Committee Secretary, House Standing Committee on Health, Aged care & Disability
PO Box 6021, Parliament of Australia Canberra ACT 2600
Friday, 3rd October 2025
Dear Secretary Committee,
Re: Submission to the Inquiry into the Thriving Kids Initiative
About Autism Queensland
Autism Queensland (AQ) is one of Australia’s oldest and most experienced providers of person centred, evidence-informed disability services and is dedicated to unlocking potential and creating opportunities for autistic people of all ages. Insight and knowledge gained over nearly 60 years of operation has led to the development of highly effective state and national support services. AQ delivers a range of specialist supports under State and Federal Government grant schemes and is a registered provider of NDIS supports. Successful provision of grant funded programs such as Kindy Inclusion Services (KIS), Early Years Positive Behaviour Guidance Program (EYPBG), Indigenous Liaison Officer Program, Early Years Connect, Early Days, Specialist Disability Support in Schools (SDSS), Kindy Uplift services and Autism and Mental Health Project, allow AQ to address the varied needs of autistic individuals, their families, professionals, and the wider community. AQ as Lead Agency, also partners with state and territory playgroup organisations to deliver the National Early Childhood Program’s PlayConnect+, supporting young children with developmental concerns and their families through supported playgroups Australia-wide.
As Queensland’s Peak and Representative Body for autism, we receive over 10,000 enquiries each year. We lead advocacy, innovation, and service delivery to ensure every autistic Queenslander has access to the support they need to thrive. We operate eight therapy hubs and six specialised autism-specific school campuses (including distance education), delivering statewide face-to-face and online services.
At AQ, we believe in the power of inclusion and diversity. Our Advisory Committee ensures we remain informed of the issues most important to autistic Queenslanders and their families. Through our collaborations with national and state reference groups, including the Australian Advisory Board on Autism, Australian Autism Alliance, Queensland Disability Advisory Council, Autism CRC, and Autism Hub, we champion a world where autistic people are valued, empowered, and supported to live a life of participation, opportunity and choice.
A Note on Autism
Autism is a lifelong neurological variation that shapes how a person experiences, interacts with, and perceives the world. Autistic people experience the world in unique and valuable ways. Autistic people may think, feel, communicate, connect and experience their environments differently. No two autistic person will be the same. Each person has their own way of seeing the world, which makes them interesting and unique. They will bring and develop individual strengths, quality and expertise to the community around them, but often experience difficulties and barriers in their everyday lives, particularly if they are not understood, respected or able to access the right supports or environments.
Labelling autistic children as ‘mild’, ‘moderate’ or ‘profoundly’ autistic does not hold any definitive or meaningful relevance and is not related to their formal diagnosis. Additionally, it does not support people with a holistic understanding of how a child experiences, participates and engages in their daily life.
Additionally, it is important to understand that the support needs of autistic children can fluctuate and change daily.
Such labels can be misleading, as they often reflect an outsider’s perception of a child’s observable traits rather than capturing the full complexity of their strengths, challenges, and support needs. These terms can inadvertently minimise or overlook the unique experiences of each individual, potentially influencing expectations and the types of support offered to them. For example, a child described as having ‘mild’ autism may still face significant barriers in certain environments or situations yet may not receive adequate support if assumptions are made based solely on this label.
Furthermore, the reliance on these labels can contribute to stigma and misunderstanding, both within the community and among professionals. Instead of focusing on rigid categories, it is far more meaningful to consider each child as an individual whose abilities and support requirements may vary across different contexts and over time. The emphasis should be on personalised, flexible supports that respond to the child’s changing needs and circumstances, rather than fitting them into predefined categories.
Recognising the dynamic nature of support needs encourages ongoing collaboration between families, educators, and professionals, ensuring that interventions remain relevant and effective. By shifting the focus away from static labels and towards a more nuanced, person-centred approach, we enable environments where autistic children are understood, respected, and empowered to thrive.
With this understanding in mind, it is imperative that Thriving Kids focuses on minimising barriers that autistic children and their parents and carers are likely to experience, and to ensure the Australian community are able to understand, respect and create inclusive environments and supports for our young autistic children.
Autistic children will be able to thrive in a country that:
- Respects their communication styles and preferences
- Acknowledges and respects varying sensory experiences
- Focuses on their strengths and interests
- Promotes inclusion, self-advocacy and empowerment
- Allows for flexibility and autonomy
- Shows acceptance of neurodivergence.
Evidence-based information and resources to assist parents to identify if their child has mild to moderate developmental delay and support parents to provide support to these children.
There is concern regarding the use and interpretations of the words ‘mild’ or ‘moderate’ which could be problematic. Further concerns have been expressed around the existing pressure on families to receive a diagnosis of ‘severe’ developmental delay or a higher level of autism to gain access to more intensive NDIS services. If such terms are going to be used, it is imperative that a clear definition of ‘mild’ and ‘moderate’ is evident.
As articulated by Kwok et al., (2023), most standardised assessments have been normed and validated with large cohorts of typically developing children and therefore may not accommodate the differences and needs of neurodivergent children. By placing assessments and checklists in the hands of parents and carers, who have not received any formal training, provides opportunity for misinterpretation of outcomes as concerns relating to children potentially being neurodivergent may not be accurately identified.
Informal screening mechanisms are well-known to be supportive in assisting parents and carers in identifying if their child is experiencing a developmental delay, as well as identifying supports that parents and carers can engage with. Such informal mechanisms include community-based services, outreach and
visiting services and educational services. To be effective however, it is imperative that support and training is provided to build the capability of these services and key stakeholders, for example educators and teachers, to ensure that they are able to provide accurate information, meaningful connections, and best-practice supports and guidance.
Recommendations:
- Evidence-based supports are provided to parents and carers through universal and accessible resources from reputable sources in relation to child development and autism. It is suggested that such resources and information are located in one centralised ‘hub’.
- Visiting services in communities are able to support families to increase their knowledge about child development across multiple domains, and autism. It is essential that professionals working in these services have local connections and contacts to warmly refer children for further support if required.
- Educators and teachers to access supports to increase their ability to have supportive and collaborative conversations with parents and carers if the family have identified potential concerns with their child’s development. Educators and teachers also need to be aware of the appropriate support access points.
Effectiveness of current (and previous) programs and initiatives that identify children with developmental delay, autism or both, with mild to moderate support needs and support them and their families.
Coaching to Build Capacity
Support to children, parents and carers should incorporate coaching opportunities by professionals with experience in supporting children with developmental delay or autism. Additionally, coaching approaches can be
adapted and utilised in mainstream and community settings, such as early childhood settings and schools, to successfully build the capacity of teachers and educators who are educating and supporting children with developmental delays or autism.
A review by Ward et al., (2020) indicated that coaching of parents is a well-accepted and supported strategy to build the capacity of parents and carers to meet family centred goals within the home environment. Seruya et al. (2020) observes that through a coaching approach, practitioners can develop the parent’s sense of self-efficacy and competence by strengthening their capacity to confidently teach their own children in the context of family life. The expectation is that providers will use the natural environment to consult with, train, and educate parents and carers to promote their child’s development within regular everyday routines. A study by Chien et al. (2020) also illustrates the efficacy of coaching parents in the child’s home. Examples of home-based goals included the completion of homework, meeting the child’s nutritional needs at mealtimes, and learning essential self-care skills, such as dressing.
In relation to coaching staff in mainstream and community settings, many successful programs are currently funded to provide this meaningful support with the goal to achieve inclusion for all, and to build knowledge, confidence and capacity of educators and teachers about inclusive practices. An example of this is the AQ Kindergarten Inclusion Service (KIS), currently funded by the Queensland Department of Education. The KIS program enables approved Kindergartens in Queensland to access fully-funded capacity building supports in their services. Educators and teachers first engage in meaningful goal setting through a tele-practice meeting where they are guided to set goals that are contextually relevant to their spaces, their existing knowledge and strengths, and the children that they are supporting. A consultant, who is an experienced teacher, developmental educator, speech therapist, occupational therapist, or psychologist, then visits the Kindergarten to provide three hours of face-to-face coaching and mentoring to the educators and/or teacher. During this session, the
consultant is able to walk alongside the educators, providing opportunities to learn through modelling of best practices, reflective discussions, and guided practice. This face-to-face opportunity allows the Consultant to identify areas in which the educator can increase their capacity, knowledge and confidence, and is coached through this process. Educators can access detailed notes and reflections about this session and are provided with additional strategies, information and resources to continue learning and building their capacity. A follow-up tele-practice meeting enables the educator to engage in another opportunity to reflect and discuss changes to practice and how they can continue working towards their goals and beyond the direct service they have access to a free and accessible online resource hub (link below) with information, tips and resources.
Home - Autism Queensland – Resource Hub
Since its inception, the KIS program has had tremendous outcomes and success in building educator capacity and creating more inclusive environments for autistic children, or who have developmental delays. To date, 85% of educators who have connected with the program have reported a significant increase in their capability to support children with developmental delay or disability. Meaningful stories are frequently shared by educators who reflect on this experience of coaching.
“We are in awe of the support that AQ has provided. Every time we have asked for some support and guidance the AQ team have really walked alongside us and we don’t feel alone in our journey of supporting children and families. We have so much gratitude for the support. From the Welcome Meeting, to the Visit to the Follow Up, we cannot find fault with any part of the process!”
“The consultant really supported my confidence in the strategies I was applying”.
“I have confidence working with the children within our service and believe I have a lot to offer them. I am always looking for additional ways to assist the children develop their skills and ensuring that inclusion is a key focus”
and
“I always learn something new or beneficial from the visits and look forward to working with AQ again”.
An extension of the KIS program is currently being trialled in remote communities in Queensland where the scope is broadened to include family engagement in capacity building through parent and carer learning sessions. It would be a significant opportunity for Thriving Kids to build upon and leverage the success of existing programs, supports and connections, but broadening the scope of such programs to include working directly with families and other early years settings.
In addition to the above program, AQ provide the Positive Behaviour Guidance Program (PBG) which again aims to increase the capabilities of educators working with children in relation to guiding their behaviour and developing safe and respectful relationships with them. This program predominately delivers workshops, however through the workshop, again a coaching approach is used, in alignment with adult learning principles, to create inclusive, interactive and collaborative learning for educators and teachers. This particular approach allows for skilled facilitators to share information and evidence-based practices, while exploring ways for the educators and teachers to successfully and permanently change their practices in the classroom. All practices discussed in the workshops are inclusive and trauma-informed, enhancing early learning settings ability to include every child. Through the duration of the pilot program, 150 workshops were facilitated to over 1400 educators online and face-to-face, with an average satisfaction rating of 9.10 out of 10. In relation to the pre-workshop knowledge of the educators attending, on average was 6.18 out of 10 with 505 educators self-rating as a 5 or lower indicating lower knowledge in the area. At the conclusion of the workshop, knowledge on average increased to 8.69 with only 18 educators scoring below a 5. Similar trends are noted with educator confidence in practice
with a pre-workshop average confidence of 6.34, increasing to an average of 8.69. 99% of educators who have participated in the workshop reported that this support increased their capabilities as educators. The support is continued post-workshop with offerings of tele-consultations to ensure educators continue to translate their new knowledge into practice. Insightful stories of shared about how this service has supported their practices and consequently benefited many children in their spaces.
“This workshop was truly beneficial towards my development as an educator and my abilities to best support and positively guide children’s behaviour. It was very collaborative so we could all reflect and learn from each other which I found most helpful. The delivery was clear and structured in a way to support our understanding.”
“These workshops are amazing and so glad I got the opportunity to attend them. We need more of these workshops offered to Early Childhood Centres in Townsville. We have a lot of children with additional needs and new staff to the industry who need the resources to support all children within our care! And these workshops have definitely helped me and I’ve been in Childcare for 17 years!”
Again, this is another example of how current successful models of support can be leveraged and broadened to include families. Providing parents and carers with meaningful opportunities and psychologically safe places to engage in learning and be supported ongoing to transform their knowledge into changes to their daily lives to provide supports for their children has opportunity for meaningful impact.
Recommendations:
- Embed support services within existing mainstream and community settings that can assist to identify and respond with holistic support to children who have developmental delays or autism.
- Leverage the success of existing inclusion-based programs and capacity-building programs by using a coaching approach.
- Draw upon key worker model approach to ensure that parents and carers have one trusted professional who can guide them through the journey of accessing supports and transitioning through early childhood settings.
- Supports to families are provided within the child’s natural environment to ensure that parents and carers are supported to promote areas of their child’s development through their existing, everyday routines.
Equity and intersectional issues, in particular, children who identify as First Nations and culturally and linguistically diverse.
Autistic People
Autistic individuals who experience intersecting needs frequently encounter significant barriers in navigating systems that operate in isolation from one another. For example, an autistic child may also have a trauma diagnosis and present with complex medical needs. Despite this, services often decline provision of supports because their funding is limited to a single area of need or diagnosis. This fragmented approach overlooks the complexity of intersectionality, where a child’s support needs cannot be siloed or separated. Excluding individuals on the basis of narrow funding criteria or subjective interpretations of ‘primary diagnosis’ undermines equitable access to appropriate and holistic supports. Relevant and meaningful supports through Thriving Kids will need to ensure that this fragmented approach is removed and children who experience intersectionality, or have a dual-diagnosis, are able to have their support needs met by one holistic team.
The AQ Autism and Mental Health Project has demonstrated effectiveness in building understanding of the unique needs arising from the co-occurrence of autism and mental health challenges. Through targeted professional development and resource development, the project has equipped educators,
health professionals, and families with practical strategies to identify and support individuals with both autism and mental health conditions. Feedback from participants highlights that the project’s evidence-informed approach increased confidence in recognising the interplay between autism and mental health, and enabled more effective, compassionate responses to complex presentations. By establishing cross-sector collaboration and sharing of best practices, the project has contributed to breaking down service silos and ensuring that autistic individuals with co-occurring mental health needs receive holistic, integrated support tailored to their circumstances.
First Nations Communities
A scoping review of services for First Nations people with autism by Bailey and Arciuli (2020) highlighted the need to improve community awareness of autism and to adapt service delivery models to accommodate greater community involvement in diagnostic and support processes. Many carers preferred accessing services through Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations on account of the staff’s awareness of culturally appropriate practices (e.g. recognising that children may be cared for by someone other than a parent). First Nations carers expressed confusion regarding the funding of programs, including the NDIS and frustration when trying to coordinate services across health and education settings. It is therefore important to work with Community Controlled Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander services and community-controlled schools, to determine the most effective way of delivering the Thriving Kids program in First Nations communities.
AQ’s ILC funded ‘Steppin Up, Steppin Out’ program was delivered across remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities. Indigenous Liaison Officers worked alongside aboriginal health workers and community-based champions to improve understanding of autism and support access to services and supports. The ‘Steppin Up, Steppin Out’ played a crucial role in advancing culturally responsive practices within early childhood settings. The program was designed
to build stronger connections between Indigenous families and educational services, ensuring that the unique cultural perspectives and needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are respected and included in learning environments. Evaluation findings highlighted that the program successfully increased engagement of Indigenous families, improved cultural competence among staff, and facilitated the co-design of learning activities that reflect and celebrate Indigenous heritage. By embedding Indigenous liaison roles within services, ‘Steppin Up, Steppin Out’ supported the creation of welcoming, inclusive spaces where all children can thrive while maintaining strong ties to culture and community.
Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Communities
The AQ NDIS Review Consultation (2023) highlighted that families from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds often face additional challenges when navigating autism services. Participants reported difficulties accessing information in their preferred language, a lack of culturally sensitive support, and limited availability of interpreters. These barriers can result in misunderstandings about autism, reduced engagement with services, and feelings of isolation among CALD families. The report underscored the importance of providing culturally tailored resources, increasing interpreter availability, and building relationships with multicultural community organisations to ensure equitable access to supports for all families.
Research conducted by Smith et al., (2022) identified multiple ways that schools can build strong home-school partnerships with Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) families of autistic children. For example, schools should actively consider ways to connect community with parents and carers from CALD backgrounds. This study suggests that teachers could benefit from additional training around the intersection of autism and cultural diversity (e.g. training on effective use of interpreters).
Similarly, school staff in a study by Syede and Dresens (2020) report a lack of satisfactory communication with CALD families due to linguistic barriers and stigma relating to disability, cultural incongruity of views on autism, and issues in accessing interpreters. School professionals believe that adequate access to translated materials, additional tools to assist conversations, and targeted professional learning opportunities would strengthen their partnerships with CALD families.
Recommendations:
- Considerations are given to children who experience intersectionality or have a dual-diagnosis, ensuring that they can access all required supports through one source of funding to eliminate barriers to holistic supports.
- Health professionals, educators, teachers and therapists access training to support capability in developing partnerships with CALD families and culturally appropriate practices for First Nations families.
- Translated resources and increased access to interpretive services.
Workforce support and training required to deliver Thriving Kids
Access and Availability of Professionals
Reduced knowledge and awareness of autism by Allied Health and Health professionals can place pre-determined limits and barriers on an individual’s potential to live a meaningful and self-determined life.
Participants involved in the AQ NDIS Review Consultation (2023) (report attached), described many services and health professionals as inaccessible as they did not feel welcome, safe, or understood, and this in turn minimised their access or utilisation of them.
Many autistic people report feeling unwelcomed, misunderstood, and unsafe when accessing health, disability and education services, leading to
underutilisation of available supports. Thriving Kids must address these issues by equipping professionals with the necessary skills and knowledge to deliver neurodiversity-affirming care, thereby improving service quality and creating safe, welcoming services and supports.
Advocacy from the autistic and neurodivergent community strongly supports the need for targeted training in this area. Research further highlights this need, suggesting that 53% of allied health professionals lack confidence and 60% consider working with autistic people to be more challenging than other fields of practice. (Ashburner et al, 2013)
Allied health professionals identify the most challenging aspects of work in this field to be the complexity of the disorder (55%) closely followed by managing behaviours of concern (42%), responding to the stress of others (35%), and difficulty prioritising needs because of impacts across many areas of life (32%). (Ashburner et al, 2013).
76% of allied health professionals indicate that ‘building their knowledge base’, through professional learning, mentoring and supervision would be supportive to enhance confidence and capability in working with autistic and neurodivergent people. Understanding how neurodivergence impacts individuals and families is a crucial skill that must be addressed by Thriving Kids.
Development of the Next Generation of Professionals
Under the demands of the NDIS, service providers have found it difficult to provide clinical placements due to demands on therapists for billable hours. This means that they often do not have the time needed to provide supervision to students on placement at an appropriate level. Additionally, many service providers are operating under challenging financial conditions and the additional costs associated with hosting a student adds further financial strain. Johnson et al., (2017) found that the establishment of partnerships with service providers is essential to address the need for increased therapy student placement capacity.
Speech pathology graduates’ job preferences are strongly influenced by previous clinical placements and confidence with a particular client group. Provision of funding for clinical educators and for backfilling of therapists in lieu of billable hours to allow the necessary levels of support to students would help to address the current issues with recruitment of therapists. This is especially important in rural areas where links with regional universities have been found to be helpful to encourage the recruitment of locally based therapists.
Domestic and international policy experience and best practice
Domestic Examples
The AQ Kindy Inclusion Program (funded by the Queensland government) serves as a leading example of domestic best practice in promoting inclusive participation for autistic children within mainstream settings. This program is designed to build capability of educators to promote better educational outcomes for children and ensure a sense of belonging and engagement of all children in Kindergarten settings.
Complementing this, the Positive Behaviour Guidance pilot (also funded by the Queensland government) focuses on equipping educators and service providers with practical strategies to support positive behavioural outcomes. The pilot emphasises neurodiversity-affirming approaches, providing training that helps staff recognise and respond to individual strengths, preferences, and communication styles. Feedback from participants highlights increased confidence and capability in promoting safe, respectful, and inclusive environments for all children. Together, these initiatives showcase how targeted, evidence-informed interventions can drive systemic change and set a benchmark for best practice in the inclusion of autistic and neurodivergent children across Australia.
The PlayConnect+ program (funded under the Australian Government’s National Early Childhood Program) further strengthens inclusive early childhood opportunities by offering playgroups specifically tailored for children with developmental delay or disability. Developed in response to community need and informed by ongoing consultation, PlayConnect+ provides a safe and supportive environment where children can engage in play-based learning and social interaction at their own pace. The program’s focus on family involvement, flexibility, and strength-based activities ensures that both children and their carers feel welcomed and understood. As highlighted in the PlayConnect+ inquiry submission, families consistently report that the program provides a sense of community connection and empowers them with practical strategies and resources for supporting their children’s development.
Building on these strong foundations, the Thriving Kids initiative has the potential to extend the reach of such programs by facilitating cross-sector collaboration and integrated service delivery. By leveraging partnerships between early childhood education, health, and community organisations, Thriving Kids could facilitate the sharing of expertise and resources, ensuring that inclusive practices and supports are embedded not only in kindergartens but across all systems that interact with autistic children. Furthermore, scaling these initiatives through coordinated policy, funding, and workforce development strategies would help guarantee equitable access for families nationwide, supporting children’s wellbeing and success in diverse settings.
In addition to these programs, AQ’s Early Days Workshops previously played a vital role in supporting families and carers of young autistic children under the Australian Governments, Helping Children with Autism initiative. Delivered by experienced professionals, these workshops provided practical information, strategies, and resources tailored to the unique needs of each family. The sessions empowered parents and carers with knowledge about autism, early intervention approaches, and effective ways to navigate services, helping them to feel more confident and connected within their communities. Additionally, the workshops
provided opportunities for families to establish supportive peer networks. Through Thriving Kids, there is opportunity to re-establish programs like the Early Days Workshops demonstrating a commitment to accessible, family-centred support in the early years.
International Examples
Portugal’s Early Aid system has been rolled out in Europe and is known as the National System for Early Intervention (SNIPI) which provides a coordinated, interdisciplinary approach to supporting children aged 0-6 at risk of or with developmental delay. The SNIPI integrates services from the Ministries of Health, Education and Social Services, creating a community-based model that targets the child’s overall development and promotes family inclusion.
Additionally, as mentioned previously, Scotland’s Getting It Right for Every Child (GIRFEC) is a single, shared and rights-based approach to planning for children’s wellbeing where support across services is needed and coordinated by a lead professional.
Mechanisms to allow a seamless transition through mainstream systems for all children with mild to moderate support needs
Embedding Supports
Ongoing concerns and experiences are frequently shared by families and carers who currently navigate through multiple siloed systems to gain support for their child and family. Additionally, many children and families have ‘fallen through the cracks’ of these siloed systems resulting in a lack of support.
Significant systemic change is encouraged to reduce these siloed experiences. It has been suggested that embedding services within various settings (for example, early childhood education and care, schools) is needed.
Key Worker Approach & Service Navigation
Key worker models and system navigation supports are critical in addressing the challenges posed by siloed service systems, which often create barriers for children and their families. These approaches aim to simplify the process for parents and carers who must navigate complex and fragmented services. According to Megoni et al. (2015), effective key worker models incorporate family-centred practices, empower parents to advocate for themselves, facilitate seamless transitions between settings, and promote strong multiagency communication and information sharing. Through these functions, key workers provide both emotional and practical assistance, coordinate planning and assessment, and deliver specialist information and support. By embodying a person-centred and coordinated approach, key workers help schools and early childhood settings better meet the needs of children, while ensuring families are fully involved and empowered throughout the process.
System navigation support further enhances these outcomes by ensuring families have a clear pathway to access the services and information they need. This support helps reduce confusion and duplication, linking families to a broad network of relevant services, and ensuring that assistance is timely and appropriate.
Within Australia, a notable example of system navigation support is the Autism Advisor service, part of the Helping Children with Autism Service. While this program did not specifically focus on the identification of developmental delay, it played a vital role early in the journey by providing families with guidance, access to helpful services, and meaningful supports.
Internationally, Scotland’s Getting It Right for Every Child (GIRFEC) initiative exemplifies integrated key worker and system navigation support. Under GIRFEC, each child and family is connected with a designated contact person who offers ongoing support and advice, and who can link them to a wider network of
services. This ensures families receive the right help, at the right time, from the right people, minimising the challenges of navigating complex service systems.
Summary
Drawing on nearly 60 years of experience and recognising the success of an extensive range of programs, including Kindy Inclusion Services, Early Years Positive Behaviour Guidance, Indigenous Liaison initiatives, and the PlayConnect+ program, AQ calls for a Thriving Kids initiative that is person-centred and evidence informed. There is need for inclusion, respect for neurodiversity, and tailored supports for children and families and we caution against labelling children as ‘mild’, ‘moderate’, or ‘severe’ due to the potential for stigma and misrepresentation.
There are gaps and challenges in current systems, particularly the reliance on diagnoses to access services. AQ advocates for evidence-based resources and recommends that visiting community services and educators receive training to help families access appropriate supports.
The initiative must draw on and extend current coaching approaches, such as those employed by the Kindy Inclusion Service and Early Years Positive Behaviour Guidance Program, in building educator and parent capacity, generating inclusive environments, and improving outcomes for children and families. Overseas initiatives like Portugal’s SNIPI and Scotland’s GIRFEC, which demonstrate coordinated, interdisciplinary approaches to early intervention, further highlight the importance of embedding holistic supports and fostering strong collaboration between service providers. By integrating these evidence-informed frameworks, the initiative can ensure that children and families receive timely, tailored assistance, while educators and professionals are empowered with the knowledge and resources required to promote inclusion and positive development across diverse settings. Ultimately, adopting these best-practice
models will help bridge gaps in existing systems and create pathways for more equitable, family-centred support throughout Australia.
Thriving Kids must address intersectional needs, noting the barriers faced by autistic children with additional diagnoses or diverse backgrounds, including First Nations and culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities. Successful models, such as the ‘Steppin Up, Steppin Out’ Indigenous Liaison Program, should be used as benchmarks for increased engagement and cultural competence among staff, co-design, and development of locally relevant supports.
Embedding holistic support services, improving professional training on neurodiversity and cultural competence, increasing access to translated resources, and adopting the key worker model to streamline support for families navigating complex systems will ensure success of the initiative.
Workforce development is critical. Shortages of skilled allied health professionals and the impact of NDIS funding models on clinical placements calls for increased funding for supervision, placement partnerships with universities, and professional development opportunities.
In conclusion, AQ urges the Thriving Kids initiative to build on existing inclusive programs, embed supports within mainstream settings, and facilitate seamless transitions across systems for children with mild to moderate support needs. The submission recommends cross-sector collaboration, integrated service delivery, and policy reform to ensure equitable, family-centred support for autistic children and those with developmental delays across Australia.
redacted
Frances Scodellaro
Chief Executive Officer
Autism Queensland
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