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How can a neurodivergent workforce transform from simply surviving at the office to thriving in a fulfilling career?

Embracing the strengths of neurodivergent people isn’t just good for individual employees, but there’s a strong business case for it too – with satisfied staff who feel supported to give their all at work likely to stay put for longer in an organisation they can see themselves reflected in.

We’ve got the information to get you started, and insights from people with lived experience. Whether you’re a jobseeker empowered to find a supportive employer or a business looking to build on the strengths of neurodivergent staff, it’s all here.

What does the law say?

South Australia is leading the nation in exploring how better support for people who are neurodivergent can also deliver wins for businesses.

The South Australian Government’s Office for Autism has Autism Works, a program for organisations and individuals to tap into the autistic strengths of employees and find out what accommodations can help support employees to not only perform at work but thrive in their professional environment.

Dr Emma Goodall, Director of Strategic Translational Research in South Australia’s Department of Premier and Cabinet – and founding director of the Office for Autism – says all employers must comply with Federal and state/territory-based legislation relating to employment and disability discrimination laws.

“Employees need to be able to do the work they are hired to do. They can ask for reasonable accommodations to make this easier and their output more effective, as long as the accommodations are possible within the context – for example, a surgeon cannot work from home whilst performing surgery,” says Emma.

However, accommodations can potentially support the entire workforce, she adds.

“The Office for Autism provides a template for an employee and employer to look at and agree on reasonable accommodations together,” she says. “This can be used for other reasons and not just for neurodivergent employees.”

Examples of accommodations could include:

Here are the resources the Office for Autism offers.

The path isn't always straight

Having said all that, it doesn’t mean the path to acceptance and inclusion isn’t without twists and turns.

While disability discrimination is illegal, there’s always the risk that people who disclose their diagnosis or ask for accommodations may be subject to unconscious bias. However, Emma (who is autistic herself) says it’s vital that employers and senior staff understand the whole picture.

“It is illegal to discriminate based on disability or a range of other factors. An issue for individuals who perform better with accommodations is that their potential can sometimes be overlooked, and this can come across as discrimination,” she says.

“It is useful to ensure that managers know how the accommodations are working and the positive impact that they can have.”

Tapping into strengths

Being wildly supportive of neurodivergent employees has paid dividends for Cherie Clonan of The Digital Picnic.

Cherie received an autism diagnosis as an adult and her Melbourne-based digital marketing training and management agency is welcoming of neurodivergent employees.

“I think that being a workplace designed with neurodivergence at the forefront benefits all,” she says. “Our neurotypical employees thrive in a neurodivergent workplace – it’s not harming anyone, rather, it’s radically benefitting all.”

“Our business genuinely benefits from neurodivergent strengths. For example, our content design specialists think in content and video production, I watch them and think, I could never! Our staff usually specialise in an area which is a special interest to their autistic or ADHD brain, they hyperfocus and bring intense passion… other workplaces could only dream of having someone so dedicated.

“Our clients constantly give us compliments, and when I read the bullet points from clients, every point is a neurodivergent strength.”

And Cherie’s leadership in business was also recognised at the 2024 B&T Women in Media Awards, where she won the Glass Ceiling Award and was recognised as Woman of the Year.

How inclusion translates into good business

Cherie says The Digital Picnic’s structure of inclusion has translated into better staff retention and consistency for the business. That makes dollars and sense.

“For other businesses who want to emulate what we do, the upsides are that I have double the retention rate with every single person on my team. The industry average is two years, our minimum retention is usually four years, and our average is actually six to seven years with our business,” says Cherie.

“Think about how expensive it is to re-hire, it’s about $33,000 per person and that’s something I’ve been able to avoid when my staff are in a psychologically safe, truly inclusive setting that makes them feel good about the work they do.”

Emma agrees, saying inclusive workplaces allow people to feel safe and “bring their best selves” to the office or job site.

“When we support people to work effectively and authentically, people can bring their best selves to work. This always benefits the employer through more productive and effective staff. It can also support people’s wellbeing and promote worker retention,” says Emma.

Finding a supportive employer

While it’s widely understood that protections against disability discrimination exist, that doesn’t mean every employer is utopian for people who are neurodivergent.

Cherie says you don’t need to disclose your diagnosis to an employer if you don’t feel like it’s the right move for you.

“I think honour that fear. I know that what I’m describing for The Digital Picnic is not normal (for most workplaces) – it’s radical, inclusive and accepting, and that what happens when you have lived experience at the helm of a business,” says Cherie.

“It’s not the norm, there are a lot of workplaces that are genuinely unsafe to come out as neurodivergent. If you have a feeling of fear, I would honour that gut instinct. I know that neurodivergent people can clock pretty well when it’s not safe and our pattern recognition is usually spot on.

“You’re okay to not disclose, not come out if you don’t feel safe to be able to do so. It’s realistic to know that in 2024, we are not quite there at that spot where it is completely safe to come out as neurodivergent in every workspace.”

How to be a supportive employer

The Autism Works program has information for businesses at every step of the process, from recruitment and interviews to inductions and making reasonable workplace adjustments.

Most adjustments are simple to implement – this guide can help employers and employees to work together to find the right adjustments.

For more costly changes, financial assistance may be available. Find out more here.

And remember, just as accessibility for people with physical disability extends to helping the entire community (think about how a ramp allows wheelchair users and people with walking frames to go up the kerb, but also helps caregivers with prams, delivery people with sack trucks and travellers with rolling suitcases), adjustments designed for people who are neurodivergent can benefit a neurotypical employee as well.

Cherie says businesses looking to replicate The Digital Picnic’s success as an inclusive employer need to be committed.

“I think about workplaces that want to benefit from neurodivergent strengths, so they go all in on neuroinclusive hiring, but then the safety stops, and the workplace isn’t safe for the neurodivergent person,” says Cherie.

That’s why she says ongoing education and training for all staff is key.

“I’ve learned in my life the best way to facilitate change that you want, especially in the workplace, is through education,” says Cherie.

“What does the learning and development budget look like at a company level? Can you bring someone with lived experience in to educate in that space and teach at a leadership level how to be more neuroinclusive?

“When there is that buy-in, there is a ripple effect, and I’ve been hearing from neurodivergent folks saying that then about six to 12 months later, their workplaces have become significantly safer. Following the advice of someone with lived experience means employers know better and do better. Education is key.”

The impact of a formal diagnosis

While many people recognise neurodivergent traits in themselves without ever pursuing a formal diagnosis, a formal diagnosis can be helpful. But it’s expensive – ADHD and autism diagnoses can cost thousands of dollars and wait lists are long.

That’s why The Digital Picnic funds staff to pursue an assessment if they choose.

“All I ever want to do is create the most neuroinclusive place I possibly can. This is about knowing more so you can do more, and part of that is deeply understanding who we have on our team,” says Cherie.

“For our team, they benefit from knowing what accommodation they need at work in order to thrive. A lot of our folk are exactly like me – a couple of kids have gone before them for diagnosis and that’s $4500 per child, so by the time they get to themselves they can’t afford or justify paying for an assessment, but at the same time it couldn’t be more important for them.

“Some of them have gone down that path, funded by us, and incredible things have come through that – professional and personal gains, even some being able to access NDIS funding, which has transformed their lives out of work. I’m so happy that a piece of paper has helped them get even more support outside of work.”

But for those who don’t want a formal diagnosis, Cherie says self-identified accommodations are accepted and just as valid.

“I genuinely believe there is so much privilege attached to a piece of paper, but the folks who are self-identifying are just as valid as if they had the piece of paper,” she says.

“You’re never ‘just’ someone who self-identified. We know that most people don’t wake up one day to spend hours, weeks, months, years researching if they are neurodivergent unless they have a deep feeling that it applies to them.”

A holistic view of neurodivergence

Emma believes inclusion is about more than just paid work – true inclusion has wide-reaching benefits for the entire community and reframes perceptions and expectations of people with disability.

“I would like to see the positives of autism – high levels of knowledge in areas of interest, loyalty, ability to hyperfocus, autistic joy, autistic communication – as a standard for clear communication… and to do this, I think it is about sharing more stories about the good lives that many of us live as adults,” says Emma.

“However, this needs to be done sensitively and balanced with the stories about how supports help us to live those good lives. Being a volunteer is as meaningful as being in employment.

"What a good life looks like is different for everyone."

30 September 2024

You may have heard of Quiet Hour – a sensory-friendly shopping experience that takes place in malls, supermarkets and retail stores around the nation. It’s a quiet revolution because retail is designed to be overwhelming, buzzy and sometimes confusing – and often, if you can’t find your way out of a shop, chances are you’ll buy something (anything), just to get out!

Quiet Hour is one way retailers are serving customers with different sensory needs. For best practice, music is turned off, pager messages and trolley collections are paused, checkout sounds are turned down, lights are dimmed where possible, and anything that creates a strong scent is held off for the hour.

But what else is available when you’re looking for low sensory experiences?

A recent survey of people with autism found that just four per cent believed businesses and organisations understood how to support someone on the spectrum. At times, this can hold people back from engaging in everyday experiences that others may take for granted – like going to the dentist, getting a haircut, learning to drive or taking the kids out.

That’s why we’ve found a range of sensory-friendly experiences to help you with getting those tasks done.

Smile – sensory-friendly dentist

A trip to the dentist isn’t everyone’s favourite experience, however proper dental care is key to better health and wellbeing.

If you Google ‘autism friendly dentist’ and your location, it will search dentists who are qualified and able to provide a lower-sensory experience. This may include special tinted glasses, light covers on overhead fixtures, noise cancelling headphones, and painless and efficient cleaning equipment to provide a more comfortable experience.

Keep moving – sensory-friendly shoe fittings

Shoe shopping can be a high sensory experience. Thankfully, Athlete’s Foot (nationwide) has an accessible and inclusive appointment service for children and adults.

Find out how you can book appointments online for shoe fittings, returns and more. Look for the headphone symbol to find ‘quiet’ appointments – and book as soon as you’re ready to get moving, because spots may be limited.

The retailer Shoes and Sox has accessible appointments available at its stand-alone stores too. You can even download the store’s specific sequence guide and autism-friendly communication board before your appointment to help you prepare. Shoes and Sox has locations across Australia, which you can find here.

Luscious locks – hairdressers who understand sensory needs

Whether you’re looking for a mobile hairdresser to come to your house (where you have more privacy and control of the environment) or a salon to visit, again, Google is your best friend.

A lot of hairdressers who recognise what their market needs have undergone training with their state-based autism organisation and will take the time to provide a calmer, quieter, salon-quality experience.

You can also find no-perfume, no-dye hair salons designed and staffed by neurodivergent hairdressers, and well-spaced stations with no chat and low-touch and low-heat services. And, of course, you or a friend can always call or email in advance to talk about your preferences (to save having a conversation in person, if that’s not your thing).

Spring in your step – accessibility at Bounce

Bounce is an indoor trampoline park for every age, with venues across Australia. It doesn’t have specific sensory sessions, however Bounce Australia staff are trained to support people with varying abilities and sensory requirements, so everyone can get their bounce on!

Click here for more information about what Bounce is doing to support inclusion.

Jump around – visual tools to prepare for Inflatable World

Inflatable World, in locations around Australia, takes the idea of a jumping castle and makes it incredible! There’s something full of air to bounce, slide or roll on wherever you look!

To create a better experience on arrival, the Inflatable World team has created a special script with visual cues to prepare children for what to expect. You can download the script here (this link is for the Charmhaven venue in New South Wales, but it’s handy for everyone).

The great outdoors – autism-friendly national parks

Being out and about in nature is scientifically shown to improve health and wellbeing – even seeing the colour green can reduce stress, improve mood, increase creativity, and enhance cognitive functioning.

Parks Victoria has created social stories for its parks in partnership with AMAZE, and Parks and Wildlife Service South Australia has created social scripts for parks – simply search under the ‘accessibility’ option for your preferred park (this link is for Belair National Park).

Out and about – sensory-friendly fun

Hosted by Autism Spectrum Australia, this events calendar is updated regularly with autism-friendly events at various locations across the country.

There are also tonnes of venues and activities that offer sensory sessions, sensory-friendly spaces, and low sensory events, so jump onto Google and see what you can find. Think museums, art galleries, sporting venues, play cafes, nightclubs, and even the LEGOLAND Discovery Centre!

You may need to contact the location you’re interested in to find out when their next sensory session is taking place. Otherwise, if you know there’s a place you’d love to visit in a more sensory-friendly way, why not contact them directly?

On the road – learning to drive

When it’s time to get behind the wheel and learn to drive, there are specialist driving instructors to cater for learners with various sensory requirements. Some driving schools will organise an occupational therapy assessment first and others rely on their patient and calm teaching styles.

Find your driving school by Googling ‘autism-friendly driving lessons’ and your location.

Great art makes the audience feel something – and for collaborators Grace Colsey (they/them) and Jaziel ‘Jazz’ Siegertsz (he/him), they want their audience to feel seen, connected and inspired.

Their show, Smiling Through The Human, took out the My Plan Manager Access Award at the 2024 Adelaide Fringe. The award celebrates and recognises a creative or an event with lived experience of disability.

Grace says the show, which draws on music, song and existential comedy, shares both the reality and the hope of living with neurodivergence and mental illness.

“I started writing the show because art that had made me feel seen as someone who experiences mental illness and is very, very neurodivergent was quite scarce,” says Grace.

“I had a bunch of songs I was working on, they all happened to be about similar topics, namely mental health and neurodivergence. I wanted to help people feel seen and understood in this chaotic, weird and un-wonderful existence, and to recognise how weird it is to exist in a world that is fundamentally not built for us.”

However Jazz says the show is also about leaving the audience with a message of optimism.

“One of the best things we do with this show, Grace, you leave everyone on a hopeful note with your last song, Air,” says Jazz.

“It can be dangerous to look at mental illness and bring the audience to a dark place and leave them there. You leave everyone feeling connected to this community they find around them. They feel inspired and seen, and it’s a breath of fresh air, something new – to walk away from the show, to keep trudging through every day.”

Grace performing in Smiling Through The Human at the 2024 Adelaide Fringe.

Grace and Jazz say they were committed to accessibility for their audience, including choosing at least one wheelchair-accessible venue, having AUSLAN interpreters where possible, holding some relaxed sessions without strong lighting at the Curiositeas Tea Room, providing fidget toys for members of the audience to use, and offering access to a sensory space at My Lover Cindi.

It’s why winning the My Plan Manager Access Award was so meaningful for the pair – even though they missed the awards ceremony!

“It was very fitting and ironic – we forgot the awards ceremony was on because we had a show that day,” says Grace. “We were doing a sound check and Kate – one of the venue owners of My Lover Cindi – was like ‘congratulations on the award!’”

“And we had absolutely no idea… the irony when we found out the award we won,” injects Jazz.

“You know we’re not faking it! But also, the Access Award is so special to us as disabled artists who made a show about disability for disabled people – it feels like we’ve come full circle,” says Grace.

“It helps us to keep making the art we want to make, and it hopefully means we’ll be able to put it in front of as many people as possible.”

Next on the cards for the pair – after a well-deserved break – are plans to take Smiling Through The Human to regional audiences and bring new projects to the stage in coming years.

“As we both have ADHD, and Grace is autistic, and we both have mental illnesses, we got to a point where we almost cancelled the entire season because of how difficult it is to do a production with two ADHD people dealing with other stuff,” says Jazz.

“But being able to rely on each other and push through and having this be the outcome with fostering community and winning this award, it makes us feel like we made the right decision, and it was worth it, as we put some good out into the world.”

Jazz says both he and Grace will keep advocating for accessibility in the arts and everywhere.

“I think the biggest takeaway in winning the Access Award is that accessibility isn’t just for the people who need it, it makes things better for everyone,” he says. “There can be a lot of feeling like you have to apologise for your disability – it’s nice to have accommodations where you don’t have to keep apologising for existing.”

For more information and future shows, view Grace's linktree here, and Jaziel's linktree here.

Are you neurospicy, like a Mexican fiesta? Do you have diverse-ability? Or perhaps you mask or camouflage your disability or traits?

How we talk about disability matters, because it creates a frame of reference through which we and others see it.

A positive frame of reference can remove the walls that have boxed people with disability into one narrative and instead create limitless possibilities.

And having a vocabulary that can express and convey our thoughts and ideas about disability better has the power to do that - times 10!

That’s why we like these 10 buzzwords that are levelling up the disability narrative and creating a world that’s more inclusive through better expression.

1. Ableism

Ableism is discrimination against people with disability. We like to believe that people who are ableist are in the minority and on the decline, thanks to more education, more inclusivity, and more positive representation of disability – but there’s still a way to go, especially in the workforce.

In situ: We will not tolerate ableism in this community.

2. Allistic

Also known as nypical, this word refers to all non-autistic people – including neurotypicals and non-autistic neurodivergent people.

In situ: I am allistic.

3. AuDHD

When a person has autism and ADHD combined. This is a relatively new word because, before circa 2013, the concept of a person being diagnosed with both wasn’t recognised in the mainstream system.

In situ: James had AuDHD as a child, but at the time it wasn't recognised.

4. Disability pride

Being proud of who you are and embracing your disability. It can also mean feeling confident and not hiding it.

In situ: July is Disability Pride Month.

5. Diverse-ability

A person with a learning diverse-ability finds learning more difficult, which doesn’t make them less able, they may just need a little extra support in the area where they have it.

In situ: I have a reading diverse-ability called dyslexia.

6. Intersectionality

Recognises that different identity traits like ‘woman’ and ‘disability’ don’t exist independently and can mesh to impact them and shape their experiences. For example, a cisgender, black, disabled student and a queer, white, disabled student may have very different experiences of disability discrimination because of the multiple identities they carry.

In situ: How can intersectionality help us understand diverse experiences?

7. Masking or camouflaging

Where people conceal certain traits and replace them with neurotypical ones to avoid being recognised as neurominorities – e.g., by changing tone of voice, body language, eye contact, speech patterns etc, to match the dominant social norm and avoid negative consequences.

In situ: She masked her disability.

8. Neurodivergent

A blanket word for ways of thinking or experiencing the world that are different from what’s considered ‘typical’. Everyone’s brain works differently and therefore people think and experience the world differently too. A person on the autism spectrum, or someone with ADHD, dyspraxia, Tourette Syndrome, and other diagnoses may identify as neurodivergent.

In situ: A report claims that approximately 20 per cent of high school students in Australia are neurodivergent.

9. Neurospicy

A different word for neurodivergent – and one we've only just heard about ourselves!

In situ: I’m a neurospicy writer.

10. Person-first vs Identity-first language

Person-first language emphasises that the diagnosis doesn’t define the person, but the person has the diagnosis (i.e. a person with autism).

Identity-first language emphasises the idea that the condition is inseparable from the person (i.e. autistic person, disabled person, blind person).

In situ: We strive to use person-first language when we talk about disability.

A further $2 million in Commonwealth funding has been committed to progress the National Autism Strategy.

The funding will enable national cooperative research organisation, Autism CRC, to continue its research and provide advice to the Federal Government when developing the Strategy.

The Strategy is a welcome step towards improving life outcomes for the growing number of Australians on the autism spectrum and with other neurodevelopmental conditions.

It’s an overarching approach to enabling people with autism to better navigate and access opportunities to build the life they want.

The Strategy is intended to form a whole-of-life plan for Australians with autism and other neurodevelopmental conditions and will aim to positively change systems and practices in areas such as education, vocation and healthcare for people on the autism spectrum and their families.

Minister for Social Services, the Hon Amanda Rishworth MP, said the Federal Government was partnering with Autism CRC to make sure the Strategy was developed in consultation with everyday Australians with autism.

Read more here.

A new, inclusive community is growing online, helping users to connect with new friends – and soon, with potential employers as well!

It’s called Kaboose, and it’s a safe space for young neurodivergent people. We recently chatted with community founder Michelle Risdale to learn more about it.

What is Kaboose and what does it do?

Kaboose is an app for the autistic and neurodivergent community to find friends with the same interests. It’s where young people with autism can build tribes and chat to their tribe. Its future features include the ability to find mentors and jobs.

Our overall aim is to improve mental health and connectedness, through friendships and employment.

What ages is Kaboose for?

We have a space for under 16s (we have users around seven to eight years old with parental support, and where the chat can be moderated by parents) and then over 16 and up to 30. We also have a space for parents/caregivers.

How is Kaboose working to increase social connection online and in real life?

At Kaboose, we are matching people based on their special interests, age, and location. We encourage in real life – or IRL – meet ups when safe to do so and with parental approval, where required. Many people in our community prefer to start their interactions online, but some want to move these friendships to in-person, and we definitely encourage both.

Kaboose launched in 2021 – two years after the global pandemic started. Did that in any way influence your decision to start Kaboose, and why?

The Kaboose idea initially started as Gecko Hangouts – an in-person social group focused on work readiness. This was prior to the pandemic. However, it was difficult to scale, and with the pandemic, it became obvious that an online solution would work better for our community.

Social isolation and loneliness significantly increased during the pandemic, along with deteriorating mental health, which I think shone a light on what was already an increasing issue for our community.

What can someone expect when they go on Kaboose, and how is it different from other social media sites?

Kaboose is a safe social platform. Unlike other social platforms, Kaboose requires all users to be fully verified. When a person signs up, they need to provide some basic information about their location, age and special interests in order to be matched with the right people.

To keep our community safe, we ask that everyone is verified so our members know they are talking to the person who has signed up. This means that whoever is signing up needs to provide their ID and a short five second video of themselves holding it.

We don’t store any of these documents, and once a profile is verified, these documents are automatically deleted. We also have the ability for parents to moderate the chats of our younger members.

Kaboose is built for young people with autism. How is it helping its users establish a foundation for adulthood that someone without social support may not have?

Many people in our community have not been able to find the right support or have the ability to find their tribe due to bullying and social isolation in their education setting. Sometimes attending groups can also be overwhelming, which leaves the neurodivergent community unable to find friends and practice their social skills in a safe environment.

Autism underemployment is sitting at 31.6 per cent, which is six times higher than unemployment for those without a disability, and three times higher than unemployment for those with other disabilities. While there are many contributing factors to unemployment, we believe that through building social skills, networks and matching with the right mentors and job opportunities, Kaboose can go some way towards reducing this significant gap.

With multiple offerings – finding friends, finding support, and finding employment for young people – there are a lot of moving parts at Kaboose. Can you tell us how you manage it all as a startup?

It is tricky at times! While I’ve worked in a lot of startups, this is my first startup.

I’m very fortunate to have experienced mentors guiding me, and I’m focusing on one feature at a time. For now, we’re all about finding friends and building a tribe based on special interests, and once our community develops further, we will be able to release the mentor and job matching features.

As the founder, I am extremely passionate about making a positive impact on the life outcomes of this community and welcome feedback and questions as we continue to build Kaboose.

As the parent of a child with autism and a volunteer within the disability space with a background in the tech industry, it seems like you had the perfect combination of knowledge, experience, and passion to start Kaboose. Can you tell us about that?

My professional background has been in HR and strategic people management, including recruitment within professional services and the tech industry. I’ve also been involved in diversity and inclusion initiatives within various organisations.

As part of my volunteer roles, I’ve been exposed to the challenges our young people face with their mental health, and in building the social skills necessary to find employment. After seeing my son struggle finding friends as a teenager, and then – as he got older – with accessing employment, I decided to combine my skills of connecting and employing people to build Kaboose.

To find out more about Kaboose and to download the app, visit www.kaboose.app.

A new role has been created in South Australia to reframe autism as an opportunity, rather than a disability, with the state government introducing a national-first Assistant Minister for Autism.

Emily Bourke, who is also Assistant Minister to the Premier of South Australia, Peter Malinauskas, has been appointed to the role.

Premier Malinauskas says he wants the state to lead the way when it comes to engaging with people who are neurodiverse.

“I have heard from many South Australians that the time has come for a dedicated effort from government to make autism a priority,” the Premier said in a statement. “That is why we have created this new role.”

“We have made major commitments with the aim of implementing a whole-of-government autism inclusion strategy, starting with our schools.”

Ms Bourke will establish an Autism Education Advisory Group, with members to include people with autism and their family members, subject matter experts, community stakeholders and unions. The group will provide consultation on policies.

Ms Bourke will also help to develop a State Autism Strategy to operate alongside the State Disability Plan. In addition, all government agencies will be required to sign up to an autism-friendly charter.

Autism is the largest primary disability group in the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), and South Australia sits above the national average, with autism recognised as the primary disability of 39 per cent of NDIS participants in the state.

The South Australian government has committed $28.8 million to appointing an autism lead teacher in every public primary school. It will also aim to increase the number of pre-school staff who have autism-specific qualifications, and offer increased early intervention support in children’s centres.

Meanwhile, in national news, practitioners, people with autism and other stakeholders are invited to review and provide feedback on the National Guideline for supporting autistic children and their families. The Guideline supports the learning, participation and wellbeing of children with autism and their families in Australia. Feedback can be provided until 29 August.

A guest article by Chris.

Quite often, I have found that neurotypical people are unable to understand the autistic way of thinking and vice versa. In many cases, autistic people – such as me – do not use subtext, sarcasm and inuendo, and so much can be lost in translation.

For me, I so commonly feel as if neurotypical people are talking in a secret code I don’t have the cypher for. This causes a huge problem for both sides of the communication coin because, as difficult as it is for some autistic people to understand some neurotypical people, it’s often just as difficult for them to understand us.

I know I can be straightforward and blunt; I say exactly what I mean. A lot of people who don’t have autism aren’t used to blunt honesty and many get offended, misinterpreting my straight talking for rudeness when it isn’t.

It doesn’t make sense to me to say one thing when I mean another, and as much as some neurotypical people may dislike bluntness, I know a lot of people like me who have a real issue with people hiding their point ‘between the lines’. I can’t read between the lines because, when I talk, there isn’t anything between my lines. What you hear is exactly what I mean and trying to discern some ulterior motive in my comments is just going to lead you down the wrong path.

So many autistic people think literally. So, when we say ‘no’, we mean nothing else but that and exactly that. I perceive ignoring that as disrespectful and for some, that can trigger a meltdown or worse. In my own case, it makes me angry when people don’t take my words seriously.

What then, is the best way to speak with an autistic person (or, at least, with me)? Here are my top tips:

Many autistic people (me included!) often struggle to talk the way neurotypical people do because we just don’t know how! It’s that simple.  
The next time you have the opportunity to have a chat with me or someone else with autism, it might be a good idea to try to talk to us the way we talk – up front and completely blunt. Give it a go – even if you think you’ll hurt my feelings, it really is my preferred way to converse. Being honest with me is much more appreciated, and I tend to respect those who are honest with me a lot more than those who aren’t.


Hi, I’m Chris. I’m an autistic person. Originally from California, I ran away to Australia as soon as I could. Raised in the country, life wasn't easy with an invisible neurological difference, especially when that difference wasn't widely known about. On top of that, I didn’t even get a diagnosis until my adult years. Looking forward, I want to leave behind some small piece of myself that maybe, if I'm lucky, might make a positive impact.


A guest article by Chris.

My initial reaction to learning of the Senate Select Committee on Autism’s recommendation that the Australian Government introduce a National Autism Strategy was not positive. There has certainly been a history of governments in this country making rules and regulations for minority groups that end up hurting, rather than helping, some within those groups.

However, reading that (if the recommendations of the Committee are adopted) the Australian Government will create the strategy in conjunction with the nation’s autistic community gave me hope that perhaps people with autism will finally be heard and our needs, as we stated them during the Committee’s inquiry, will be considered.

It was good to read the executive summary of the Committee’s report, Services, support and life outcomes for autistic Australians, which stated that during its inquiry the Committee had heard that many National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) staff and service providers ‘seem to lack even the most basic understanding of autism and the kinds of supports autistic people need’. The Committee went further to say this was ‘particularly troubling’ given the high number of autistic participants in the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

“However, resolving problems with the NDIS for autistic participants will require a more focused consideration of the issues than was achievable within the broad terms of reference for this inquiry,” said the report.

“Accordingly, the Committee recommends an inquiry be undertaken by the Joint Standing Committee on the National Disability Insurance Scheme to examine how the NDIS supports autistic participants.”

This was a welcome surprise, and I would wholly embrace such an inquiry as I’ve been fighting the NDIA for what I consider to be my basic human rights for the past 16 months.

So, if the Australian Government puts in place a National Autism Strategy to improve autistic lives, what will it look like, and how will it help us?

The extensive report, which was delivered following a two-year inquiry, suggests the Strategy should look at whole-of-life needs for autistic Australians. I’m hoping that means it will look at the things we need over our lifetimes.

I’ve been reading this report and it’s divided up into sections, as one would expect. The first section past the Executive Summary covers the recommended actions the Australian Government needs to take to better the lives of autistic Australians – there are 81 in total. After two years, I would have hoped for more calls to action from the inquiry, but the fact they’ve taken the betterment of our lives seriously is a step in the right direction.

I was pleasantly surprised by the bi-partisan support for, and involvement in, the inquiry.  Maybe it’s a tug of war for our votes, who knows? I just hope that whichever party is elected this weekend honours these recommendations and starts to make some real, tangible improvements for us.

Chapter 4 of the report is titled ‘The cost of failing to provide adequate services and support’, and it is what I believe the politicians are likely to really pay attention to – the cost of doing nothing.

Synergies Economic Consulting's Economic Costs of Autism Spectrum Disorder in Australia report (the Synergies report), updated in 2011, estimated the annual economic cost of autism in Australia was in the region of $8.1 billion to $11.2 billion (2010 dollars). So, if that is the cost of doing what the Committee’s inquiry showed to be not looking after the autistic community, then surely – if nothing else does – that should help to motivate Canberra to better support our needs.

I do have one gripe about the Committee’s report – and that is that it is a list of recommendations that the next Australian Government can simply ignore. They are not new laws, they’re just a list of suggestions, and if the next Prime Minister, whomever that might end up being, decides to ignore them, there isn’t anything we can do about it.

Well, there is one thing we can do – we can band together and inundate every Member of Parliament, every senator, and the Prime Minister themselves, with emails and complaints about failing to uphold the recommendations. The figures vary, depending on the source, but it is estimated that approximately one in every 70 Australians is autistic. That’s a lot of people, and when you take our friends, family and support networks into account, that’s a huge group of people who can cooperate with each other (with or without assistance) to fill the email boxes of those in power until they have to listen to us.

The more I read the Committee’s report, the more hope I feel for a better future for me and other autistic people.


Hi, I’m Chris. I’m an autistic person. Originally from California, I ran away to Australia as soon as I could. Raised in the country, life wasn't easy with an invisible neurological difference, especially when that difference wasn't widely known about. On top of that, I didn’t even get a diagnosis until my adult years. Looking forward, I want to leave behind some small piece of myself that maybe, if I'm lucky, might make a positive impact.


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