#autism2014 - a national survey of autism parents and carers

In August 2014 we launched a national survey targeting parents and carers of children and young adults on the autism spectrum. With the national rollout of NDIS fast approaching, we wanted to get a clearer picture of what autism support services look like in Australia so that we can continue to effectively advocate for the needs of autism families.

While many issues and ideas were raised through the survey responses, three core themes rose to the forefront:

• People on the autism spectrum, and those who provide their care, have a life cycle of needs and deserve meaningful support in order to achieve best possible outcomes
• Parents and carers are frustrated by the level of support available and difficulty accessing much-needed services. They fear that disability services will continue to be underfunded or further cut back under austerity budget measures
• There is confusion and scepticism about how NDIS will play Autism2014 Survey Summary Report for AAA in real life and how it will impact autism families

Please take the time to read through the Survey Summary Report which outlines the key points and findings from our survey.

One important final note: Given Autism Awareness Australia’s experience base and credibility in supporting families with young and school-aged children, we are well-positioned to capture their impressions. However, there are other critical voices from the autism community – especially those of autistic adults – that need to be heard as the NDIS is shaped and implemented. We urge the government to listen to all of our voices as this historic program takes form.

Thank you to all respondents for taking the time to complete our survey. Your experiences and input have been pivotal in helping us better understand the needs of autism families across Australia and how we can best support you.

We hope you will find the summary results as valuable as we have, and we encourage you to share the report with all your networks.