Submission: Thriving Kids — Evidence &
Recommendations
Focusing on neurodiversity-affirming practice as best practice across all Terms of Reference
19 September 2025
Executive Summary
Across every Term of Reference, the direction of contemporary policy and practice
is clear: neurodiversity-affirming (NDA) practice is best practice. Rising autism
diagnoses reflect better recognition—including camouflaged/internalised
presentations—rather than “overdiagnosis” (National Autism Strategy 2025–2031,
p. 32; TLN Journal, Vol. 31 No. 3, 2024–25, pp. 35–36). Families still encounter uneven, provider-dependent support due to workforce shortages, cost/wait barriers
and poor service integration (National Autism Strategy, pp. 31–33). The most impactful, equitable change we can implement now is a universal, free-at-first
concern NDA parent-coaching offer paired with standardised, co-designed NDA
training for frontline workforces (National Autism Strategy, pp. 33–35). To deliver
seamless support, mandate Handover Reports from all NDIS/allied-health providers
and a continuation-of-support obligation in schools, and implement a South
Australia–style model with a Neurodiversity-Affirming Champion in every school
backed by in-school allied-health teams (SA Department for Education initiatives, 2023–2025). NDA is the operating system: we already have the tools and knowledge
to run NDA education now (National Autism Strategy, pp. 33–35).
TOR 1 — Evidence-based information/resources for parents
(identify & support mild–moderate developmental delay)
Diagnostic rates are rising because our tools and understanding—shaped by Autistic
lived experience—now better capture camouflaged/internalised presentations; girls
and gender-diverse children, in particular, are still identified later, which argues for
earlier, affirming identification rather than “overdiagnosis” (National Autism Strategy 2025–2031, p. 32; TLN Journal, Vol. 31 No. 3, 2024–25, pp. 35–36). Families
then encounter a patchwork of help: delays, costs, navigation burdens, workforce
shortages and weak service integration make access and quality non-uniform,
especially where support depends on individual NDIS providers (National Autism
Strategy, pp. 31–33). What is needed—and should be free at the point of first
concern—is immediate, accurate, NDA parent coaching so caregivers can recognise
developmental differences and use connection-centred, regulation-first strategies from day one; this aligns with national commitments to early developmental
monitoring/screening and best-practice resources for families (National Autism
Strategy, p. 33). Your parent-education materials authored by Cath Fernando
operationalise this approach—coregulation before compliance; psychological safety;
authentic, strengths-based communication; advocacy—providing practical, NDA
consistent first-line supports (Fernando, Help Your Autistic Child to Thrive at School; Fernando, Neurodiversity-Affirming Parenting, Elwood College v2.0).
Finally, no national program currently guarantees universal NDA parent coaching;
the Strategy itself documents service gaps and inequities, underscoring the need for
a consistent, publicly funded offer (National Autism Strategy, pp. 32–33).
TOR 2 — Effectiveness of current/previous programs &
initiatives (community/mainstream: MCH, primary care, allied
health, playgroups, ECEC, schools)
Australia blends NDIS-funded supports with mainstream/community services;
families report high unmet demand, uneven quality, workforce shortages, costs and poor integration, so access and outcomes vary widely by provider and postcode
(National Autism Strategy, p. 33). Strategy priorities—NDA developmental
monitoring/screening, affordable assessment, and co-designed professional
training—are exactly what improves effectiveness across MCH, primary care, allied
health and schools (National Autism Strategy, pp. 33–35). Within early intervention,
the keystone is NDA parent coaching—immediate, free at first concern, and
explicitly connection-centred/regulation-first—aligned with professional guidance that supports should be neurodiversity-affirming, not compliance-focused (see
Fernando, Autistic Children & Friendship; Naylor, 2023). In practice, coregulation,
psychological safety and authentic communication are first-line strategies
(Fernando, Help Your Autistic Child to Thrive at School; Fernando, Neurodiversity-
Affirming Parenting, Elwood College v2.0). Programs that compel “normalising”
behaviours or teach masking undermine wellbeing; behaviourist/ABA-style
approaches are philosophically incompatible with NDA because they locate the “problem” in the child rather than the environment (Naylor, 2023, doctoral thesis).
Where ECEC/schools adopt NDA environments—sensory accommodations,
interest-led participation, relational safety—students’ belonging and engagement
improve (TLN Journal, Vol. 31 No. 3, 2024–25). There is no national program that
guarantees universal, publicly funded, NDA parent coaching and a consistent
handover model—precisely the gap the Strategy identifies (National Autism
Strategy, pp. 33–35).
TOR 3 — Equity & intersectionality (First Nations,
CALD/CARM, gender-diverse, regional/rural, non-speaking
AAC users)
NDA must be explicitly intersectional. The Strategy identifies priority cohorts that
face additional and compounding barriers—including First Nations, CALD/CARM, women/girls and gender-diverse people, LGBTQIA+ people, regional/rural
communities, and non-speaking/AAC users—and requires culturally safe, co
designed solutions (National Autism Strategy, pp. 11–14, 33). Delays and
misdiagnosis are more likely for these groups due to stereotypes, inaccessible
pathways and non-responsive services (National Autism Strategy, pp. 12–14, 33).
Practically, NDA means adapting supports to family culture and parenting styles,
validating multilingual communication, and providing AAC/alternative modalities without pathologising culture-specific communication (National Autism Strategy,
pp. 11–13). In schools/ECEC, prioritise psychological safety, agency and self
advocacy over conformity; interest-led, strengths-based inclusion improves
engagement across marginalised cohorts (TLN Journal, Vol. 31 No. 3, 2024–25).
Contemporary scholarship also foregrounds structural harms (e.g., bullying,
masking pressure) and reframes the “problem” as environmental/structural—again
aligning with NDA (Naylor, 2023; TLN Journal).
TOR 4 — Gaps in workforce support & training required to
deliver Thriving Kids
Because support quality is currently non-uniform, a Thriving Kids workforce must
be consistently trained in NDA, co-designed with Autistic people, and supported by
governance/evaluation that keeps the work honest (National Autism Strategy, pp.
33–35, 38–39). Key capabilities:
- Foundations & ethics — Social model/rights; no normalising/compliance goals; goals reflect child/family preferences; authentic autistic communication and
behaviour are supported (Naylor, 2023).
-
Relationship & regulation first — Co-regulation/psychological safety before academics or skills training (TLN Journal, Vol. 31 No. 3).
-
Environment over “fixing the child” — Universal Design for Learning; remove barriers; sensory-safe spaces; agency, self-advocacy and belonging as core outcomes (TLN Journal).
-
Role-specific competence — MCH/GPs: developmental monitoring & clear referral; allied health: interest-led, family-centred parent coaching; ECEC/schools: routine
adaptations, visual supports/video modelling as Tier-1 supports (National Autism
Strategy, pp. 31–33; TLN Journal).
Delivery model: a single, nationally endorsed NDA curriculum mandatory for frontline roles (MCH nurses, GPs, paediatricians, psychologists, OTs, SPs, support
workers, ECEC educators, teachers) with (1) co-design & co-delivery by Autistic
people; (2) context-specific modules anchored to daily practice; and (3)
participatory evaluation (National Autism Strategy, p. 38; TLN Journal). Why NDA is
non-negotiable: the Strategy explicitly sets “improved access to quality, timely,
neurodiversity-affirming supports” as a national commitment (National Autism
Strategy, p. 35) and contemporary scholarship defines NDA as avoiding masking/“symptom-reduction” goals and centring authentic communication and co
developed priorities (Naylor, 2023).
TOR 5 — Domestic & international policy experience and best
practice
Domestic: The Strategy already codifies the policy levers we need: standardised, co
designed training for identification/diagnosis; best-practice resources for families;
early screening & developmental monitoring; improved access to quality, timely,
NDA supports; and whole-of-government governance and evaluation co-led by Autistic people (Commitments 11–19, 20–22) (National Autism Strategy, pp. 33–35,
38–39). In education, contemporary guidance emphasises NDA pedagogy—remove
environmental barriers; prioritise relationships and psychological safety; support
agency/self-advocacy; use strength/interest-based adjustments—consistent with
UDL and Autism CRC’s inclusionED resources (TLN Journal, Vol. 31 No. 3, 2024–25).
International: UK policy/practice aligns: NHS England language guidance rejects
“high/low functioning” and “mild/moderate/severe” labels; the Autism Education Trust’s Good Autism Practice centres understanding the individual, co-decision
making, enabling environments and organisational culture—not normalising the
child. NICE evidence reviews judge early behavioural/ABA-style evidence weak,
resonating with Autistic-community critiques and NDA’s avoidance of masking goals
(AET/NICE guidance summaries).
TOR 6 — Mechanisms for seamless transitions across
mainstream systems (all children with mild–moderate
support needs)
One pathway, many doors. Create a single NDA pathway starting at first concern
(MCH/GP) and following the child across services:
-
Early developmental monitoring/screening and affordable assessment with clear referral criteria (National Autism Strategy, pp. 33–35).
-
Immediate, free NDA parent coaching at first concern (National Autism Strategy, p. 33; Fernando, Neurodiversity-Affirming Parenting, Elwood College v2.0; Fernando, Help Your Autistic Child to Thrive at School).
-
Mandatory Handover Reports from every NDIS/allied-health provider summarising effective strategies (sensory, communication, regulation, accommodations) and an explicit continuation-of-supports commitment inside
school (joint planning with staff).
- School entry plans foregrounding psychological safety, sensory/environmental adjustments and belonging/connectedness (National Autism Strategy,
Commitments 12, 15, 17; TLN Journal).
- Navigation clarity via a national “who-does-what” map and role definitions so families always know the next step (National Autism Strategy, Governance & Evidence commitments; First Action Plan).
We have the tools already: the Strategy commits to NDA-aligned identification,
resources, provider training and quality, timely NDA supports, so NDA education
can run now while capacity scales (National Autism Strategy, pp. 33–35).
School delivery model (SA-style): Require a Neurodiversity-Affirming Champion in
every school (cf. SA’s Autism Inclusion Teacher role) and a dedicated in-school
allied-health team to change culture and run universal programs:
-
OT-led: gross/fine-motor programs; regulation supports; classroom/environmental adaptations.
-
Speech pathology-led: language access and authentic friendships & inclusion
(replace “social skills groups,” which drive masking; use interest-led clubs and
communication-positive environments).
- Psychology-led: anxiety supports; staff coaching on co-regulation and safety.
- Education support: significantly more aides trained in NDA to operationalise adjustments.
At home, scale support workers so families get respite/regulation support, and re
shape SP/OT inputs around parent-coaching blocks rather than weekly pull-outs—
consistent with NDA and Strategy commitments to best-practice family resources
(National Autism Strategy, p. 33).
Capacity to Deliver — Cath Fernando (program partner)
Cath Fernando is an Autistic Speech Pathologist (MSP, CPSP; also BEng, BA) who
authored the Neurodiversity-Affirming Practice module for Speech Pathology
Australia and initiated the 2025 rewrite of the Inklings program with Prof. Andrew
Whitehouse in response to Autistic-community feedback—recasting Inklings as a
neurodiversity-affirming program. Cath has trained whole-school staff at Elwood
Primary School and Elwood College (Melbourne), and worked with many other schools and kindergartens to embed NDA practice, delivering knock-on benefits for
all neurodivergent students (increased belonging, reduced distress, stronger
participation). Cath is also co-author of a forthcoming academic chapter on NDA in
palliative care: Snowden, V., Sewell, S., Dodds, C., & Fernando, C. (in press).
Neurodiversity-affirming practice with respect to autism in palliative care. In L.
Chahda, B. A. Mathisen, & L. B. Carey (Eds.), Speech-Language Pathology and
Palliative Care (pp. xx–xx). Routledge. Cath—and a wider network of Autistic advocates—already provide NDA training for parents and educators across
preschool, primary and secondary, and support young Autistic adults. Cath can co
design and deliver multiple education units across MCH, primary care, allied health,
ECEC and schools, and help Thriving Kids deploy materials quickly to shift culture in
institutions and families nationwide.
Attachments (by Cath Fernando): Help Your Autistic Child to Thrive at School (PDF);
Neurodiversity-Affirming Parenting, Elwood College v2.0 (PDF).
References (uploaded & cited materials)
Department of Social Services (2025). National Autism Strategy 2025–2031 (DSS).
Teacher Learning Network (2024–25). TLN Journal, Vol. 31, No. 3: Supporting
Neurodivergent Students.
Fernando, C. Help Your Autistic Child to Thrive at School (PDF).
Fernando, C. Neurodiversity-Affirming Parenting, Elwood College v2.0 (PDF).
Fernando, C. Autistic Children & Friendship (slides/handout).
Naylor, K. (2023). Doctoral thesis on neurodiversity-affirming practice (university
repository).
SA Department for Education (2023–2025). Autism Inclusion Teacher and related
inclusion/allied-health initiatives (policy updates).
Snowden, V., Sewell, S., Dodds, C., & Fernando, C. (in press). Neurodiversity
affirming practice with respect to autism in palliative care. In L. Chahda, B. A.
Mathisen, & L. B. Carey (Eds.), Speech-Language Pathology and Palliative Care (pp. xx–xx). Routledge. https://www.routledge.com/Speech-Language-Pathology-and