HOUSE STANDING COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, AGED CARE AND DISABILITY
Submission by Autism CRC Ltd
3 October 2025
About Autism CRC
Autism CRC is the independent national source of evidence for best practice related to autism across the lifespan and the spectrum. Through its unique national collaboration of autistic people, families, professionals, services providers, researchers, and government, it works to address agreed needs in developing evidence-based guidance, tools and resources and translating these to application in practice and policy across Australia.
Response
Rather than specifically address each of the Terms of Reference, we offer the following general comments relating to these.
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Evidence-based information and resources
The need for evidence-based resources and approaches to the design of Thriving Kids and the delivery of general and targeted supports is a given. There are a number of current resources of direct relevance to the Thriving Kids initiative that provide a foundation for its development. We highlight the following developed to support nationally consistent, evidenced-based practice in the Australian context. These resources include information and tools for practitioners and families.
a. The National Framework for assessing children’s functional strengths and support needs in Australia (see https://www.autismcrc.com.au/best-practice/strengths-and-supports). This framework provides a consistent, evidence-based and culturally responsive approach for assessing, differentiating, and reporting children’s functional strengths and support needs for children 0-12 years of age, irrespective of whether they have a diagnosed condition or may receive a diagnosis in the future. This includes, but is not limited to, children with:
i. developmental delay ii. neurodevelopmental conditions iii. acquired disability iv. other health and medical conditions that result in the need for additional supports.
The Framework can be used across relevant health, education, disability and community services to support all children. As such it can provide a common approach and language for the many points of connection that children and families might have in services and communities that might assist in identifying, navigating and assisting with support needs.
The core elements of the Framework are the Guiding Principles and sections outlining the process of assessment, differentiation and reporting of children’s
strengths and support needs, including what approach should be used, what information is critical, and what the outcome should be for each. The Framework also provides guidance related to the use of tools, core competencies and capabilities required by professionals involved in assessing children’s strengths and support needs, and recommended safeguarding approaches.
Released by Autism CRC in December 2024, the Framework was co-produced with the stakeholder community and representatives from 23 community and professional organisations, associations, and societies across the health, disability and education sectors, along with representatives of the Australian Government. Indigenous Allied Health Australia played a lead role in the development of the Framework.
b. The recently released National Best Practice Framework for Early Childhood Intervention (see https://www.health.gov.au/resources/collections/national-best-practice-framework-for-early-childhood-intervention). Developed by a consortium of Australian research, practitioner and community representative organisations, the new national resource provides a framework for the planning and delivery of high-quality, evidence-informed supports for children with developmental concerns, delay, or disability, and their families – and includes supporting resources for families.
c. The National Guideline for supporting the learning, participation, and wellbeing of autistic children and their families in Australia (see https://www.autismcrc.com.au/best-practice/supporting-children),releasedby,releasedby) Autism CRC in December 2022.
The Guideline focuses on supports in community and clinical settings for autistic children and their families. Taking a lifespan perspective and recognising that early supports should lay the foundation for a positive future, it focuses on supporting children aged 0-12 years. It lays out the guiding principles and recommendations for evidence-based best practice in relation to goal setting, selecting and planning supports, delivering supports, and an outcomes, quality and safeguarding framework.
Beyond its direct application to practice, the Guideline is also a valuable resource for autistic individuals and their supporters, educators and families, organisations providing training to practitioners or students, and governments and other policymaking organisations.
The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) has approved all 84 Consensus-Based Recommendations within the Guideline and was developed through deep consultation with more than 1,000 Australians - autistic people, family members and practitioners.
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International policy experience and best practice
In developing the aforementioned evidence-based frameworks and guidelines, reviews were undertaken of similarly directed practice and policy frameworks from around the world. The results of these considerations are summarised in the supporting documents and are available with the frameworks and guidelines.
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Tiered Supports System
A tiered support system – which can draw upon necessary supports from a combination of community, mainstream and foundational supports, and NDIS supports, as appropriate to the individualised needs of the child and family and their circumstances – is essential. It allows the child to be supported as close to family and community as is best for that child and family with provision for wrap-around supports as needed. It is consistent with the NDIS Review panel’s recommendations for a better interconnected system of services and supports in Australia and other best practice care and support systems.
Such a system should:
a. See for the needs of the child and family assessed and re-evaluated, and supported according to their changing needs and circumstances over time. b. Require a common basis (and language) for assessing, differentiating and communicating strengths and support needs, which can be utilised over the child and family’s journey throughout the Thriving Kids years and into the school years beyond, supporting experiences in both and the transition between them. c. Broaden the ‘workforce’ base by better engaging supporters in community settings, primary care, allied health and medical professions, education – as appropriate to the ‘tier’ where supports are provided – working together with families. d. Seek to avoid a perception of differentiated systems of supports – mainstream, foundational, NDIS – and the sense of ‘competition’ between them by both support providers and consumers that might otherwise arise. These systems are the various mechanisms for funding of supports, dependent upon the level and place of need, not the support delivery mechanisms. Consideration will obviously need to be given to pricing for services through these systems in this regard – which will go to the necessary rebalancing of workforce capacity.
In this regard, we would recommend that the words “mild to moderate” are not used in describing the development concerns for children who might be supported through Thriving Kids. Supports should be provided on an individualised basis. It may be, for example, that a child who is receiving some supports through the NDIS, such as an assistive device, might also receive supports funded through the Foundational Supports system as well as through other mainstream services.
Again, the creation of an impression of competition between funding systems will be counter what is best for the child and the family, as well as for governments in trying to rebuild an interconnected system of supports.
Critical to the success of the tiered system will be the role of the ‘trusted friend’ of the child and family. These are variously referred to as lead practitioners, navigators and key workers in different systems – and are that one person who works with the child and family – informing them on child development, evidence-based practice and options; helping them to develop an individualised support plan; suggesting curated strategies; and assisting with connections with appropriate services and supports.
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Building on current or previous programs and initiatives in community and mainstream settings
In addition to developing new initiatives, the design and delivery of Thriving Kids will look to build upon current programs and initiatives, as well as rebuild the capacity of programs and settings to support children and families. Together with the need for these programs and initiatives being underpinned by quality evidence, it is important that they are (or are modified) for alignment with a number of other principles found consistently across national strategies, such as the Early Years Strategy, the National Children’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy and the National Autism Strategy.
These include:
a. Child and family-centred and holistic: individual goals, preferences, and circumstances are considered, respected, valued, and supported b. Individualised and needs-based: supports should be individualised for each child and family, and based on their needs and less on a diagnosis-driven perspective c. Strengths-based and affirming: embrace and build on each child’s and family’s strengths, interests and understanding d. Equity and access: all children and families should be able to access assessment services that meet their needs at the right time and place, regardless of who they are or where they live e. Culturally safe: acknowledge and respect the values, knowledge, preferences and cultural perspectives of the child and family.
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Equity and intersectional issues
The Terms of Reference highlight the need for considerations equity and access for First Nations and culturally and linguistically diverse children. Similar consideration should be given to children and families living in rural and remote areas, as well as those experiencing socio-economic disadvantage.
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Co-design
The design and delivery of the Thriving Kids system is a significant challenge for all stakeholders. A key to its success will be the extent to which families, in particular, and support providers understand and trust the outcomes. True co-design with stakeholders is a necessary element in delivering that understanding and trust. The government has previously acknowledged that and committed to it in both the National Autism Strategy 2025–2031 and the National Roadmap to Improve the Health and Mental Health of Autistic People 2025–2035.
Autism CRC would be pleased to provide further information or otherwise assist the Committee in its considerations. Please do not hesitate to contact Autism CRC in this regard at info@autismcrc.com.au or by phone on (07) 3377 0600.