase best practice examples of how to support, include and accommodate for Autistic people

(does this one fit under 18 or should it be moved? Just not sure where it best fits)

19. Explore the feasibility of a decision-making tool to empower Autistic people to make informed decisions about all areas of their life.

19.1

Working in co-production with Autistic people, develop national accessibility guidelines that inform government entities, business and non-government organisations on how to ensure that are accessible to Autistic and neurodivergent people. This should consider factors like:

• Lighting
• Noise
• Design
• Need for remote service provision (e.g., Via telehealth)
• Communication methods of support/service staff
• Consistency of support/service staff
• Accessibility of service information
• Cultural competency of organisations
• The use of Trauma informed frameworks

20. Work with state and territories to improve service integration between the NDIS, foundational supports and mainstream services.

20.1

Governance

X. National Commitments (not for workshopping)

x.x Action items (taken from Gov Teams, for workshopping)

21. Develop a governance framework to support: a) strong accountability mechanisms b) co-leadership and active involvement of Autistic people, as well as parents, carers and professionals within the Autism sector c) whole-of-government, cross-sectoral and coordinated approaches to implementation.

21.1

Research

X. National Commitments (not for workshopping)

x.x Action items (taken from Gov Teams, for workshopping)

22. Establish an Expert Reference Group or similar to explore how autism research can best be fostered and applied to policy and service delivery and underpinned by the Strategy’s Guiding Principles.

22.1

Evidence

X. National Commitments (not for workshopping)

x.x Action items (taken from Gov Teams, for workshopping)

23. Develop a National Autism Strategy Evidence Framework, including a Theory of Change, Program Logic, Outcomes Framework, and Evaluation Framework.

23.1

Evaluation and Reporting

X. National Commitments (not for workshopping)

x.x Action items (taken from Gov Teams, for workshopping)

24. Develop a robust evaluation plan and reporting mechanism, co-led by Autistic people and the autism community, for the National Autism Strategy.

24.1

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Diagnosis Services and Supports Working Group

What to expect guide for Meeting 16 May 2024 meeting

How could the next three meetings run?

1. Formal Meeting 16 May 2024

The Diagnosis, Services and Supports Working Group meeting members will move into two break-out rooms.

• Room One – Will focus on Commitments 13 & 14
• Room Two – Will focus on Commitments 15 & 16. The co-chairs, supported by the Secretariat Team, will ensure the members are able to contribute in their breakout rooms. Working Group Members will come back together for 25mins to discuss proposed actions from each breakout room. Member will have a further opportunity to contribute to the proposed actions under the Commitments post meeting via GovTeams and Email. The Feedback process will be open for 7 days post meeting.

2. Collaboration Meeting 30 May 2024

In Collaboration meeting on 30 May 2024 Working Group members will focus on providing feedback on Commitments 17, 18, 19, 20. Feedback from the collaboration meeting will be captured for discussion and sent to members for the Formal Meeting on 6 June 2024.

3. Formal Meeting 6 June 2024

During the Formal Meeting on 6 June 2024

• Room One – Will focus on Commitments 17 & 18
• Room Two – Will focus on Commitments 19 & 20. Working Group Members will come back together for 25mins to discuss proposed actions from each breakout room. Member will have a further opportunity to contribute to the proposed actions under the Commitments post meeting via GovTeams and Email. The Feedback process will be open for 7 days post meeting.

Diagnosis Services and Supports Working Group

The National Autism Strategy (the Strategy) will have three action plans to support the delivery of the Strategy’s proposed commitments:

• First Year Action Plan – a one-year plan aimed at building a solid foundation. Includes short-term actions.
• Second Action Plan – medium-term actions focussing on specific actions or activities which achieve the Strategy’s commitments. This plan will build on the First Year Action Plan.
• Third Action Plan – longer-term actions to achieve the Strategy’s Commitments.

Current Focus is on Short Term Actions – 1 to 2 Year Timeframe

Questions Working Groups are asked to keep in mind include: Is the proposed First Year action achievable within the 1-2 year timeframe? Possible actions may start with the following words:

• Scope what already exists and identify gaps……
• Develop a Standard Operational Procedure for…
• Develop a framework to support the implementation of ….
• Convene a roundtable of Autistic people to …
• Promote [a program/or information] …
• Collate information on …

Medium to Long Term Actions – Medium (2 – 5 years) Long (5-7 Years)

Does the proposed action have a longer timeframe and is therefore a Medium to Long Term action? Possible actions may start with the following words:

• Co-design and develop a …
• Following the review of …., implement ……
• Establish an awareness hub for …

Reminder the Guiding Principles for the Strategy apply to all actions:

• In partnership - Nothing about us, without us: the Strategy is co-designed, co-produced, co-reviewed and co-delivered with Autistic people, and their families and carers and support networks.
• Accessible based on Universal Design: the development and implementation of the Strategy will be co-led by Autistic people and the Australian Government. It will be accessible and based on Universal Design principles.

• Self Determination and Autonomy: the Strategy will foster freedom of choice, control and support for Autistic people to make their own individual decisions about all aspects of life.
• Aligned and Accountable Outcomes: the Strategy and actions will align with other key government strategies. The Strategy will be measurable, accountable and evidence based.
• Acceptance and Inclusivity: the Strategy will reflect that every Autistic person has unique strengths, abilities and attributes. The Strategy will seek to foster community understanding and acceptance of all Autistic people for who they are, and for their many contributions to Australia.
• Rights: the Strategy will uphold the rights of all Autistic people to be respected and safe from all forms of discrimination, vilification, violence, and abuse everywhere in their lives.
• Individualised and Holistic:
  • The Strategy recognises that there are different aspects of a person’s identity that can overlap and shape their diverse needs, abilities and experiences, and that other factors such as geography, socio-economic status, where they live, income, education, and the extent of support networks can also have an impact.
  • The Strategy promotes an individualised and neurodiversity-affirming, holistic person, and family-centred approach to meeting these needs and diverse communities across the whole life. Such as: disability; race; gender; sexuality; culture; age; body shape / size and religion.

Economic Inclusion Working Group

Forward Work Plan

Economic Inclusion Working Group

Forward Work Plan

Date - TBC

• Consider feedback from the Oversight Council on Commitment 10 and 11
• Finalise any outstanding proposed actions against Commitments 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11

Source Page 198

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                          -
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Inquiry Recommendation

Australian Government Response Recommendation – as at 08 November 2024

Inquiry Name: Inquiry into Services, support and life outcomes for autistic Australians

Committee: Senate Select Committee on Autism

Recommendation: The committee recommends that the Joint Standing Committee on the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) undertake an inquiry into the experiences of autistic participants in the NDIS with particular focus on:

• the level of reasonable and necessary supports required by autistic participants across the course of their life;
• whether the NDIS is currently funding these reasonable and necessary supports;
• the implementation of the new Early Childhood Approach;
• whether adequate information and support is being provided to participants and prospective participants in a timely manner;

• how autism diagnosis is recognised by the NDIS;
• the ability and capacity of NDIS planners to make informed decisions regarding the reasonable and necessary supports to be funded by the NDIS;
• the level of under-utilisation in NDIS plans for autistic participants;
• ensuring there is sufficient service capacity to deliver funded supports; and
• how the NDIS interacts with other government funded support services—such as education, employment and health services—to provide coordinated and holistic care for autistic participants.

Government Response: The Australian Government supports this recommendation in principle and the intention to initiate a Joint Standing Committee (JSC) inquiry into the experiences of autistic participants in the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). The Australian Government is committed to delivering a better and fairer NDIS, and welcomes the opportunity to work with the JSC as the inquiry proceeds.

While the NDIS plays a significant role in supporting the independence and social and economic participation of eligible Australians with permanent and significant disability, it is not designed to duplicate or replace other government funded

mainstream services and community supports.

The NDIS should be complementary to, and work alongside, existing mainstream and community services and supports.

All levels of government continue to play a role in providing mainstream and targeted services, supports and infrastructure systems to people with disability.

The Australian Government supports all levels of government working together to ensure supports for autistic Australians are coordinated and integrated to the greatest extent possible.

Any inquiry into the interaction of the NDIS with other government funded support services should take account of recent and ongoing consultation activities in this area to ensure participants are not burdened with duplicative engagement processes.

The National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 sets out disability criteria and early intervention requirements for deciding the eligibility of applicants to be supported by the NDIS. A person’s NDIS eligibility is not based on types of disability or the presence of an underlying condition, illness or injury. Rather, eligibility is based on evidence a person has substantially reduced functional capacity affecting their communication, social interaction, learning, mobility, self-care

or self-management because of their disability or would benefit

from the provision of early intervention supports.

The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) is also working with people with disability and the broader disability community to co-design a new person-centred model of gathering information for access and planning decisions, known as the Information Gathering for Access and Planning (IGAP).

The IGAP Steering Committee continues to meet regularly to provide guidance for the project, including representatives from the NDIS Independent Advisory Council, Disability and Carer Representative Organisations, participants, Commonwealth agencies and states and territories. The Steering Committee has also engaged the disability community to understand people’s access and planning experiences, including through targeted focus groups and an online survey which is open to everyone.

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Contact Officer/s: Clair Wheeler, General Manager (Acting) Service Design Division Implementation Plan: NDIA response references a range of reforms estimated to be completed in 2025 (e.g. new framework plans, Frontline of the Future program). Ongoing consultation activities are also referenced (e.g. Co-design Working Group, Autism Advisory Group). Planned Implementation Date: As above. Key Milestone Dates and Deliverables: As above. Update and Status as at 08/11/2024: This is the first NDIA progress update in response to this recommendation. The NDIA’s implementation of this recommendation is on track.

Evidence of completion

The NDIA is committed to ensuring all participants (including those with autism) receive the supports they need. In August 2024, the Australian Parliament passed the NDIS Amendment (Getting the NDIS Back on Track No. 1) Amendment Act. This allows for the creation of new framework plans. Under new framework plans, a participant will have a support needs assessment to identify their disability-related needs across different areas of their life. These needs will be detailed in a needs assessment report, which is then used to calculate a reasonable and necessary budget.

The NDIA established the Assessments and Budgeting Initiative to develop the approach for new framework planning. This is one of ten reform initiatives established to deliver key reforms from the NDIS Review and enable the new legislation. It replaces the work of the Information Gathering for Access and Planning project from 2022, to align with the new legislative framework.

As part of the initiative, the NDIA established the Assessments and Budgeting Initiative Co-design Working Group to provide advice on co-design activities for the initiative. The group includes participants, Disability Representative and Carer Organisations, NDIS Independent Advisory Council members and the NDIA.

The Co-design Working Group will give the NDIA advice on how best to involve different participant cohorts throughout consultation and co-design activities. This will ensure the assessment and budgeting process reflects the needs of all participants, including people with autism.

The NDIA also consults the Autism Advisory Group (AAG), which comprises subject matter experts from the autism and disability sector to provide guidance to the NDIA on a broad range of matters related to delivering outcomes for people with autism through the NDIS.

The AAG are also providing broader advice to the NDIA on implementing the new National Guidelines on Assessment and Diagnosis of Autism into NDIA practices

and processes.

Implementing these guidelines will help to standardise autism assessments, ensuring more accurate diagnoses and equitable access to supports and services, ultimately leading to better outcomes for individuals with autism and their families.

In July 2024 the NDIA launched the Frontline of the Future Program to build the capability of NDIA planners to provide better support for participants (including participants with autism). The program will involve providing planners with greater role clarity, more accessible knowledge resources and more consistent ways of working. The program aims to provide participants with more consistent, person- centred, evidence-based approaches with a focus on place-based outcomes.

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Deputy Secretary Clearance – last clearing officer

The table above is populated from PDMS and will show the last clearing officer’s name which needs to be your Deputy CEO.

Status Key

• On Track (Green circle) The recommendation is on track for implementation by the agreed date and the risks are being managed while the implementation is underway.
• Problematic (Amber circle) One or more elements of the recommendation’s implementation by the agreed date requires substantial attention or the risks are not being managed while the implementation is underway.
• Urgent and decisive action is required (Red circle) Significant elements of the recommendation warrant urgent attention due to the inherent risks associated with the findings, or implementation of the recommendation by the agreed date has failed or is likely to fail.
• Finalised (Purple triangle) This recommendation need not be included in future reports. The responsible Deputy Chief Executive Officer has agreed with the implementation progress, approved the archiving and accepted any residual risk. Finalised recommendations will not be included in future reports.

Inquiry Recommendation

Australian Government Response Recommendation – as at November 2024

Inquiry Name: Inquiry into Services, support and life outcomes for autistic Australians

Committee: Senate Select Committee on Autism

Recommendation: The committee recommends that the National Autism Strategy identify actions to drive better integration between federal and state service systems, including a roadmap to better integrate NDIS and mainstream services. This roadmap should be consistent with the recommendations made by the Joint Standing Committee on the NDIS in relation to service integration and overlap with other systems.

Government Response: In 2015, all governments agreed to the ‘Principles to determine the responsibilities of the NDIS and other service systems’ (‘the Principles’). In addition to these six

general principles, all governments agreed to the Applied Principles and Tables of Support (APTOS) which are used as a guide to determine the funding and delivery responsibilities of other service systems and the NDIS. The APTOS also outlines how these systems can work together to support the vision of an inclusive Australian society.

The Australian Government continues to work with state and territory governments to integrate NDIS and mainstream services. Through the former Disability Reform Council and the current Disability Reform Ministers’ Meetings, significant progress has been made to better integrate the NDIS with health, child protection, transport, justice, school and mental health mainstream systems. The NDIA seeks to work in partnership with these service systems, and where possible will assist a participant to learn about other non-NDIS services that may be available in their local community, including through the NDIA, Partners in the Community.

The NDIA also continues to work with state and territory representatives to improve information sharing to support the effective delivery of the NDIS and mainstream services. Initiatives include:

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• The NDIA Complex Support Needs Pathway to support participants with complex support needs, including those that interact with other service systems;
• The NDIA’s younger people in residential aged care team established to prevent younger NDIS participants from entering aged care and to support those living in aged care to leave;
• The introduction of Liaison Officers, as a conduit between the NDIA and state and territory health and justice systems, supporting existing and prospective participants; and
• Standing quarterly meetings with senior officials from each state and territory, attended by senior staff from the NDIA to discuss and resolve operational issues between the NDIS and state or territory programs and services.

The National Health Reform Agreement (NHRA) 2020-25 includes shared commitments from Australian, state and territory governments regarding the interfaces between health and disability systems. This includes hospital and NDIS service integration. Priority activities include:

• Developing national indicators and data sets to monitor performance, identify barriers and gaps, and inform solutions; and

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• Clarifying governance arrangements for monitoring and resolving policy and operational issues between health and disability systems.

Additionally, a key area of the Australia’s Disability Strategy, Safety Targeted Action Plan, is to strengthen the interface between the NDIS and mainstream service systems with the aim to improve the design of government service systems and supports for people with disability at risk of harm.

To date, this work has focussed on improving data collection and reporting to better identify issues and barriers, inform solutions and support health workers’ decision making.

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Contact Officer/s: Implementation Plan: N/A Planned Implementation Date: Ongoing Key Milestone Dates and Deliverables: Ongoing Update and Status as at November 2024:

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Evidence of completion

Complex Support Needs (CSN) and Justice Liaison Officers (JLOs)

• The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) Complex Support Needs (CSN) branch was established in October 2018. The CSN branch works with NDIS participants who have specific and unique requirements due to the impact of personal and situational factors on their lives.
• The CSN branch coordinates service delivery for participants with complex needs (including people with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder) and implements actions to ensure integrated and appropriate support for individuals and families with complex support needs, particularly during times of crisis.
• The CSN branch includes the Children and Young People (CYP) team, the Justice Liaison Team (JLT) and the Justice Planning Team (JPT). In January 2024, the CSN branch established a dedicated CYP who support children and young people who may require or reside in a voluntary out of home care arrangement.
• The CYP team work collaboratively with states and territories to support better outcomes for children and young people with a disability and their families and is governed by individual Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the NDIA and each state and territory jurisdiction facilitated by DSS.
• The national JLT was established March 2020 and a dedicated national JPT was established in August 2023. The JLT and JPT work with relevant state and territory stakeholders overseeing participants considered to be high risk or forensic.
• Justice Liaison Officers (JLOs) sit within the JLT and are the primary point of contact for NDIS within the justice system, working alongside state and territory government justice services, to support existing and prospective participants in adult, youth, and forensic settings.
• The JPT provides specialised planning support to participants who are involved in the justice system, to ensure they can access the disability

Aged Care and Hospital Interface

Younger People in Residential Aged Care (YPIRAC)

• The NDIA is committed to supporting the transition of Younger People living in Residential Aged Care (YPIRAC) to appropriate accommodation and diverting entries of young people into Residential Aged Care (RAC), except in limited exceptional circumstances.
• The NDIA takes a participant-centred approach, with regular check-ins, discussing alternative options with participants without a goal to move and offering intensive support to locate and secure supports for those with a goal to move.
• There are two NDIA YPIRAC teams:
  • The YPIRAC Planning team undertakes planning for participants who currently live in residential aged care and participants identified as being at risk of entering residential aged care.
  • The YPIRAC Accommodation team provides intensive, proactive and individualised support to participants who currently live in, or are at risk of entering, residential aged care, to find suitable alternative accommodation.
• The NDIA continues to support all participants in the YPIRAC cohort and those at risk of entering RAC to explore and access more age-appropriate accommodation options.
• The YPIRAC Joint Agency Taskforce (JATF) between DSS, Department of Health and Aged Care (DoHAC) and the NDIA oversees the implementation and achievement of the YPIRAC targets and meets to discuss and progress issues that impact upon the Government’s ability to achieve its targets.
• The YPIRAC Stakeholder Reference Group (SRG) meets bimonthly to provide support, input and advice to JATF on the implementation of YPIRAC

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initiatives. SRG membership includes subject matter experts from public, private and not-for-profit organisations.

• RAC facilities are funded by DoHAC under the Aged Care Act. RAC facilities are expected to provide appropriate personal care supports to participants as per their responsibility under the Act.
• The NDIA reimburses DoHAC for NDIS participants who reside in RAC and receive supports from aged care providers who are also NDIS registered providers. The NDIS YPIRAC Guideline summarises cross-billing arrangements.
• Attachments / Links:
  • SB24-000180 – Younger People in Residential Aged Care

Hospital Discharge

• The NDIA continues to refine the hospital interface pathway to improve its efficiency and streamline the experience for participants in hospital. To support safe and timely discharge of participants from hospital, the NDIA has:
  • committed to contacting every participant (or their authorised nominee or representative) within 4 days of being notified they have been admitted to hospital.
  • increased the number of NDIA staff nationally who work directly with the health system, called Health Liaison Officers (HLOs).
• HLOs work directly with designated hospital staff to make sure prospective and existing participants, who are clinically ready for discharge, to have the right NDIS supports in place. Prior to discharge, HLOs support hospital staff to ensure prospective or existing participants, have either an accelerated access pathway, a NDIS plan to meet disability support needs or a modified or changed NDIS plan before they discharge.
• The NDIA has taken additional steps to further support the safe and timely discharge of NDIS participants from hospital which include:
  • Immediate re-allocation of additional resources to support higher-than-expected volumes.

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• Additional reporting to enable better redirection of resources.
• Having escalation pathways in place for all states and territories to prevent delays for people who are medically ready for discharge.

• The NDIA regularly engages with health officials and hospital staff in all states and territories to hear first-hand what issues are impacting hospital discharge in their jurisdictions so we can work together to resolve these issues. This includes monthly operational meetings between the NDIA and states and territories to work collaboratively on ensuring timely hospital discharge.

Mainstream Interfaces

NDIS Reform

• Legislation changes came into effect on 3 October 2024. Section 10 now prescribes a list of NDIS supports, and those that are not NDIS supports, which includes specific references to health and mental health mainstream supports.
• The Ministerial Instrument was developed in consultation with states and territories via dedicated workshops with Disability Senior Officials.
• The Section 10 Instrument reflects the current policy intent as negotiated by former Disability Ministers and outlined in the Applied Principles and Table of Supports (APTOS), subsequent Ministerial decisions such as NDIS funding for Disability Related Health Supports, and NDIA’s Our Guidelines.
• The Ministerial Instrument is to be replaced by a Category A Rule in the coming 12 months that will require further consultation and agreement with states and territories. NDIA and DSS continue to meet weekly with disability officials on the development of Rules.

Data Sharing Agreements

• As at 3 October 2023, the Agency has entered into data sharing Head Agreements with seven states and territories. Negotiations with Western Australia on its own Head Agreement are advancing.

• Discussions are underway with individual state and territory agencies to develop agency-specific data sharing schedules. These will ultimately replace current transitional bilateral working arrangements.
• Schedules are currently being negotiated with each jurisdiction, prioritising in the first instance disability, health and justice agencies.
• Health and Justice data sharing Schedules will ultimately replace manual data collection processes currently undertaken by NDIA Hospital Liaison Officers and Justice Liaison Officers, which have produced positive outcomes for NDIS participants in hospital and/or custodial settings.
• In 24 May 2024 the NDIA CEO wrote to state and territory adult corrections and youth justice agencies to require production of information relating to mutual clients who are serving, or have recently served, custodial sentences for offences that present a material risk to community safety. This information will enhance planning capabilities, reduce fraudulent activity, and uphold the safety of the NDIS Workforce.
• The NDIA has been engaging with state and territory adult guardianship, child guardianship, and trustee agencies regarding the development of a web-based Guardian and Trustee Portal. This portal, akin to the Provider Portal, will allow guardians and trustees to access plan and/or budget information about participants who they have legal authority for. Development of the Guardian and Trustee Portal is subject to developments in PACE and remains underway.
• Attachments / Links:
  • EC24-002807 – DRMC Nov 24 - CEO Brief - Data Sharing (Back Pocket)

Executive Steering Committee (ESC) meetings

• The NDIA continues to meet with representatives from state and territory mainstream agencies at quarterly Executive Steering Committee (ESC).
• ESCs are responsible for oversight of the implementation and performance of the NDIS and management of related issues in each state and territory.

• As far as possible, ESC is used to resolve operational, interface and design issues. Where there are matters relating to the terms of the Bilateral Agreement, the dispute resolution and escalation clauses of the Bilateral Agreement will apply.

Background/Issues

Hospital Discharge Operational Plan

• In July 2022, Commonwealth, state and territory Disability Ministers agreed to focus on collaborative approaches to support the safe and timely discharge of NDIS participants from hospital. As a result, the NDIA developed the Hospital Discharge Operational Plan.
• The Plan outlined a range of improvements to be implemented by the Agency to reduce NDIS-related delays to discharge once medically ready to do so.
• In August 2022, the Operational Plan was agreed by Disability Ministers and noted shortly after by Health Ministers.

Justice interface

• As a universal service system, the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) provides disability related supports to all Australians who are eligible for access, regardless of any criminal conviction.
• This has always been the case and NDIS policy has not changed for participants with a justice interface.
• The NDIA is establishing a panel led by former Victorian Chief of Police Ken Lay AO, alongside Adjunct Associate Processor Jennifer Cullen AM and former Victorian Supreme Court Jude the Hon David Harper AM.
• The panel will provide advice to the NDIA on the management of current or potential NDIS participants with violent or sexual criminal histories. This includes considerations to protect NDIS workers against unacceptable risks, and management of NDIS supports and intersection with mainstream obligations.
• In early May 2024, NDIA’s CEO wrote to state and territory justice department heads seeking information about current and prospective NDIS participants currently in or have been in a custodial setting over the last 5 years. This

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The information will support planning processes via the NDIA’s team of Specialised Justice Planners, Justice Liaison Officers (JLOs) and the new justice expert panel.

• Recent media reporting has highlighted the need for further work to ensure NDIS participants with a serious criminal conviction have access to the right supports when released from custodial settings and that any risk to themselves, their support workers and community can be appropriately managed.
• This is a shared responsibility, with the NDIS responsible for providing disability-related supports, and state and territory systems responsible for community corrections and supervision services.
• And finally, to ensure NDIA’s planners understand the support needs of this cohort, the NDIA has engaged RMIT’s Centre for Innovative Justice to build a body of evidence about what are the disability-related supports that can help mitigate risk of recidivism and harm to self and community.
• NDIA is working with RMIT to develop a scope for the project, ensuring that this work builds on previous research done in 2020, and I anticipate the initial findings to be available in coming weeks and months.

Clearance

Deputy Secretary Clearance – last clearing officer

The table above is populated from PDMS and will show the last clearing officer’s name which needs to be your Deputy CEO.

Status Key

• On Track (Green circle) The recommendation is on track for implementation by the agreed date and the risks are being managed while the implementation is underway.
• Problematic (Amber circle) One or more elements of the recommendation’s implementation by the agreed date requires substantial attention or the risks are not being managed while the implementation is underway.
• Urgent and decisive action is required (Red circle) Significant elements of the recommendation warrant urgent attention due to the inherent risks associated with the findings, or implementation of the recommendation by the agreed date has failed or is likely to fail.
• Finalised (Purple triangle) This recommendation need not be included in future reports. The responsible Deputy Chief Executive Officer has agreed with the implementation progress, approved the archiving and accepted any residual risk. Finalised recommendations will not be included in future reports.

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Inquiry Recommendation

Australian Government Response Recommendation – as at [DD Month YYYY]

Inquiry Name: Inquiry into Services, support and life outcomes for autistic Australians

Committee: Senate Select Committee on Autism

Recommendation: The committee recommends that the National Autism Strategy include a focus on meeting the needs of all autistic people. This should include a particular focus on the provision of adequate and appropriate services for autistic adults, women and girls, as well as disadvantaged and vulnerable cohorts of autistic people such as:

• people from lower socio-economic backgrounds;
• people in regional and remote locations;
• First Nations people;
• people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds;

• gender diverse and non-heterosexual people; and
• people with complex needs.

Government Response: The Australian Government agrees a National Autism Strategy should include a particular focus on meeting the needs of all autistic people, including autistic adults, women and girls, as well as disadvantaged and priority cohorts. This will include identifying opportunities to tailor approaches to assist autistic people who face intersectional barriers. Through adopting a focus on intersectionality, this would ensure a stronger focus on the intersecting and often reinforcing experiences of autistic people more broadly.

Development of a National Autism Strategy should also consider NDIS strategies that guide the NDIA’s work in supporting NDIS participants. These strategies, which include the Culturally and Linguistically Diverse, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, Rural and Remote, and LGBTIQA + strategies, are expected to be reviewed and refreshed from 2022-2023.

The NDIA will ensure the reviews of these strategies align with work to develop a National Autism Strategy.

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Contact Officer/s: Implementation Plan: Please provide a reference, link or attachment to this record for the implementation plan completion for this recommendation. Planned Implementation Date: [DD Month YYYY] Key Milestone Dates and Deliverables: Update and Status as at [DD Month YYYY]: Please advise if you have met the most recent milestone, and if not, why along with how you’re tracking towards the next milestone. If finalised/completed, please fill in under “Evidence of completion”.

               (Status key is located on the final page)

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Evidence of completion

The Department of Social Services (DSS) is working with national stakeholders including the NDIA on the development of the National Autism Strategy and the National Roadmap. The NDIA is represented on the National Autism Strategy Oversight Council, and the working groups that have been developing the actions for inclusion in the National Autism Strategy.

The National Autism Strategy will be for all Autistic Australians. It will cover key reform areas including access to services, healthcare, education, and employment. It will help to guide a more coordinated, national approach supporting autistic people at each stage of life. DSS expects the Strategy to be provided to Government by the end of 2024.

In 2018, the NDIA established the Autism Advisory Group to provide advice and guidance on a broad range of matters related to how to deliver the best outcomes for Autistic children and adults through the NDIS.

The Autism Advisory Group also provides the NDIA advice on engagement and co-design approaches to support the NDIS reforms. This includes engagement with other relevant stakeholders with expertise and lived experience from different cohorts and jurisdictions. The CEO of the NDIA chairs this group.

The NDIA is currently:

• refreshing the LGBTIQASB+ Strategy and action plan
• developing a new First Nations Strategy,
• implementing the CALD Strategy and action plan, and

working on ways to address gender inequity and intersectionality in the Scheme.

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All of these strategies, action plans and projects will consider the needs of participants with autism, including ensuring they are aligned with the National Autism Strategy.

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Background/Issues

Provide relevant background and include any issues the Deputy CEO should be aware of in relation to the implementation. Please remove all purple text prior to completing this form and use: Arial (Body) 12pt Black

Clearance

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Deputy Secretary Clearance – last clearing officer

The table above is populated from PDMS and will show the last clearing officer’s name which needs to be your Deputy CEO.

Status Key

• On Track (Green circle) The recommendation is on track for implementation by the agreed date and the risks are being managed while the implementation is underway.
• Problematic (Amber circle) One or more elements of the recommendation’s implementation by the agreed date requires substantial attention or the risks are not being managed while the implementation is underway.
• Urgent and decisive action is required (Red circle) Significant elements of the recommendation warrant urgent attention due to the inherent risks associated with the findings, or implementation of the recommendation by the agreed date has failed or is likely to fail.
• Finalised (Purple triangle) This recommendation need not be included in future reports. The responsible Deputy Chief Executive Officer has agreed with the implementation progress, approved the archiving and accepted any residual risk. Finalised recommendations will not be included in future reports.

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Inquiry Recommendation

Australian Government Response Recommendation – as at [DD Month YYYY]

Inquiry Name: Inquiry into Services, support and life outcomes for autistic Australians

Committee: Senate Select Committee on Autism

Recommendation:

The committee recommends that the National Autism Strategy include specific actions to improve access to services in regional and remote areas. This should include options for remote service delivery (such as telehealth), as well as working with relevant medical colleges and professional bodies to increase the supply and retention of clinicians and allied health professionals available to work in regional and remote locations.

Government Response:

The inclusion of specific actions to improve access to services in regional and remote areas for all autistic people, both inside and outside the NDIS, will be

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considered in the development of a National Autism Strategy.

Providing services to people in remote and very remote areas is a whole-of-government challenge, as there are broader systemic challenges facing these more isolated communities. Consultations and feedback from other agencies and trial sites have recognised some of the unique circumstances which may be driving this disparity. The Closing the Gap Disability Sector Strengthening Plan (the Plan) seeks to provide a framework for all levels of government to strengthen the community-controlled disability sector and ensure better access to services. The Plan has a strong focus on and support of First Nations people with disability living in regional, remote and very remote areas.

Jurisdictions’ Implementation Plans will include actions to implement this Plan. The National Autism Strategy will also align with the Plan.

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Contact Officer/s: Implementation Plan: Please provide a reference, link or attachment to this record for the implementation plan completion for this recommendation. Planned Implementation Date: [DD Month YYYY] Key Milestone Dates and Deliverables: Update and Status as at [DD Month YYYY]: Please advise if you have met the most recent milestone, and if not, why along with how you’re tracking towards the next milestone. If finalised/completed, please fill in under “Evidence of completion”.

               (Status key is located on the final page)

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Evidence of completion

Outline a summary of actions undertaken to implement the recommendation.

The summary of actions should clearly align with the intent (implicit or explicit) of the recommendation as specified in the Australian Government Response (AGR). The completion pack should also include the activities that you—as the responsible officer for the recommendation—has performed to confirm that the recommendation has been implemented as specified in the AGR.

Provide clear and demonstrable evidence to support the case that all aspects of the recommendation have been fully addressed, including a chronology where possible. Examples of evidence could include a minute (EC in PDMS) noting:

• The Government introduced XX legislation on XX date (linked to the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments), which addressed the recommendation by—describing the—and how—:

• xx; and

• xx.

• The 20XX-XX Budget (MYEFO) funded $XXX to implement xx. This supports the implementation of this recommendation by xx (EC/MC/MSXX-XXXXXX refers).

• The xx program that was implemented on xx date supported the recommendation through xx…

• The National Disability Insurance Agency implemented xx initiative on xx date, which provides xx and does xx.

Please ensure all relevant documentation that supports the completion of this recommendation is referenced and saved appropriately. • PDMS is an approved record-keeping system and documents can be attached to this PDR. You can also link to other relevant PDRs or to publicly available information, or reference documents saved in other record-keeping systems such as HPE content manager. • The retention of these records will ensure that appropriate evidence is available to management and to the Australian National Audit Office as part of their regular performance audits on the implementation of committee inquiries’ recommendations.

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Background/Issues

Provide relevant background and include any issues the Deputy CEO should be aware of in relation to the implementation.

Please remove all purple text prior to completing this form and use: Arial (Body) 12pt Black

Clearance

Deputy Secretary Clearance – last clearing officer

The table above is populated from PDMS and will show the last clearing officer’s name which needs to be your Deputy CEO.

Status Key

• On Track (Green circle) The recommendation is on track for implementation by the agreed date and the risks are being managed while the implementation is underway.
• Problematic (Amber circle) One or more elements of the recommendation’s implementation by the agreed date requires substantial attention or the risks are not being managed while the implementation is underway.
• Urgent and decisive action is required (Red circle) Significant elements of the recommendation warrant urgent attention due to the inherent risks associated with the findings, or implementation of the recommendation by the agreed date has failed or is likely to fail.
• Finalised (Purple triangle) This recommendation need not be included in future reports. The responsible Deputy Chief Executive Officer has agreed with the implementation progress, approved the archiving and accepted any residual risk. Finalised recommendations will not be included in future reports.

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Inquiry Recommendation

Australian Government Response Recommendation – as at [DD Month YYYY]

Inquiry Name: Inquiry into Services, support and life outcomes for autistic Australians

Committee: Senate Select Committee on Autism

Recommendation:

The committee recommends that the National Autism Strategy include specific actions to improve access to services for First Nations peoples. This should include building the capacity of Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations to deliver autism services in First Nations communities, as well as trialling the use of alternative care models, such as those in place to support individuals with Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders.

In addition, the taskforce established to develop the National Autism Strategy should include First Nations representation.

Government Response: The Australian Government

supports this recommendation. Representation of First Nations people with disability to support the development and implementation of a National Autism Strategy will be meaningful, gender sensitive, culturally appropriate and determined in consultation with key stakeholders, including but not limited to the First Peoples Disability Network (FPDN).

The Australian Government will implement this recommendation by adopting a social model of disability as well as a cultural model of inclusion, aligning with Australia’s Disability Strategy and the Closing the Gap Disability Sector Strengthening Plan (DSSP). This will allow services provided by Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs) and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs) to be more reflective of the lived experience, unique needs and inherent strengths and capacities of First Nations people with disability, their families and broader communities.

The DSSP was co-designed with the FPDN and provides a National Framework and key guidance to all levels of government for strengthening the community controlled sector and services available to First Nations people with disability, with a strong focus on and support of First Nations people with disability living in regional, remote and very remote areas. The

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DSSP is a key commitment under Priority Reform 2, of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.

The DSSP also seeks to align its activities with other national strategies, frameworks and reform agendas underway, including Australia’s Disability Strategy, state and territory disability strategies and the forthcoming final report of the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability. The National Autism Strategy will align with the DSSP and other related national frameworks for First Nations People with disability.

Additionally, the NDIA is delivering improved NDIS services via ACCHOs, including:

• An Australian Government investment of $5.9 million in the NDIS Ready project to increase ACCHOs registrations to deliver NDIS services.
• An additional $4.5 million provided to ACCHOs through the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation, to better connect First Nations people with disability to the NDIS through the Aboriginal Disability Liaison Officer program.
• The NDIA is providing funding of $13.8 million annually through the Remote Community Connector program to

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Aboriginal Controlled Organisations (primarily Aboriginal Medical Services and Aboriginal Shire Councils) in remote areas to improve access to the NDIS. The program is undergoing expansion, with an additional $3.5 million planned for the 2022-23 financial year.

• The Agency is working closely with First Nations service partners to enhance and improve the Remote Community Connector Program and to embed co-design in the NDIA approach. The NDIA is working in partnership with people with lived experience of disability through the Independent Advisory Council and disability representative organisations on co-design projects, including on a refresh of the NDIS First Nations Strategy.

To improve early childhood services for children with developmental delay or disability in remote areas, the NDIA is funding the Torres Cape Hospital and Health Service $4.3 million to expand services in the Torres Strait Islands and Northern Peninsula Area of Far North Queensland.

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Contact Officer/s: Implementation Plan: Please provide a reference, link or attachment to this record for the implementation plan completion for this recommendation. Planned Implementation Date: [DD Month YYYY] Key Milestone Dates and Deliverables: Update and Status as at [DD Month YYYY]: Please advise if you have met the most recent milestone, and if not, why along with how you’re tracking towards the next milestone. If finalised/completed, please fill in under “Evidence of completion”.

               (Status key is located on the final page)

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Evidence of completion

Outline a summary of actions undertaken to implement the recommendation.

The summary of actions should clearly align with the intent (implicit or explicit) of the recommendation as specified in the Australian Government Response (AGR). The completion pack should also include the activities that you—as the responsible officer for the recommendation—has performed to confirm that the recommendation has been implemented as specified in the AGR.

Provide clear and demonstrable evidence to support the case that all aspects of the recommendation have been fully addressed, including a chronology where possible. Examples of evidence could include a minute (EC in PDMS) noting:

• The Government introduced XX legislation on XX date (linked to the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments), which addressed the recommendation by—describing the—and how—:

• xx; and

• xx.

• The 20XX-XX Budget (MYEFO) funded $XXX to implement xx. This supports the implementation of this recommendation by xx (EC/MC/MSXX-XXXXXX refers).

• The xx program that was implemented on xx date supported the recommendation through xx…

• The National Disability Insurance Agency implemented xx initiative on xx date, which provides xx and does xx.

Please ensure all relevant documentation that supports the completion of this recommendation is referenced and saved appropriately. • PDMS is an approved record-keeping system and documents can be attached to this PDR. You can also link to other relevant PDRs or to publicly available information, or reference documents saved in other record-keeping systems such as HPE content manager. • The retention of these records will ensure that appropriate evidence is available to management and to the Australian National Audit Office as part of their regular performance audits on the implementation of committee inquiries’ recommendations.

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Background/Issues

Provide relevant background and include any issues the Deputy CEO should be aware of in relation to the implementation.

Please remove all purple text prior to completing this form and use: Arial (Body) 12pt Black

Clearance

Deputy Secretary Clearance – last clearing officer

The table above is populated from PDMS and will show the last clearing officer’s name which needs to be your Deputy CEO.

Status Key

• On Track (Green circle) The recommendation is on track for implementation by the agreed date and the risks are being managed while the implementation is underway.
• Problematic (Amber circle) One or more elements of the recommendation’s implementation by the agreed date requires substantial attention or the risks are not being managed while the implementation is underway.
• Urgent and decisive action is required (Red circle) Significant elements of the recommendation warrant urgent attention due to the inherent risks associated with the findings, or implementation of the recommendation by the agreed date has failed or is likely to fail.
• Finalised (Purple triangle) This recommendation need not be included in future reports. The responsible Deputy Chief Executive Officer has agreed with the implementation progress, approved the archiving and accepted any residual risk. Finalised recommendations will not be included in future reports.

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Inquiry Recommendation

Australian Government Response Recommendation – as at [DD Month YYYY]

Inquiry Name: Inquiry into Services, support and life outcomes for autistic Australians

Committee: Senate Select Committee on Autism

Recommendation: The committee recommends that, as a priority, all governments through the National Federation Reform Council review their approaches to coordinating service delivery for autistic people with complex needs and implement actions to ensure integrated and appropriate support for individuals and families with complex support needs, particularly during times of crisis.

Government Response: Approaches to coordinating service delivery for autistic people with complex needs, and actions to ensure integrated and appropriate support for individuals and families with complex support needs, particularly in times of

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The NDIA Complex Support Needs Pathway supports participants with complex support needs (including those with autism), which commonly involves supporting their interaction with multiple service systems. In addition, participants with complex support needs (including those with autism), are funded for support coordination, providing additional support and contact between service providers and participants and their families and carers. Support coordinators may be used in times of crisis to support individuals and families connect with mainstreaming services and NDIS supports.

The NDIA has also introduced Liaison Officers, who are the conduit between the NDIA and state and territory health and justice systems, supporting existing and prospective NDIS participants.

Importantly, the NDIS is not a crisis service. Existing mainstream services are designed to support all Australians in crisis. However, To support participants in times of crisis, the NDIA has committed funding over up to three years for the provision of a national After Hours Crisis Referral Service

(AHCRS). The purpose of the AHCRS is to work closely with an NDIS participant in crisis, share pertinent information with emergency services, navigate reasonable support options and reduce social admissions into hospital or other emergency services because of a breakdown of disability related supports.

The AHCRS provider operates a national telephone-based service and is able to respond to requests for assistance from state and territory government emergency services. These services include police, ambulances and hospitals.

NDIS participants aged 18 years and over, NDIS participants included in the Voluntary Out of Home Care cohort, and children with supports at risk due to their disability support needs, can access the service.

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Contact Officer/s: s47F - personal privacy Implementation Plan: N/a Planned Implementation Date: N/a Key Milestone Dates and Deliverables:

• CSN branch established October 2018
• Children and Young People team established January 2024
• Justice Planning team established August 2023
• Justice Liaison team established March 2020
• Maintaining Critical Supports initiative established 2019 Update and Status as at November 2024:

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Evidence of completion

Complex Support Needs branch

The NDIA Complex Support Needs (CSN) branch was established in October 2018. CSN coordinates service delivery for participants with complex needs (including autistic people) and implements actions to ensure integrated and appropriate support for individuals and families with complex support needs, particularly during times of crisis. The CSN branch works with NDIS participants who have specific and unique requirements due to the impact of personal and situational factors on their lives. Autism is one of the top 10 disabilities disability types for participants, with over 2,300 participants with autism supported by the CSN branch. The CSN branch operates nationally, with planners located in every state and territory. CSN planners work closely with NDIS participants and their funded support coordinators, offering an end-to-end planning service and advice on connecting with providers and implementing funded disability supports. In early 2024, the CSN Branch established the Children and Young People team (CYP) who support children and young people who may require or reside in a voluntary out of home care arrangement. The CYP team work collaboratively with states and territories to support better outcomes for children and young people with a disability and their families and is governed by individual Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the NDIA and each state and territory jurisdiction. The CYP team regularly meets with state and territory jurisdictions to discuss children in this pathway, as well as those identified as suitable for entry, with a focus on early intervention and education across the sector. The focus is supporting the participant engage early in sustainable supports for children with disability and their families.

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The CSN branch also includes a national Justice Liaison Team (JLT), established in March 2020, a dedicated national Justice Planning Team (JPT) was later added in August 2023.

Justice Liaison Officers (JLOs) sit within the JLT and are the primary point of contact for NDIS within the justice system, working alongside state and territory government justice services, to support existing and prospective participants in adult, youth, and forensic settings.

JLOs work offsite at correctional or forensic facilities on a regular basis (weekly/fortnightly) and establish engagement with new stakeholders according to their needs. In some jurisdictions, the service offer works alongside a state or territory mainstream justice centralised team or provides a virtual service offer, to meet stakeholder needs and preferences. As part of the service offer, JLOs:

• conduct information and education sessions
• provide guidance on NDIS processes
• support priority access and planning decisions

The Justice Planning Team (JPT) provides specialised planning support to participants who are involved in the justice system, to ensure they can access the disability supports they need while in custody and when transitioning into the community.

The JLT and JPT work with relevant state and territory stakeholders overseeing participants considered to be high risk or forensic.

The JPT provide specialised planning support to participants interfacing with the justice system, to ensure they can access the disability supports they need while in custody and when transitioning into the community.

Justice Planners provide a specialised service under a case management approach to support participants in custodial settings or residing in the community who continue to interface with justice.

Maintaining Critical Supports (After Hours Crisis Referral Service)

While, the NDIS is not a crisis service (as existing mainstream services are designed to support all Australians in crisis), The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) has an initiative in place called ‘Maintaining Critical Supports’ (MCS). The MCS was first established in the CSN pathway in 2019 as part of the Exceptionally Complex Support Needs Program (ECSNP).

The MCS is implemented in times of crisis, and delivers a range of interventions for individuals, service systems and markets that provide participants with disability specific supports critical to their wellbeing.

The ECSNP was a 2-year, $10m grant program, under the MCS Framework that was designed to grow market and community capacity and capability to support participants with exceptionally complex support needs.

The NDIA has worked with states and territories to refine and respond to participants that need an integrated therapeutic response from a range of service systems, including access to critical disability supports.

There following Program Providers were appointed in the following program areas:

1. ACT/NSW – Marathon Health

2. VIC – cohealth

3. WA – Nulsen Group

4. QLD – Mercy Community Services.

The ECSNP delivered the following 3 functions:

• After Hours Crisis Referral Activities to ensure the availability of specialised and expert skills and experience to perform, or procure, integrated support

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• coordination to participants 18 years and older, who are experiencing a crisis because of an unforeseen, unavoidable or unexpected loss of disability supports. • Sector and Community Development Activities to support the growth and capability of the disability sector in working with complex participants. • Subject Matter Expertise Activities to build systemic capabilities, knowledge and skills of providers who work directly with complex participants.

Clearance

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Deputy Secretary Clearance – last clearing officer

The table above is populated from PDMS and will show the last clearing officer’s name which needs to be your Deputy CEO.

Status Key

• On Track (Green circle) The recommendation is on track for implementation by the agreed date and the risks are being managed while the implementation is underway.
• Problematic (Amber circle) One or more elements of the recommendation’s implementation by the agreed date requires substantial attention or the risks are not being managed while the implementation is underway.
• Urgent and decisive action is required (Red circle) Significant elements of the recommendation warrant urgent attention due to the inherent risks associated with the findings, or implementation of the recommendation by the agreed date has failed or is likely to fail.
• Finalised (Purple triangle) This recommendation need not be included in future reports. The responsible Deputy Chief Executive Officer has agreed with the implementation progress, approved the archiving and accepted any residual risk. Finalised recommendations will not be included in future reports.

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Inquiry Recommendation

Australian Government Response Recommendation – as at 8 November 2024

Inquiry Name: Inquiry into Services, support and life outcomes for autistic Australians

Committee: Senate Select Committee on Autism

Recommendation: The committee recommends that the National Disability Insurance Agency publish its guidance for planners regarding the role of caregivers and families to improve transparency and consistency of support provided.

Government Response: The Australian Government supports this recommendation. In 2021 the NDIA published its guidance for planners regarding the role of caregivers and families. The NDIS Operational Guideline sets out how the NDIA considers informal supports, and interacts with families and caregivers throughout the planning process.

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OFFICIAL

The Reasonable and Necessary Supports Guideline sets out how the NDIA determines what is reasonable for informal supports to provide, while the Early Childhood Guideline sets out how the NDIA works with the families and caregivers and young children receiving supports under the Early Childhood approach. These guidelines are available at: NDIS Guidelines.

The NDIA has also published a suite of information on its website, which sets out how the Agency works with families and carers of participants. This includes the NDIA’s approach to children younger than 7 years, supports available to carers from other government agencies, assistance on how to deal with the death of a loved one in the NDIS, the roles of participant guardians and nominees and how participants can transition to more appropriate accommodation, from residential aged care facilities. Further information is available here: For families and carers I NDIS.

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OFFICIAL

Contact Officer/s: Clair Wheeler, General Manager (Acting) Service Design Division Implementation Plan: NDIA response references a range of reforms estimated to be completed as part of current Scheme reform (e.g. Navigator function) and ongoing business improvement practices (e.g. updates to Operational Guidance). Planned Implementation Date: As above. Key Milestone Dates and Deliverables: As above. Update and Status as at 08/11/2024: This is the first NDIA progress update in response to this recommendation. The NDIA’s implementation of this recommendation is on track.

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Evidence of completion

The NDIA is committed to ensuring staff have a better understanding of the role that informal supports such as caregivers play in supporting people with disability, to ensure they feel supported across the planning pathway.

The NDIA has developed a range of operational guidelines and resources including the ‘Early Childhood Approach’ guideline which provides clear guidance on the distinct roles of caregivers, allied health professionals and service providers for children younger than 9. This OG aims to ensure a coordinated and effective approach to early childhood support, leading to better developmental outcomes for children.

An operational guideline for ‘Informal Supports’ is currently in development and aims to clarify the reasonable expectations of informal supports in providing care to participants. This guideline will provide a greater distinction between the care provided by family and friends and care provided through paid NDIS supports.

The Australian Government is looking to change the way we support people with disability (including NDIS participants) through the introduction of a new navigation function. The navigation reforms are intended to improve the outcomes and experience of people with disability (including people with autism) their families and caregivers, in connectingto other services and understanding the intersection between mainstream, foundational, community and NDIS services.Work is underway to design the navigation function, including developing a co-design and engagement approach.

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Clearance

Deputy Secretary Clearance – last clearing officer

The table above is populated from PDMS and will show the last clearing officer’s name which needs to be your Deputy CEO.

Status Key

• On Track (Green circle) The recommendation is on track for implementation by the agreed date and the risks are being managed while the implementation is underway.
• Problematic (Amber circle) One or more elements of the recommendation’s implementation by the agreed date requires substantial attention or the risks are not being managed while the implementation is underway.
• Urgent and decisive action is required (Red circle) Significant elements of the recommendation warrant urgent attention due to the inherent risks associated with the findings, or implementation of the recommendation by the agreed date has failed or is likely to fail.
• Finalised (Purple triangle) This recommendation need not be included in future reports. The responsible Deputy Chief Executive Officer has agreed with the implementation progress, approved the archiving and accepted any residual risk. Finalised recommendations will not be included in future reports.

Inquiry Recommendation

Australian Government Response Recommendation – as at 8 November 2024

Inquiry Name: Inquiry into Services, support and life outcomes for autistic Australians

Committee: Senate Select Committee on Autism

Recommendation: The committee recommends, as part of the inquiry into the National Disability Insurance Scheme proposed in Recommendation 6, that consideration be given to whether the National Disability Insurance Scheme could play a greater role in supporting the development of self-advocacy skills (as part of a participant’s Capacity Building budget).

Government Response: The Australian Government supports this recommendation in principle, and looks forward to working with the Joint Standing Committee.

The NDIS supports NDIS participants to develop their capacity in ways that help them pursue their goals. This may include

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supporting them to understand their rights or how to speak up for themselves.

Contact Officer/s: Clair Wheeler, General Manager (Acting) Service Design Division

Implementation Plan: NDIA response references a range of reforms already completed in 2023 (e.g. Supported Decision Making Policy) as well as soon to be completed in 2026 (e.g. Informed and Empowered Consumer Strategy).

Planned Implementation Date: As above.

Key Milestone Dates and Deliverables: As above.

Update and Status as at 08/11/2024: This is the first NDIA progress update in response to this recommendation. The NDIA’s implementation of this recommendation is on track.

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Evidence of completion

The NDIA has been working to enhance support for decision making for participants, including those with autism, so that they can exercise greater choice and control.

In May 2023, the NDIA released the Supported Decision Making Policy. This policy was co-designed with participants, families, carers, and the broader disability community to support people with disability to make decisions in the NDIS. Implementation of the policy is focused on increasing the opportunity for participants to make decisions about their lives and building the capacity of decision supporters to recognise and enable the will and preference of participants.

In implementing the policy, the NDIA will develop and promote practical resources about supported decision making in the NDIS for participants, families, carers, Agency staff and partners.

There will be a focus on implementing supported decision making principles into NDIA process and system design, including strengthening the decision making approach for participants approaching 18.

The NDIA will seek to understand a participant’s decision support needs and connect them with the right supports. This will include supporting participants with funding for Supported Independent Living to access independent decision making resources if required.

To accompany this policy, the NDIA is working in conjunction with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission to develop an ‘Informed and Empowered Consumer Strategy’. This Strategy aims to build participants’ capacity to speak up, be educated consumers and develop natural safeguards to ensure their supports work best for them.

The NDIA acknowledges the importance of self-advocacy and other capacity building supports to complement the participant’s NDIS plan. In June 2024, the Australian Government announced a grant round to fund community-based peer supports.

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capacity-building supports. This one-off grant round delivered by the NDIA, will provide up to $20 million per year in funding over 2 years, with the possibility of a one year extension.

Clearance

— PAGE TEXT END –

Deputy Secretary Clearance – last clearing officer

The table above is populated from PDMS and will show the last clearing officer’s name which needs to be your Deputy CEO.

Status Key

• On Track (Green circle) The recommendation is on track for implementation by the agreed date and the risks are being managed while the implementation is underway.
• Problematic (Amber circle) One or more elements of the recommendation’s implementation by the agreed date requires substantial attention or the risks are not being managed while the implementation is underway.
• Urgent and decisive action is required (Red circle) Significant elements of the recommendation warrant urgent attention due to the inherent risks associated with the findings, or implementation of the recommendation by the agreed date has failed or is likely to fail.
• Finalised (Purple triangle) This recommendation need not be included in future reports. The responsible Deputy Chief Executive Officer has agreed with the implementation progress, approved the archiving and accepted any residual risk. Finalised recommendations will not be included in future reports.

Inquiry Recommendation

Australian Government Response Recommendation – as at [DD Month YYYY]30 September 2024

Inquiry Name: Inquiry into Services, support and life outcomes for autistic Australians

Committee: Senate Select Committee on Autism

Recommendation: The committee recommends that the Australian Government commit funding to quality research to continue addressing gaps in the evidence for early intervention approaches.

Government Response: The Australian Government supports research and best practice early intervention. Early intervention can be for both children and adults, and can help reduce the functional impairments of disability.

Early childhood intervention

Early childhood intervention in relation to children is about giving them the best possible start to life. The Early Childhood Targeted Action Plan was released in December 2021 under Australia’s Disability Strategy. It contains a number of Commonwealth-led actions, including the commissioning of work to review and update guidance for best practice in early childhood intervention as well as conducting a service system gap analysis. These actions are expected to commence by late-2022 and be completed by December 2023.

The Australian Government is funding quality research to grow the evidence base for early intervention approaches. In 2020, the NDIA engaged the Autism Cooperative Research Centre to undertake an independent review of the best available evidence for supporting children on the autism spectrum. The review investigated non-pharmacologic interventions and was inconclusive on the type and frequency of interventions required to achieve optimal outcomes.

The NDIA is also leading a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis of behavioural interventions informed by or based on Applied Behavioural Analysis in autistic children seven years or younger. The review is examining what benefits can be expected from the main types of behavioural interventions, in relation to key NDIS outcomes, and what

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individual characteristics or intervention design/delivery factors may contribute to better gains. The review will also examine whether there is a relationship between outcomes, positive or negative, and different intervention intensities.

Contact Officer/s: Melissa Clements, Branch Manager, Children’s Taskforce Implementation Plan: Please provide a reference, link or attachment to this record for the implementation plan completion for this recommendation.N/A Planned Implementation Date: [DD Month YYYY]N/A Key Milestone Dates and Deliverables:N/A Update and Status as at 30 September[DD Month YYYY]: Please advise if you have met the most recent milestone, and if not, why along with how you’re tracking towards the next milestone. If finalised/completed, please fill in under “Evidence of completion”. Completed – Refer to Evidence of Completion

               (Status key is located on the final page)

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Evidence of completion

The Early Childhood Targeted Action Plan was released in December 2021 under Australia’s Disability Strategy. It contains a number of Commonwealth led actions, including development of a best practice framework in early childhood intervention to be completed in the first half of 2025.

The Australian Government is developing a National Autism Strategy and the National Roadmap to target inclusion, health and wellbeing outcomes for Autistic people. This work is being led by the Department of Social Services (DSS). It is closed for public feedback and it is expected that the final Strategy will be considered by Government by the end of 2024.

The NDIA’s Research and Evaluation Strategy 2022 to 2027 sets out a pathway to build and mobilise evidence to enhance the NDIS and shape innovative services and supports that optimise the lives of participants.

The NDIA is also leading a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis of behavioural interventions informed by or based on Applied Behavioural Analysis in autistic children seven years or younger.

NDIS supports innovative efforts to support babies with early signs of autism. The NDIA has funded $13.8 million for a 3 year pilot of Inklings in Western Australia (WA) that commenced in June 2023, delivered in partnership with Telethon Kids, WA Child and Adolescent Health Services and WA Country Health Service. The pilot will be evaluated to consider both the effectiveness and outcomes and used to inform any future support or application of this pre-emptive early intervention model.

Outline a summary of actions undertaken to implement the recommendation.

The summary of actions should clearly align with the intent (implicit or explicit) of the recommendation as specified in the Australian Government Response (AGR). The completion pack should also include the activities that you—as the responsible officer for the recommendation—has performed to confirm that the recommendation has been implemented as specified in the AGR.

OFFICIAL

Provide clear and demonstrable evidence to support the case that all aspects of the recommendation have been fully addressed, including a chronology where possible. Examples of evidence could include a minute (EC in PDMS) noting:

• The Government introduced XX legislation on XX date (linked to the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments), which addressed the recommendation by— describing the—and how—:

• xx; and

• xx.

• The 20XX-XX Budget (MYEFO) funded $XXX to implement xx. This supports the implementation of this recommendation by xx (EC/MC/MSXX-XXXXXX refers).

• The xx program that was implemented on xx date supported the recommendation through xx…

• The National Disability Insurance Agency implemented xx initiative on xx date, which provides xx and does xx. Please ensure all relevant documentation that supports the completion of this recommendation is referenced and saved appropriately. • PDMS is an approved record-keeping system and documents can be attached to this PDR. You can also link to other relevant PDRs or to publicly available information, or reference documents saved in other record-keeping systems such as HPE content manager. • The retention of these records will ensure that appropriate evidence is available to management and to the Australian National Audit Office as part of their regular performance audits on the implementation of committee inquiries’ recommendations.

Background/Issues

Provide relevant background and include any issues the Deputy CEO should be aware of in relation to the implementation. Please remove all purple text prior to completing this form and use: Arial (Body) 12pt Black

Page 269 of 344

Clearance

Page 270 of 344

Deputy Secretary Clearance – last clearing officer

The table above is populated from PDMS and will show the last clearing officer’s name which needs to be your Deputy CEO.

Status Key

• On Track (Green circle) The recommendation is on track for implementation by the agreed date and the risks are being managed while the implementation is underway.
• Problematic (Amber circle) One or more elements of the recommendation’s implementation by the agreed date requires substantial attention or the risks are not being managed while the implementation is underway.
• Urgent and decisive action is required (Red circle) Significant elements of the recommendation warrant urgent attention due to the inherent risks associated with the findings, or implementation of the recommendation by the agreed date has failed or is likely to fail.
• Finalised (Purple triangle) This recommendation need not be included in future reports. The responsible Deputy Chief Executive Officer has agreed with the implementation progress, approved the archiving and accepted any residual risk. Finalised recommendations will not be included in future reports.

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Inquiry Recommendation

Australian Government Response Recommendation – as at [DD Month YYYY]30 September 2024

Inquiry Name: Inquiry into Services, support and life outcomes for autistic Australians

Committee: Senate Select Committee on Autism

Recommendation: The committee recommends that all National Disability Insurance Scheme planners and educators associated with the new Early Childhood Approach undergo training in understanding autism and best evidence-based approaches to intervention

Government Response: The NDIA’s early childhood approach supports best practice in early childhood intervention because it helps each child and family to build their capacity, and supports greater inclusion in community and every day

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settings, with the child’s parents, carers, family members and educators playing an important role.

Many NDIA Early Childhood Partners (EC Partners) who support participants in their local community understand the NDIS, create and implement a plan, and assist participants to understand how the NDIS works with other service systems, are leading practitioners in the field.

The NDIA has developed training for EC Partners to engage and support participants and families and carers confidently and meaningfully.

The NDIA’s Early Childhood approach is based on best practice, international standards of family centred practices, with the child’s parents, carers, family members and educators playing an important role.

As part of the NDIA’s commitment to uplifting planner capability as set out in the NDIA Corporate Plan, additional work is being undertaken to ensure staff have the right capabilities through the continuous design and delivery of mandatory eLeaming training and induction programs.

The NDIA has also developed a Disability Navigator and disability snapshots to help NDIA staff and planners improve

OFFICIAL

their awareness and understanding of the lived experience of people with disabilities, including autistic people.

The NDIA’s decision making is guided by evidence-based approaches and will continue to incorporate research findings into training for EC Partners as these become available.

Contact Officer/s: Melissa Clements, Branch Manager, Children’s Taskforce Implementation Plan: Please provide a reference, link or attachment to this record for the implementation plan completion for this recommendation.N/A Planned Implementation Date: [DD Month YYYY]N/A Key Milestone Dates and Deliverables: N/A Update and Status as at [DD Month YYYY]30 September 2024: Please advise if you have met the most recent milestone, and if not, why along with how you’re tracking towards the next milestone. If finalised/completed, please fill in under “Evidence of completion”.Completed – Refer to Evidence of Completion

               (Status key is located on the final page)

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Evidence of completion

The NDIA established the National Early Childhood Branch (NECB) in October 2023 to focus on planning with children under the age of 9 and their families. This creates a specialisation in NDIA planning around the needs of children and enables strong connection between planning decisions and the work of the early childhood partners.

The NECB was enabled through the Australian Government’s commitment of $732.9 million (over 4 years) to develop the capability and capacity of the NDIA.

In September 2024, the NDIA implemented comprehensive guidelines to assist early childhood partners in gathering the appropriate information to support eligibility to the Scheme. The NDIA will be evaluating these enhancements with families in the upcoming months.

On 23 July 2024, the Children’s Expert Advisory Group was established to provide targeted advice on improving the experiences of children and their families in the NDIS and to support the co-design of NDIS reforms.

The NDIA will continue to engage with the Independent Advisory Council to the NDIS and the Autism Advisory Group on how to best support families and carers in their roles.

Outline a summary of actions undertaken to implement the recommendation. The summary of actions should clearly align with the intent (implicit or explicit) of the recommendation as specified in the Australian Government Response (AGR). The completion pack should also include the activities that you—as the responsible officer for the recommendation—has performed to confirm that the recommendation has been implemented as specified in the AGR.

Provide clear and demonstrable evidence to support the case that all aspects of the recommendation have been fully addressed, including a chronology where possible. Examples of evidence could include a minute (EC in PDMS) noting:

OFFICIAL

• The Government introduced XX legislation on XX date (linked to the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments), which addressed the recommendation by— describing the—and how—:
  • xx; and
  • xx.
• The 20XX-XX Budget (MYEFO) funded $XXX to implement xx. This supports the implementation of this recommendation by xx (EC/MC/MSXX-XXXXXX refers).
• The xx program that was implemented on xx date supported the recommendation through xx…
• The National Disability Insurance Agency implemented xx initiative on xx date, which provides xx and does xx. Please ensure all relevant documentation that supports the completion of this recommendation is referenced and saved appropriately. • PDMS is an approved record-keeping system and documents can be attached to this PDR. You can also link to other relevant PDRs or to publicly available information, or reference documents saved in other record-keeping systems such as HPE content manager. • The retention of these records will ensure that appropriate evidence is available to management and to the Australian National Audit Office as part of their regular performance audits on the implementation of committee inquiries’ recommendations.

Background/Issues

Provide relevant background and include any issues the Deputy CEO should be aware of in relation to the implementation. Please remove all purple text prior to completing this form and use: Arial (Body) 12pt Black

Clearance

OFFICIAL

General Manager DD/MM/YYY

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Deputy Secretary Clearance – last clearing officer

The table above is populated from PDMS and will show the last clearing officer’s name which needs to be your Deputy CEO.

Status Key

• On Track (Green circle) The recommendation is on track for implementation by the agreed date and the risks are being managed while the implementation is underway.
• Problematic (Amber circle) One or more elements of the recommendation’s implementation by the agreed date requires substantial attention or the risks are not being managed while the implementation is underway.
• Urgent and decisive action is required (Red circle) Significant elements of the recommendation warrant urgent attention due to the inherent risks associated with the findings, or implementation of the recommendation by the agreed date has failed or is likely to fail.
• Finalised (Purple triangle) This recommendation need not be included in future reports. The responsible Deputy Chief Executive Officer has agreed with the implementation progress, approved the archiving and accepted any residual risk. Finalised recommendations will not be included in future reports.

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Inquiry Recommendation

Australian Government Response Recommendation – as at [DD Month YYYY]

Inquiry Name: Inquiry into Services, support and life outcomes for autistic Australians

Committee: Senate Select Committee on Autism

Recommendation:

The committee recommends that a Transition to Work Roadmap be developed under the auspices of the National Autism Strategy and as part of the National Autism Employment Framework proposed at Recommendation 58. This should provide a nationally agreed and coordinated approach to transition planning across school and higher education settings and should identify actions to:

• improve students’ social and employability skills;
• embed the use of evidence-based transition planning resources, such as Better Outcomes and Successful Transitions for Autism (BOOST-A) and the MyWAY

Employability web platform in schools and work preparation programs (including the NDIS School Leaver Employment Supports)

• improve the autism understanding of NDIS School Leaver Employment Supports providers;
• expand the reach of the Ticket to Work program; and
• establish stronger links between schools, universities and employers to facilitate autism-aware work experience opportunities.

Government Response:

In December 2021, the Australian Government released Employ My Ability - the Disability Employment Strategy as a ten year commitment to improving employment outcomes for people with disability. Through priority area two of Employ My Ability, the Australian Government recognises that more needs to be done to build the employment skills, experience and confidence of young people with disability, including young autistic people, as they transition to work. Under Employ My Ability, the Australian Government has already committed to:

• Develop new approaches to support young people with disability in their transition from school to work, and
• Develop and promote information, tools and resources relating to employment pathways to build the capacity and

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confidence of young people with disability, as well as their support networks.

The NDIA is implementing the NDIS Participant Employment Strategy revised Action Plan for 2021-22, which aims to see 30 per cent of working age participants in employment by June 2023. The strategy maintains a shared focus of increasing employment opportunities and outcomes for participants, facilitating the transition from education to employment, and strengthening the autonomy and self-determination of people with a disability to pursue and achieve their employment goals.

The NDIA continues to focus on employment supports for young participants, particularly as they leave school. A review of the employment support available for young participants commenced in Quarter 3 of 2022, to address the identified shortcomings of school leaver employment supports, such as: delivery of a set program of interventions; variable performance of providers; a payment system unrelated to provider effort, and participant uncertainty about selecting an effective provider.

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Contact Officer/s: Implementation Plan: Please provide a reference, link or attachment to this record for the implementation plan completion for this recommendation. Planned Implementation Date: [DD Month YYYY] Key Milestone Dates and Deliverables: Update and Status as at [DD Month YYYY]: Please advise if you have met the most recent milestone, and if not, why along with how you’re tracking towards the next milestone. If finalised/completed, please fill in under “Evidence of completion”.

               (Status key is located on the final page)

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Evidence of completion

Outline a summary of actions undertaken to implement the recommendation.

The summary of actions should clearly align with the intent (implicit or explicit) of the recommendation as specified in the Australian Government Response (AGR). The completion pack should also include the activities that you—as the responsible officer for the recommendation—has performed to confirm that the recommendation has been implemented as specified in the AGR.

Provide clear and demonstrable evidence to support the case that all aspects of the recommendation have been fully addressed, including a chronology where possible. Examples of evidence could include a minute (EC in PDMS) noting:

• The Government introduced XX legislation on XX date (linked to the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments), which addressed the recommendation by—describing the—and how—:

• xx; and

• xx.

• The 20XX-XX Budget (MYEFO) funded $XXX to implement xx. This supports the implementation of this recommendation by xx (EC/MC/MSXX-XXXXXX refers).

• The xx program that was implemented on xx date supported the recommendation through xx…

• The National Disability Insurance Agency implemented xx initiative on xx date, which provides xx and does xx.

Please ensure all relevant documentation that supports the completion of this recommendation is referenced and saved appropriately. • PDMS is an approved record-keeping system and documents can be attached to this PDR. You can also link to other relevant PDRs or to publicly available information, or reference documents saved in other record-keeping systems such as HPE content manager. • The retention of these records will ensure that appropriate evidence is available to management and to the Australian National Audit Office as part of their regular performance audits on the implementation of committee inquiries’ recommendations.

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Background/Issues

Provide relevant background and include any issues the Deputy CEO should be aware of in relation to the implementation.

Please remove all purple text prior to completing this form and use: Arial (Body) 12pt Black

Clearance

Deputy Secretary Clearance – last clearing officer

The table above is populated from PDMS and will show the last clearing officer’s name which needs to be your Deputy CEO.

Status Key

• On Track (Green circle) The recommendation is on track for implementation by the agreed date and the risks are being managed while the implementation is underway.
• Problematic (Amber circle) One or more elements of the recommendation’s implementation by the agreed date requires substantial attention or the risks are not being managed while the implementation is underway.
• Urgent and decisive action is required (Red circle) Significant elements of the recommendation warrant urgent attention due to the inherent risks associated with the findings, or implementation of the recommendation by the agreed date has failed or is likely to fail.
• Finalised (Purple triangle) This recommendation need not be included in future reports. The responsible Deputy Chief Executive Officer has agreed with the implementation progress, approved the archiving and accepted any residual risk. Finalised recommendations will not be included in future reports.

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Inquiry Recommendation

Australian Government Response Recommendation – as at [DD Month YYYY]

Inquiry Name: Inquiry into Services, support and life outcomes for autistic Australians

Committee: Senate Select Committee on Autism

Recommendation:

The committee recommends, as part of the inquiry into the National Disability Insurance Scheme proposed in Recommendation 6, that the effectiveness of funded supports to enable autistic people to live independently be reviewed. This should have particular reference to:

• the high proportion of autistic adults living in their family home;
• the impact (and appropriateness) of the informal care burden on parents and carers; and
• the need for long-term accommodation planning to enable independent living following the death of a participant’s parents or carers.

Government Response:

The Australian Government

supports this recommendation in principle, and looks forward to

working with the Joint Standing Committee.

The NDIA is developing an overarching home and living policy

that will inform the way NDIS participants are supported to

pursue their home and living goals.

The aim of the policy will be to give participants more choice

and control over where they live, who they live with and the

supports they use. This also includes supporting participants to

build the skills they need to live as independently as possible.

While co-design of the new home and living policy takes place,

the NDIA is also progressing a significant pro grain of shorter

term work in line with the policy intent to improve home and

living supports for participants. Further information about this is

available at: Housing and living supports and services.

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Contact Officer/s: Implementation Plan: Please provide a reference, link or attachment to this record for the implementation plan completion for this recommendation. Planned Implementation Date: [DD Month YYYY] Key Milestone Dates and Deliverables: Update and Status as at [DD Month YYYY]: Please advise if you have met the most recent milestone, and if not, why along with how you’re tracking towards the next milestone. If finalised/completed, please fill in under “Evidence of completion”.

               (Status key is located on the final page)

                         Page 288 of 344

Evidence of completion

Outline a summary of actions undertaken to implement the recommendation.

The summary of actions should clearly align with the intent (implicit or explicit) of the recommendation as specified in the Australian Government Response (AGR). The completion pack should also include the activities that you—as the responsible officer for the recommendation—has performed to confirm that the recommendation has been implemented as specified in the AGR.

Provide clear and demonstrable evidence to support the case that all aspects of the recommendation have been fully addressed, including a chronology where possible. Examples of evidence could include a minute (EC in PDMS) noting:

• The Government introduced XX legislation on XX date (linked to the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments), which addressed the recommendation by—describing the—and how—:

• xx; and

• xx.

• The 20XX-XX Budget (MYEFO) funded $XXX to implement xx. This supports the implementation of this recommendation by xx (EC/MC/MSXX-XXXXXX refers).

• The xx program that was implemented on xx date supported the recommendation through xx…

• The National Disability Insurance Agency implemented xx initiative on xx date, which provides xx and does xx.

Please ensure all relevant documentation that supports the completion of this recommendation is referenced and saved appropriately. • PDMS is an approved record-keeping system and documents can be attached to this PDR. You can also link to other relevant PDRs or to publicly available information, or reference documents saved in other record-keeping systems such as HPE content manager. • The retention of these records will ensure that appropriate evidence is available to management and to the Australian National Audit Office as part of their regular performance audits on the implementation of committee inquiries’ recommendations.

Background/Issues

Provide relevant background and include any issues the Deputy CEO should be aware of in relation to the implementation.

Please remove all purple text prior to completing this form and use: Arial (Body) 12pt Black

Clearance

Deputy Secretary Clearance – last clearing officer

The table above is populated from PDMS and will show the last clearing officer’s name which needs to be your Deputy CEO.

Status Key

• On Track (Green circle) The recommendation is on track for implementation by the agreed date and the risks are being managed while the implementation is underway.
• Problematic (Amber circle) One or more elements of the recommendation’s implementation by the agreed date requires substantial attention or the risks are not being managed while the implementation is underway.
• Urgent and decisive action is required (Red circle) Significant elements of the recommendation warrant urgent attention due to the inherent risks associated with the findings, or implementation of the recommendation by the agreed date has failed or is likely to fail.
• Finalised (Purple triangle) This recommendation need not be included in future reports. The responsible Deputy Chief Executive Officer has agreed with the implementation progress, approved the archiving and accepted any residual risk. Finalised recommendations will not be included in future reports.

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Inquiry Recommendation

Australian Government Response Recommendation – as at [DD Month YYYY]

Inquiry Name: Inquiry into Services, support and life outcomes for autistic Australians

Committee: Senate Select Committee on Autism

Recommendation: The committee recommends that the National Disability Insurance Agency work with relevant stakeholders to review the Specialist Disability Accommodation Design Standard to ensure it accounts for the sensory issues experienced by autistic participants.

Government Response: Following extensive feedback from the developing the Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) market for greater certainty in the process, the NDIA engaged Liveable Housing Australia (LHA) to develop a technical guide for expanding the amount of relevant detail available for the build of SDA dwellings.

The SDA Design outlines the detailed design requirements for newly built SDA seeking enrolment under the NDIS.

This standard has four categories of SDA design, as set out in the SDA Rules (2020):

• Improved Liveability
• Robust
• Fully Accessible
• High Physical Support

In particular, the SDA type ‘Improved Liveability’ has been designed to improve ‘Liveability’ by incorporating a reasonable level of physical access and enhanced provision for people with sensory, intellectual or cognitive impairment.

The SDA Design Standard will be reviewed in 2023.

OFFICIAL

Contact Officer/s: Implementation Plan: Please provide a reference, link or attachment to this record for the implementation plan completion for this recommendation. Planned Implementation Date: [DD Month YYYY] Key Milestone Dates and Deliverables: Update and Status as at [DD Month YYYY]: Please advise if you have met the most recent milestone, and if not, why along with how you’re tracking towards the next milestone. If finalised/completed, please fill in under “Evidence of completion”.

               (Status key is located on the final page)

                         Page 294 of 344

Evidence of completion

Outline a summary of actions undertaken to implement the recommendation.

The summary of actions should clearly align with the intent (implicit or explicit) of the recommendation as specified in the Australian Government Response (AGR). The completion pack should also include the activities that you—as the responsible officer for the recommendation—has performed to confirm that the recommendation has been implemented as specified in the AGR.

Provide clear and demonstrable evidence to support the case that all aspects of the recommendation have been fully addressed, including a chronology where possible. Examples of evidence could include a minute (EC in PDMS) noting:

• The Government introduced XX legislation on XX date (linked to the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments), which addressed the recommendation by—describing the—and how—:

• xx; and

• xx.

• The 20XX-XX Budget (MYEFO) funded $XXX to implement xx. This supports the implementation of this recommendation by xx (EC/MC/MSXX-XXXXXX refers).

• The xx program that was implemented on xx date supported the recommendation through xx…

• The National Disability Insurance Agency implemented xx initiative on xx date, which provides xx and does xx.

Please ensure all relevant documentation that supports the completion of this recommendation is referenced and saved appropriately. • PDMS is an approved record-keeping system and documents can be attached to this PDR. You can also link to other relevant PDRs or to publicly available information, or reference documents saved in other record-keeping systems such as HPE content manager. • The retention of these records will ensure that appropriate evidence is available to management and to the Australian National Audit Office as part of their regular performance audits on the implementation of committee inquiries’ recommendations.

Background/Issues

Provide relevant background and include any issues the Deputy CEO should be aware of in relation to the implementation.

Please remove all purple text prior to completing this form and use: Arial (Body) 12pt Black

Clearance

Deputy Secretary Clearance – last clearing officer

The table above is populated from PDMS and will show the last clearing officer’s name which needs to be your Deputy CEO.

Status Key

• On Track (Green circle) The recommendation is on track for implementation by the agreed date and the risks are being managed while the implementation is underway.
• Problematic (Amber circle) One or more elements of the recommendation’s implementation by the agreed date requires substantial attention or the risks are not being managed while the implementation is underway.
• Urgent and decisive action is required (Red circle) Significant elements of the recommendation warrant urgent attention due to the inherent risks associated with the findings, or implementation of the recommendation by the agreed date has failed or is likely to fail.
• Finalised (Purple triangle) This recommendation need not be included in future reports. The responsible Deputy Chief Executive Officer has agreed with the implementation progress, approved the archiving and accepted any residual risk. Finalised recommendations will not be included in future reports.

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Inquiry Recommendation

Australian Government Response Recommendation – as at [DD Month YYYY]

Inquiry Name: Inquiry into Services, support and life outcomes for autistic Australians

Committee: Senate Select Committee on Autism

Recommendation: The committee recommends that the National Disability Insurance Agency work with state and territory governments and non-government housing providers to increase the supply of the ‘robust’ category of Specialist Disability Accommodation.

Government Response: In 2019 the NDIA undertook a limited cost assumptions review of Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) pricing, specifically to identify where market supply was not increasing as expected. One result from this review was to increase the SDA price caps for ‘robust’ dwellings of between 9.4 per cent and 14.1 per cent. Since that

OFFICIAL

At this time, a steady increase in supply has been achieved. There are currently 441 dwellings enrolled in the ‘robust’ category.

SDA dwelling enrolment data also indicates that there are currently 334 brand new dwellings (equivalent to 624 rooms) under construction, which are intended to be enrolled in the ‘robust SDA’ category. These are being built by registered SDA providers including community housing providers and developers who are yet to engage or register as an SDA provider.

The NDIA also undertakes regular market development activities, most recently focussed on supporting both state and territory governments and other SDA providers to consider and develop renewal programs of their existing SDA stock. In the majority this stock is ageing, and as more contemporary homes are established using the SDA Design Standard, this need for redevelopment or refurbishment is increasing.

The SDA Pricing Review was scheduled to take place through the first half of 2023, however a decision has been made to commence this earlier to support investor and market confidence. Robust SDA pricing will be considered as part of the price review. Any changes from the review will only come into effect from 1 July 2023.

— PAGE TEXT END –

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The NDIA is continuously improving the structured data available on SDA and continues to work with states and territories to ensure housing and accommodation is available for NDIS participants, including ensuring participants have access to affordable, accessible, and appropriate housing.

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OFFICIAL

Contact Officer/s: Implementation Plan: Please provide a reference, link or attachment to this record for the implementation plan completion for this recommendation. Planned Implementation Date: [DD Month YYYY] Key Milestone Dates and Deliverables: Update and Status as at [DD Month YYYY]: Please advise if you have met the most recent milestone, and if not, why along with how you’re tracking towards the next milestone. If finalised/completed, please fill in under “Evidence of completion”.

               (Status key is located on the final page)

                         Page 301 of 344

Evidence of completion

Outline a summary of actions undertaken to implement the recommendation.

The summary of actions should clearly align with the intent (implicit or explicit) of the recommendation as specified in the Australian Government Response (AGR). The completion pack should also include the activities that you—as the responsible officer for the recommendation—has performed to confirm that the recommendation has been implemented as specified in the AGR.

Provide clear and demonstrable evidence to support the case that all aspects of the recommendation have been fully addressed, including a chronology where possible. Examples of evidence could include a minute (EC in PDMS) noting:

• The Government introduced XX legislation on XX date (linked to the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments), which addressed the recommendation by—describing the—and how—:

• xx; and

• xx.

• The 20XX-XX Budget (MYEFO) funded $XXX to implement xx. This supports the implementation of this recommendation by xx (EC/MC/MSXX-XXXXXX refers).

• The xx program that was implemented on xx date supported the recommendation through xx…

• The National Disability Insurance Agency implemented xx initiative on xx date, which provides xx and does xx.

Please ensure all relevant documentation that supports the completion of this recommendation is referenced and saved appropriately. • PDMS is an approved record-keeping system and documents can be attached to this PDR. You can also link to other relevant PDRs or to publicly available information, or reference documents saved in other record-keeping systems such as HPE content manager. • The retention of these records will ensure that appropriate evidence is available to management and to the Australian National Audit Office as part of their regular performance audits on the implementation of committee inquiries’ recommendations.

Background/Issues

Provide relevant background and include any issues the Deputy CEO should be aware of in relation to the implementation.

Please remove all purple text prior to completing this form and use: Arial (Body) 12pt Black

Clearance

Deputy Secretary Clearance – last clearing officer

The table above is populated from PDMS and will show the last clearing officer’s name which needs to be your Deputy CEO.

Status Key

• On Track (Green circle) The recommendation is on track for implementation by the agreed date and the risks are being managed while the implementation is underway.
• Problematic (Amber circle) One or more elements of the recommendation’s implementation by the agreed date requires substantial attention or the risks are not being managed while the implementation is underway.
• Urgent and decisive action is required (Red circle) Significant elements of the recommendation warrant urgent attention due to the inherent risks associated with the findings, or implementation of the recommendation by the agreed date has failed or is likely to fail.
• Finalised (Purple triangle) This recommendation need not be included in future reports. The responsible Deputy Chief Executive Officer has agreed with the implementation progress, approved the archiving and accepted any residual risk. Finalised recommendations will not be included in future reports.

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Inquiry Recommendation

Australian Government Response

Recommendation – as at [DD Month YYYY]

Inquiry Name: Inquiry into Services, support and life outcomes for autistic Australians