Autism Association 2022 Annual Report

Annual Report

It is estimated that 1 in 100 people in Australia have Autism

Contents

What is Autism?

Autism Spectrum Disorder* is a neurodevelopmental condition that impacts on child development in a number of key areas, including communication, social interaction and repetitive patterns of behaviour. Autism is frequently associated with sensory sensitivities and sensory processing difficulties. While Autism Spectrum Disorder is a complex lifelong developmental disability, with appropriate intervention children and adults with Autism can make significant progress and live fulfilling lives. Consequently, it is imperative that individuals with Autism have access to specialist services that understand their needs and are experienced in developing their skills and strengths.

Our Strategic Directions

4

Services Overview

6

President’s Report

15

The Board

16

Chief Executive Officer ’ s Report

18

Therapy and Clinical Services

20

AIM Employment Program

22

Community Living

24

Individual Community Options

26

*For ease of use, the term ‘Autism’ will be used throughout this report to refer to Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Short Breaks

28

Diagnostic Clinics

30

Regional Services

32

Support for Parents and Families

34

Community Development and Inclusion

36

Inclusion in Sport

38

Partnering with the Western Australia Police Force

40

Collaboration with Health Care

42

International Collaboration

44

World Autism Month

46

Understanding Autism Campaign

48

In Conclusion

50

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Our Strategic Directions

Our Purpose To advance the personal development, equality of opportunity and community participation of people with Autism and related disabilities

Our Values Passion

to make the greatest difference for the uniqueness of each person

Respect

to treat individuals and families as we ourselves would like to be treated

Commitment Excellence Innovation

in all that we undertake

to fulfill dreams and aspirations

to strenuously advocate for people with Autism and their families

Courage

Our Culture Belief

in great possibilities for every child and adult with Autism

Driven to assist each individual to achieve Respect for individuals, families and advocates Learn from people with Autism and their families Dream we dream BIG for each individual

Our Vision What we work to achieve: • All children with Autism have a great start in life • All children with Autism receive the education they need

• All adults with Autism receive the support they need to lead an ordinary life • A community where people with Autism are understood, accepted and celebrat ed

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Goal 1 Enhance the lives of people with Autism

Goal 2 Support families and carers

Goal 3 Influence and promote best practice Goal 4 Increase organisational capacity and efficiency

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For Children

Services Overview

The Autism Association of Western Australia is one of Australia’s largest service providers, and the only Autism-specific organisation providing a full range of services for children and adults in Australia. Established in 1967, our services are person-centred and based on leading international peer-reviewed research in the field of Autism. We are deeply committed to enhancing the quality of life of every individual with Autism and their families, and are passionate about supporting them to live their best life possible.

The First Steps for Autism Early Intervention Program The Early Intervention program provides multidisciplinary therapy for children up to 7 years of age and is based on a wide body of up-to-date international research. The program operates with an experienced clinical team, including Speech Pathologists, Psychologists, Occupational Therapists and Early Childhood Educators. Each family is assigned a Therapist who partners with them to develop individual intervention plans that are tailored to the needs of their child. The aim of the Program is to maximise child development and inclusion in mainstream settings.

School Age Service The School Age service provides a comprehensive range of intervention, therapy, and support to school age children between 6 and 18 years of age. Our multidisciplinary team of Speech Pathologists, Occupational Therapists, Psychologists and Teachers works together to respond to the needs of each individual child and their family. Our service is child and family centred, and works collaboratively with schools, the family, and other community services to maximise the educational and social progress of each child.

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Positive Behaviour Support Service

Short Breaks for Children (Respite) Short Breaks provides a home away from home where children 6 to 18 years old can stay on weekends or school holidays to do the things they enjoy, explore friendships, and build confidence and independence. Short Breaks are provided in a range of ways, either at one of our homes in the suburbs, at the child’s own home, or through our community support programs.

The Positive Behaviour Support service supports individuals aged 6 years and over with complex needs who are living at home with their family. The team is multidisciplinary and works closely with individuals and families to support them to achieve positive outcomes.

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Community Living This service provides support to adults moving from their family home and into a home of their own. Options include support to live independently close to family and friends, or to share a home with another adult or small group of adults with Autism with comprehensive support. There are also several other options that can be discussed with our Community Living team. The underlying principle is that we work with each person to have their individual needs and preferences met.

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Therapy and Clinical Services This service assists adults to

AIM Employment Our AIM Employment program is a highly regarded specialist employment service focusing on securing and maintaining employment for people with Autism. As the only specialist Autism employment service in Australia, we provide comprehensive support to individuals to find jobs that are matched to their goals, skills, and abilities. Employment opportunities encompass a range of work settings from individual commercial environments to supported business partnerships. Each person is provided with on-the-job training and continuing support tailored to their needs.

Individual Community Options

There are a range of support services that can be chosen by the individual and their family to assist them to participate in the community as well as at home. We work closely with each person to identify the support that best suits them. Our aim is to provide the support the person wants, at the time they want it and in ways that meet their needs. This can include developing a range of new skills and lifelong learning initiatives towards independence, further education, volunteering, or pre-employment assistance.

develop their skills, maximise their independence, and participate in the community. Our multidisciplinary team draws on the strengths of a range of Therapists from different professional backgrounds to create a service that is tailored to each individual’s needs and aspirations. We work closely with each person and their family to achieve outcomes that are important to them in a range of natural environments including home, education, employment, and recreation settings.

For Adults

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Information and Advice Our advisory and consultancy services are available to all families and community members. We provide a range of information via brochures and fact sheets, and offer general and specialised consultancy. We also have a range of publications available covering important topics for people with Autism and their families.

Parent Workshops Parent workshops are designed to provide information, practical strategies, and resources to support families in managing everyday situations. These sessions can be delivered as part of a group, one-on-one in the family home, or through webinars.

Support Groups Raising or supporting an individual with Autism places a range of different demands on families. Our support groups are tailored to the individual family’s journey and focus on the needs of families at different stages of their lives. Groups are available for families of newly diagnosed children, school age children, adolescents, and adults with Autism.

For Families

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Diagnosis We provide specialist diagnostic services for children from the age of 2 years old. We also provide a specialist Youth Diagnostic Clinic for individuals from 13 to 30 years of age. The specialist assessment teams include a consultant Paediatrician, a consultant Psychiatrist, Psychologists, Speech Pathologists, and Occupational Therapists; each team specialising in different age cohorts.

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Additional Support

Professional Training and Development Our multidisciplinary teams provide training services to a range of professionals and other groups including teachers, allied health professionals, service providers, employers, and the broader community. We regularly host leading international training and professional development for researchers and practitioners in the field of Autism.

Regional Outreach We offer a range of services to families living in regional and remote areas through our regional support and consultancy. This includes Therapists providing individual support to families and their support networks via teletherapy, telephone and email consultation. Families also have the option to travel to Perth during school holidays to participate in our Intensive Holiday Program. When our Regional Therapy team is not travelling to various regional towns to provide training and support, webinars are provided to families and professionals alike.

Support Coordination The Autism Association’s Support Coordinators specialise in supporting people with Autism and their families to understand their NDIS plans and navigate the choice of services and supports available in their area. Support Coordinators have extensive knowledge of Autism-specific services and mainstream supports.

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President’s Report

This year we completed the transition to the NDIS and continued to advance our work to support individuals, families and the community. We also undertook a number of initiatives in collaboration with community organisations and businesses to enhance inclusion for people with Autism in their local community. We furthered our work with the disability sector in Western Australia, nationwide and internationally, including our work in East Java as part of the Sister State initiative. While COVID-19 has been an ever-present focus for the last 2 years, the opening of the Western Australian border in 2022 added considerable challenges that required us to adapt while ensuring ongoing support to individuals and families. Despite this, the demand for our services continued to grow, including individual and shared living, regional services, diagnostic services, and health-based and community advocacy services. However, responding fully to demand has been hampered by the workforce shortages experienced throughout the community. This year, we also took the opportunity to make substantial strategic commitments and expand the infrastructure necessary to support continuing growth of services in the coming years. I would like to acknowledge and give special thanks to all our stakeholders, including the State Government through the Department of Communities, the Commonwealth Government Department of Social Services and other funding bodies. In addition, I would like to extend my thanks to the Board for their dedication and work across the year and look forward to continuing our endeavours in the coming year. In concluding this report, I would also like to acknowledge and thank all of our staff, led by the Chief Executive Officer, Joan McKenna Kerr, for the significant work undertaken this year and their continued dedication to the Autism Association’s mission on behalf of people with Autism and their families

2021/2022 has been another year of successful achievement in service of people with Autism and their families.

Dr Rob Storer President and Chair of the Board

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The Board

Dr Rob Storer CHAIRMAN

Mr Geoff Kidd VICE CHAIRMAN

Emeritus Professor Louis I. Landau AO

Mr Kidd is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia and New Zealand and has over 40 years’ experience in professional practice as an Accountant and Business Advisor to a wide range of clients. Until his retirement in 2015, he was the Managing Partner and Chief Executive of the Perth office and a member of the national executive of large multinational firm Crowe Horwath. Mr Kidd has been a former State Chairman of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and has been a member of a number of not- for-profit Boards, including 10 years as a Board member of Lifeline WA.

Dr Storer is a Consultant Anaesthetist and long-term member of the Autism Association. He has been actively involved in leading the Board at a time of major strategic development, maintaining a keen interest in the field of disability as well as Autism. Dr Storer is also a Committee Member of the Western Australian Branch of the Australian Society of Anaesthetists and of the Anaesthetic Departments of both St John of God Subiaco and Murdoch.

Professor Landau was Medical Advisor to the Western Australian Department of Health. Professor Landau was Executive Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Western Australia for 9 years and was Professor of Paediatrics at Princess Margaret Hospital for Children in Perth. He is the founding Chairman of the Institute for Child Health Research (Telethon Kids Institute) and has served on committees of the National Health and Medical Research Council, the Australian Drug Evaluation Committee, the Australian Medical Council, and the National Asthma Campaign. Professor Landau was awarded Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in 1996 for his contribution to paediatrics and research in respiratory medicine.

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Mrs Vicki Rank

Dr Duncan Monro

Mrs Bobby Brownhill

Mr Mark Altus

During his professional career, Mr Altus held a number of positions in the WA Department of Treasury, including as Director of Revenue and Intergovernmental Relations. He also completed a short secondment to the University of Western Australia as its Chief Financial Officer and continued as a member of the University’s Senate Strategic Resources Committee until 2015. Mr Altus previously also chaired the Curtin Business School Advisory Board for the School of Economics and Finance (2012-2013) and was a Director of LLL Australia Ltd (2010-2021) — an APRA- regulated Authorised Deposit Taking Institution. This included sitting on the LLL Board’s Risk and Governance and Remuneration Committees. Mr Altus joined the Board of the Autism Association in 2010 and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He currently chairs Lutheran Homes Foundation (WA) Inc.

Mrs Brownhill has been actively involved in the field of disability over many years both in Australia and overseas. Prior to returning to Western Australia from Melbourne, where she and her family had been living, Mrs Brownhill represented Mansfield Autistic Services on the Victorian State Council for Autism. As the mother of a son with Autism, she is involved with parent support groups and accommodation projects. She is also involved in advocacy for people living with a disability and their parents.

Mrs Rank is a Senior International Training Specialist in industrial software. She has been a family member of the Autism Association for over 21 years and is married with 2 children. Mrs Rank has been an active member of the Autism Association for more than 2 decades and has supported the Association in public education, fundraising and other projects throughout the years.

Dr Monro has over 30 years’ experience as a Chartered Accountant and Business Advisor in Australia and internationally. He recently retired as a Principal in the Corporate Finance division of RSM Australia Pty Ltd. He previously worked for the large accounting firms KPMG and Crowe Horwath. He has also worked as the Chief Financial Officer for a listed company, APA Financial Services in Australia. Dr Monro currently serves on the Boards of other not-for-profit organisations, including Central Desert Native Title Services Limited and South Coast Natural Resource Management Inc. Dr Monro has worked in a diverse selection of industries with a particular focus in mining, manufacturing, government, not- for-profit, property, transport, retail and primary producer sectors. His experience covers a wide range of areas, including business valuations, due diligence, business planning, financial mentoring and advisory services for Indigenous entities and general financial consulting.

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Chief Executive Officer’s Report In the last 12 months, we delivered on our strategic objectives by delivering high quality services to people with Autism in a wide range of services from early childhood to adulthood. In addition, we expanded a number of services including community support, individual and shared living, and diagnostic services. We also consolidated therapy services in early intervention, school age children, young adults and positive behaviour support. In 2021/22, we also worked with the health sector, sporting organisations, businesses, and the Western Australia Police Force to foster a deeper understanding of people with Autism and to create an inclusive community. We developed online and in-person training courses for doctors, nurses and dentists as well as working with the Western Australia Police Force to develop training resources for officers and new recruits. Of course, COVID-19 has been an ever-present phenomenon throughout the year, requiring a significant focus on keeping the people we support and our staff as safe as possible. Despite this, we worked through the challenges, adapted services, and worked closely with individuals and families. The biggest challenge this year, however, has been workforce shortages. This was not only due to staff illness or required COVID-19 isolation; there were also workforce shortages beyond these considerations. This has certainly impacted service expansion. This year we supported 7,454 service users in all service areas; delivered therapy services to 3,848 children and adults; we assisted over 338 individuals to access employment; and supported 263 adults with Autism to access skill and recreational community opportunities. We expanded diagnostic services for children and youth, completing approximately 400 diagnostic assessments, and expanded the number of community homes that we support to 80, including 60 group homes and 20 individual homes. We also provided a range of services to individuals and families in regional and remote Western Australia through a number of programs. During the last 12 months, we again engaged with research. We extended national and state-wide networks while continuing to promote and facilitate best practice in the field of Autism. We maintained our international networks, including our Western Australian Sister State Relationship with East Java through webinars and online forums reaching not only East Java but across Indonesia. We look forward to the time when we can continue this work in person. In the coming year, we will continue to build our infrastructure through digital transformation. This will allow us to deliver on our mission to people with Autism and significantly increase our capacity to expand services and supports in the coming years. We are also embarking on a 5-year housing development program as well as a refurbishment program to support individuals requiring full-time care.

Despite the many challenges of COVID-19

and workforce shortages, this

has been a year of consolidation and expansion in a range of services.

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Year Highlights

7,454 service users supported this year 1.6million people reached through our Understanding Autism Campaign on social media

• Comprehensive Autism diagnosis for children and youth • Multidisciplinary early intervention services for newly diagnosed children • Primary and high school support for children and adolescents • After school groups • Community support programs for children and adults • Open employment support program • Community Living support to individuals and small groups • Professional development services for teachers, allied health and other professionals • Family support programs and groups • Support Coordination services • Regional support services, including consultancy, webinars and school holiday programs Services Delivered 2021-2022

3,848 children, adolescents and adults accessed therapy services this year

923 children received early intervention

400 children and youth diagnostic assessments

338 adults with Autism

assisted in employment

1,136 registrations for seminars and workshops

A range of supports to regional and remote areas, including consultancy, webinars, teletherapy, and individual programs

7 new community projects commenced

5,155 NDIS individual packages delivered

• Information and advice services to individuals, families and stakeholders • Therapy services for adults • Positive Behaviour Support program

244 individuals supported through Support Coordination

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Therapy and Clinical Services This year, our First Steps for Autism Early Intervention program supported 923 children up to 7 years of age, providing multidisciplinary supports to maximise child development and inclusion in mainstream settings. In addition, our School Age service, provided support to 1,571 children and young people 8 and 17 years of age with a focus on maximising educational and social inclusion. We were also able to offer teletherapy this year for those families who wished to access this service and for whom it is appropriate. Our after-school and school holiday groups provided a range of fun learning options for over 530 individuals. This included the Social Adventurers curriculum with Discovery Club, Explorers Club, and Discovery Kitchen to name just a few.

Despite the many challenges of COVID-19, we adapted our services and supported 3,848 children and adults this year.

Following the success of the KONTAKT Teens research project with Curtin Autism Research Group, we continued to offer this social skills program as a part of our regular group program. The Adolescent PEERS Group ran alongside the Young Adults PEERS Group and online sessions were added to support the demand for this program. Over the year, 1,071 adults were supported through a range of therapy-based options, including home, community, employment and community living settings. We also expanded our Positive Behaviour Support program to meet increasing demand. In doing so, we established an internal endorsement program for Positive Behaviour Support Practitioners. The Autism Specific Team of Everything to do with Eating (TASTEE) supports individuals with highly specialised mealtime requirements. TASTEE focuses on improving quality of life and safety for people with Autism through the provision of comprehensive assessment and mealtime management plans. This program is in alignment with the NDIS practice standards, current research, and NDIS HIDPA guidelines.

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Jack Becomes a Foodie!

Jack’s favourite food was finger buns with sprinkles, but as time progressed, Jack’s Therapist and mum noticed he was showing picky eating tendencies which were impacting his weight, nutrition, and ability to eat safely. With a mealtime plan in place, his mum started cooking foods in different textures followed by progressing to various forms of food. Jack now feels confident and safe trying new food at his own pace. The TASTEE Team and Jack translated his great sense of humour and adventurous and cheeky personality into getting creative in the kitchen by playing with foods and creating food monsters with fresh ingredients. Jack is now a food aficionado, has a more balanced and nutritious diet and is enjoying meals with the whole family. Jack's mum, Lucie said: “I noticed early on that Jack was eating the same foods and wanted his foods prepared in certain ways. We faced challenges in having meals as a family and eating out, options for meals were extremely limited, and Jack didn’t enjoy mealtimes very much. Involving Jack in cooking, preparing meals and grocery shopping has changed the way we eat and see food. It is amazing to see Jack enjoy food and I love having him help me with preparing meals!”

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AIM Employment Program This year, the Autism in Mainstream (AIM) Employment program supported over 338 job seekers to secure employment across a range of industries and sectors, including hospitality, government, mining, retail, administration, information technology, banking and finance, healthcare, warehousing, universities and many more. In addition to supporting job seekers, we provided training sessions to community businesses, employers and government departments to increase their understanding of Autism and provide them with the knowledge to better support individuals with Autism in the workplace. This year, we provided training to employers including Water Corporation, Bankwest, Department of Mines, Department of Education, Department of Treasury, Rubra Coffee, Wrays and BGC Concrete. Throughout 2021/22 we continued to work with schools and families to provide information on employment pathways and post school support options. In addition, we continued to establish internship opportunities for individuals with Autism in collaboration with Curtin University’s AASQA program. This year, we participated in a new initiative, Building the Talent Pool, to provide increased employment opportunities in the public sector and increased our work with the Hospitality Network which provided a number of job placements in the hospitality sector. We connected with employers and recruitment teams in Western Australia across a range of platforms including LinkedIn. We trained and matched individuals with jobs, supported people with on-the-job training, and worked with employers to expand new opportunities for job seekers with Autism.

AIM Employment is highly regarded nationally and internationally as a successful specialist

employment placement and training program for people with Autism.

The current skill shortages are resulting in more conversations with prospective employers and an increase in opportunities for individuals with Autism.

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Making it Work at Work Following the successful release of our

Making it Work at Work video series, there has been an extremely positive response with many new businesses across Western Australia inspired to connect with us and create employment opportunities for individuals with Autism. These videos and training resources showcased some of our job seekers and the value they bring to their teams including Funky Monkey Bars, The Galati Group - Mad Butcher, Mulberry Estate, Bankwest and Bunnings.

Zach’s Skills Match

Zach has experience in the food service industry. However, he decided he wanted a change and a role matched to his interests. While Zach looked for a new job, he spent his free time enjoying a range of pursuits, including learning more about digital platforms. Around this time, an engineering company approached the Autism Association looking for their next employee. Zach’s dedication, attitude and skillset matched the Office Coordinator position they were looking for and he commenced a short work trial to see if he enjoyed the role. It was obvious from the start that Zach was the right fit. Following the success of the work trial, Zach moved into a full-time position and continues to be recognised for his dedication to the role. His manager says: “Zach has been a great addition to the team. He’s fun, engaging, and enthusiastic in the office, with a strong sense of pride in his role.” Joining the team in the office has been life changing for Zach and he looks forward to what is to come! Zach says: “I really enjoy my time here. I have a lot of support and am very thankful for the opportunity to work here.”

Watch the videos here! https://www.autism.org.au/making-it- work-at-work/

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Community Living The Community Living program continued to support individuals this year to move into their own home. For some individuals this meant joining a group of 1 or 2 other compatible people or living independently with visiting support tailored to their needs. This year, we supported 80 homes, 60 of which are small group homes and 20 are homes for individuals living semi-independently with visiting support. We work closely with each person and their family to provide them with the support they need, paying attention to the detail to ensure the home is unique to the individual and they are supported in their daily life. In response to COVID-19 and the opening of the Western Australian border, the Community Living team implemented several prevention and management activities including the establishment of a COVID Response team. We also supported individuals to receive their COVID-19 vaccination in a way that ensured they felt comfortable and safe. During these times, the primary focus was on keeping the people we support safe and connected to their family and loved ones.

The Community Living program offers a range of options to people to move into a home of their own. This includes living alone with visiting support or living with a small group with the fulltime support of staff.

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Rhys’ Big Move

Moving into a home where he feels happy and safe was very important to Rhys and his family. When it came time to transition from his family home to a home of his own, careful planning went into preparing for the move to ensure the home was suited to Rhys’ needs. Over the past year, Rhys has been able to get out and about in the community much more. He loves the great outdoors and enjoys serene places as well as going for walks in the hills, visiting local beaches, swimming laps at the pool and other activities. Around the home, Rhys has developed a routine and loves getting involved with preparing his meals and assisting with the house chores. Rhys’ dad, Matt says: “Rhys’ smooth transition is testament to the effort, care and diligence shown in the lead up to and the weeks following the move into his new home. We can see that Rhys has settled quickly into his new environment, he seems calm and happy. When he is happy the rest of us are happy too. The Association has provided Rhys with the support he needs, and looking over the horizon, we are confident Rhys will continue to have the opportunity to grow and reach his potential.”

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A fulfilling, happy life means something different to every person we support. Our Individual Options team works to understand every individual by exploring the things they enjoy, their goals and needs, providing tailored supports unique to the person.

Individual Community Options This year, we assisted 263 people to explore opportunities and achieve the things they wanted to do in the community. The types of activities and outings available through Individual Options are varied and are unique to each person. Options include support with maintaining a home, improved access to community and recreational pursuits, and unique personal and independence goals.

For young children this can include being part of community activities with their peers such as sports and local sporting clubs, and developing interests in recreational activities. For adults and adolescents this can be strengthening independent living skills, exploring further education opportunities, support in finding volunteering opportunities, and applying for jobs. This year, we continued to establish partnerships with community businesses and not-for-profit organisations to provide volunteering and work experience opportunities for people with Autism. Partnerships were developed with 23 new businesses, including Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Benara Nursery, Coles, Big W, IGA, Brightwater, and Main Roads Western Australia. Each staff member is carefully matched to the individual to ensure shared interest and relationship building. To account for the vast array of interests and hobbies, the Individual Options team has developed a catalogue of community-based activities across Perth to support individuals and staff in planning activities and experiences. Several small friendship groups of like-minded people with interests in common were established this year. Interests included art, dance, Zumba, Anime, Dungeons and Dragons, gaming, golf, yoga and cooking, to name just a few.

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George Builds his Independence

Since moving from the UK to Australia with his family, George has been working towards his long-term dream to move into a home of his own. Over the past year, George made his dream a reality. The Individual Options team assisted George as he investigated housing options and made plans for living independently. While on the lookout for his new place, with the support of the AIM Employment team, George secured a job in construction and after enjoying the job and gaining further training, took the step to working full time. At the end of May, George moved into his own apartment and surprised his family with a visit to his new place. George’s mum, Jo says: “I am so thrilled George has made the move. I never really thought it would happen and it’s amazing to see him settling in and making a home of his own.”

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Short Breaks

Our Short Breaks program specialises in 48-hour respite breaks for children and younger adults. While providing families with a break, it also provides children time away from home to do fun things in a different environment.

Short Breaks is an important support for families, allowing them to make plans with the knowledge that their child is happy and well cared for. Throughout the day, we ensure children can engage in their favourite hobbies, and spending time out and about in the community. Children are carefully matched based on age, gender, support needs and interests. Where possible the same children are grouped together each stay to provide the opportunity for children to form long lasting friendships and connections. This year we supported children and their families to receive regular breaks at our 4 homely Short Breaks houses across the Perth metropolitan area. Our community-based program also provides short visits and overnight stay options for teens and adults. This can include one-on-one support during the week or pick up and drop off at school followed by an overnight stay to support with building independence skills. It can also help make the first steps towards moving away from the family home and into supported living with friends. The Short Breaks program can be provided in a range of ways, including support provided in the family’s own home, through our community support programs, or at one of our Short Breaks homes. This year, we trialled a new respite day stay option for children who would prefer not to stay overnight. This new option has been very popular with families, and we look forward to offering more of these day stays in the year ahead.

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Millie’s Newfound Friendships

Millie has been staying at our Morley Short Breaks house for many years and has been staying with a group of younger children. Millie turned 10 this year and decided she was ready to try a new house with 3 new girls similar in age. To prepare for this, she started by visiting the house and meeting the girls and the staff on short visits. After a number of catch-ups, Millie was ready to stay in her new ‘home away from home’. Millie loves visiting Short Breaks, has already formed new friendships with the children and staff and her confidence is growing every stay. They try new things together, recently calling their short stay weekend a ‘slumber party’! Millie’s Coordinator says: “It has been great to see Millie grow up and become more independent over the years. She has developed some good relationships already and says her new group is fun!”

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Diagnostic Clinics

For children and young people with Autism, access to diagnosis is the first step in receiving the assistance they need to achieve their full potential and overcome challenges in education, employment, independent living and social participation. This year we completed approximately 400 diagnostic assessments in both the Youth and Children’s Diagnostic Clinics. Children’s Diagnostic Clinic Our specialist Children’s Autism Diagnostic Clinic provides multidisciplinary assessments for children aged 2 to12 years. The team includes a Consultant Paediatrician, Psychologist, and Speech Pathologist. This year, with the support of the Stan Perron Charitable Foundation, we have been able to support vulnerable families and children who may otherwise be on long waitlists for assessment and are unable to afford assessment to access timely intervention. Youth Diagnostic Clinic Since its establishment, the Autism Association’s specialist Youth Autism Diagnostic Clinic has seen great success and is a highly regarded specialist diagnostic service. Referrals for ‘late’ diagnosis are usually the result of diagnosis being missed early or long wait times for children’s diagnostic services. Comprehensive assessment results in improved outcomes for young people by gaining access to the support they need. The specialist assessment team includes a Consultant Psychiatrist, Psychologist, Speech Pathologist, and Occupational Therapist. Following diagnosis, each individual is supported to access the support services they need.

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Regional Services

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Regional services continue to expand, supporting families and local communities in 30 Western Australian regional and remote areas. Services include consultancy, holiday programs, online training, teletherapy and individual programs. We travelled to regional areas throughout the year to build the capacity of the local community through training, information, workshops and consultancy with families, service providers, allied health professionals, and early childhood educators. A key initiative this year was working with educators from the Education Department’s KindiLink Program and local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander playgroups. A significant priority was also working with local TAFEs to train and support Certificate III and IV students within the allied health and disability disciplines to work with children with disability and support local families.

Derby

Derby KindiLink and Playgroup Workshops “The workshop was outstanding in all aspects of content, delivery and connection with the participants. The KindiLink and Bubanil Playgroup staff left inspired! This workshop was real information perfectly pitched for educators and support staff in a way that everyone can learn from and understand. The ideas and resources were fabulous, and I look forward to sharing them with the wider team. Everyone should have the opportunity to learn about supporting children with Autism from this team!” Christine Street, Early Years Deputy Derby District High School found it meaningful and useful. After the training, staff acknowledged that they were able to resonate with some of their immediate family members who have Autism, and learnt how they are better able to cope with their children and grandchildren and start conversations around Autism.” Jillian Hunter, Manager Family and Children Ngunga Women’s Group “Thank you for running the training in Derby. Ngunga staff shared positive feedback about the training and

Broome

Fitzroy Crossing

The Regional Intensive Holiday Program for families also continued in high demand this year with families joining the program during the July and January school holidays. There are 2 programs, the first for children up to the age of 7 years and the second for students aged 8 to 18. The work includes the development of an individual program plan for each individual based on assessment in addition to coaching and support to families to implement the plan at their home, school and in their local community. This program also provides a great opportunity for families to network and develop support groups. We look forward to continuing to provide regional outreach and expanding our Autism Regional Connect program thanks to support from the National Disability Services (NDS).

Port Hedland South Hedland

Karratha

Tom Price

Onslow

Newman

Paraburdoo

Mount Magnet

Geraldton

Jurien Bay

Caling i ri

Goomalling Jennacubbine

Kalgoorlie

Toodyay

Northam

Bakers Hill

Babakin

Corrigin

Brookton

Narrogin

Wagin

Waroona

Esperance

Katan n ing

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Albany

Support for Parents and Families

Ensuring families have the support they need is an important part of what we do. Providing families with access to resources, information, workshops, webinars and consultancy is an essential support, as is the opportunity to create connections with other parents with similar experiences. First Steps Playgroup In partnership with the Education Department Child and Parent Centres and with the support of Telethon, we continued to deliver the First Steps Playgroup across 7 metro locations. Over 190 families attended the First Steps Playgroup to talk to our experienced Therapists and Play Leaders about their child. This year, we extended the program by delivering training to staff in regional areas to facilitate their capacity in supporting children with Autism in their local communities. Parent Coffee Groups This year, our MyTime Parent Support Groups continued with 8 groups in Perth metropolitan areas. Over 200 Parent Support Group sessions were delivered this year, providing parents and carers with much- needed time to network. Each group is run by a parent of a child with Autism. These groups remain popular and beneficial in building local community connections and developing new friendships. Our Dads Autism Connect Group continued to expand with fathers and father-figures of young children with Autism. The groups provide a relaxed, casual atmosphere in which fathers can come together to chat, share and support each other through the online connect group and social events, including the popular Dads Family BBQ event. Workshops, Webinars and Events A calendar of events was created for the year, including over 30 workshops, seminars and webinars providing opportunities for parents, carers and families to participate and learn about practical strategies and resources to support them in everyday situations. We continued to deliver Early Days workshops for parents and carers of children who are seeking assistance with diagnosis or are newly diagnosed. Throughout the year, we facilitated 49 Early Days parent training sessions, including options with interpreters for culturally and linguistically diverse families, and sessions specifically for Dads during MyTime sessions. This year, we also introduced our first parent movie night at The Backlot Perth with parents and carers attending to connect with other families over refreshments and a movie.

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Ivy’s Playgroup Experience

“My husband and I would like to say a huge ‘thank you’ for everything Stacey, Maria and Anya have done for Ivy and all the other kids. You have helped our sweet girl to open up and your advice, care and guidance has truly made a huge impact on Ivy’s life. At the beginning of our journey everything was very overwhelming, but every Wednesday we looked forward to visiting playgroup and seeing our friends there. We will never be able to thank you all enough and it was truly a pleasure spending this past year with you all.” Sian, Ivy’s mum

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Community Development and Inclusion

Autism Early Childhood Champions The Autism Early Childhood Champions team supports Early Childhood Education and Care services (childcare centres) to break down barriers to inclusion, creating meaningful inclusion of children with Autism in mainstream early childhood settings. Over the last year, we delivered training to Champions from over 90 Early Childhood Education and Care services and 270 educators across both metro and regional areas while also providing ongoing support to each centre. Feedback from participating educators has been very positive, reporting an increase in their knowledge and understanding of Autism. As a result, they feel more confident to make positive change to support the children they work with. We look forward to seeing this project expand in the coming year, including developing a suite of downloadable resources and videos to guide best practice.

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Inclusive Communities

Our Inclusive Communities program is dedicated to ensuring all people with Autism have opportunities to participate in recreational, leisure, and community events. Over the past 12 months, we continued to work with families, community organisations, and venues to promote inclusion and participation in the community. As part of this work, we delivered Autism- specific training to upskill staff in community facilities and supported them to make adaptions to facilitate inclusion and participation in their programs and facilities. On International Day of People with Disability, the RAC Arena launched their Quiet Room. We provided consultation and collaboration in the development and launch of this room. The Quiet Room features bean bags, cuddle chairs and a soothing water feature, providing a safe and peaceful place for those needing a break from the sometimes-overwhelming noise and crowds of live events.

We hosted several sensory events at well-known venues. Latitude welcomed over 100 attendees to explore the climbing walls, trampolines, high ropes course, and ninja course. WA Museum Boola Bardip hosted Quiet Hour sessions and a pop-up exhibition on International Day of People with Disability to increase awareness and knowledge about Autism. Our ‘Underwater Adventure’ with the Aquarium of Western Australia (AQWA) saw over 100 families explore the exhibits in a safe and relaxed environment. We also continued to support the Art Gallery of Western Australia and their Voluntary Gallery Guides to host 2 Quiet Tuesdays this year, where people with Autism enjoyed the gallery in a sensory-friendly environment and participated in art-based activities. 2021 was another successful festive season, co-hosting our sixth consecutive year of Sensitive Santa sessions with metropolitan shopping centres welcoming over 500 individuals to visit Santa. These sessions continue to grow in popularity each year, with many adopting this annual tradition. We are pleased to have received a grant from the Department of Communities to implement the WA State Disability Strategy 2020-2030. We look forward to expanding our Inclusive Communities project to create more partnerships with organisations across Western Australia, as well as a range of evidence-driven resources and information for the community to increase access and inclusion.

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