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Magazine article
Autism is lifelong. Here’s what support looks like in adulthood
The Conversation
11/09/2025
Appears in Recent Faculty of Health Publications
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Abstract
The government plans to redirect some children off the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and onto a new program called Thriving Kids. When announcing the change last month, health and disability minister Mark Butler explained:
Tens and tens of thousands of young children with mild to moderate developmental delay or autism are on a scheme set up for permanent disability.
This seemed to imply autism is something people “grow out of”. It’s not: autism spectrum disorder is a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition.
The government’s announcement about redirecting people off the NDIS has also raised concerns about what supports will remain available for autistic people as they grow older.
So what should support look like for autistic adults?
Details
- Title
- Autism is lifelong. Here’s what support looks like in adulthood
- Creators
- Chelsea Morrison - Southern Cross UniversityAndrew Cashin - Southern Cross UniversityKitty-Rose Foley - The University of Queensland
- Publication Details
- The Conversation
- Publisher
- The Conversation Media Group Ltd
- Grant note
- Chelsea Morrison also works as an occupational therapist within the NDIS. Andrew Cashin receives funding from the NDIS ILC grants programme. He also works providing therapeutic supports to people with autism funded by the NDIS. Kitty-Rose Foley receives funding from the Australian government Department of Health and Aged Care for her role in the National Centre of Excellence in Intellectual Disability Health. She is an NDIS provider of occupational therapy.
- Identifiers
- 991013313627602368
- Academic Unit
- Allied Health and Midwifery; Nursing; Faculty of Health
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Magazine article