Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnoses among children and young people have risen two to fourfold across OECD countries, largely due to improved detection. While this increases demand for disability and health supports, it can improve outcomes. The report finds wide variation in supports and a shift towards basing entitlement for support on the needs of...

The Thriving Kids Advisory Group was tasked with providing advice to inform deliberations of all governments on a national model for Thriving Kids – towards delivering better outcomes for Australian children with additional developmental needs. This is the Advisory Group’s final report which consolidates advice for governments. It presents a national model for Thriving Kids.

The Thriving Kids initiative aims to focus on the early identification of ‘developmental concerns’ and the establishment of a national system of supports for children aged 8 and under with developmental delay and disability and low to moderate support needs and their families. This report inquires into the Thriving Kids initiative and makes 16 recommendations.

This guide summarises evidence on potentially harmful behaviours (PHB) in Autistic children, showing how PHB may communicate unmet needs linked to neurodevelopmental differences. The guide is for practitioners working with children and young people, parents and families and has been developed specifically for practitioners who have less than 5 years of experience in the child...

This evidence brief examines childhood autism, including claims around paracetamol and vaccination. It addresses misinformation and explains the science that demonstrates that there is no evidence for a causal link between autism and paracetamol, or autism and vaccines. It outlines the causes of autism, autism trends in Australia and factors linked to the rising prevalence...