The Federal Government has a released a draft National Autism Strategy with a goal to improve life outcomes for all people with autism. The draft strategy is focused on four areas: social inclusion, economic inclusion, diagnosis, services and support, and health and mental health.
The government developed the draft strategy in partnership with the National Autism Strategy Oversight Council, with most members from the autistic community who brought their diverse experiences to the table.
Co-chair of the Oversight Council Clare Gibellini said this is the first step in a longer journey towards better lives for autistic people. “There should be no policy developed that impacts our lives, without us having a seat and an equal voice at the table,” she said. “As a community, we can now share our thoughts on what has been developed so far, and I encourage everyone to do so, to make this historic first strategy as impactful as possible.”
The specific actions to achieve the commitment in the draft strategy will be detailed in Action Plans, that will be co-designed with people with autism, families, carers, researchers, policy makers and the broader autism community. These stakeholders will also be involved in implementation, monitoring and reporting on the strategy that is intended to operate alongside state and territory autism strategies where they exist.
The final strategy, and the first Action Plan, is expected to be released by the end of 2024. Public consultation is now open via the DSS Engage website and closes at 3:00pm AEST on May 31. 2024.
The consultation report, including a summary report on key themes heard through community consultation on the strategy, is also available on the website. The draft strategy is accessible to a broad range of audiences with Easy Read, and Auslan versions available, and all members of the public are invited to share their views through a survey.
Visit engage.dss.gov.au to find out more.