AAP

A jump in the number of children with autism has sparked concerns about whether the National Disability Insurance Scheme can keep up with the growing demand for support services.

Federal government data obtained by Autism Aspergers Advocacy Australia shows the number of children with autism spectrum disorder rose 9.4 per cent to 78,951 in the year to June 30.

More than 6,000 children were diagnosed during the year, at an average rate of 16.5 each day.

Rick Morton

The number of children with ­autism has jumped almost 10 per cent in the past year alone, adding to a surge of diagnoses which have left families and government scrambling for answers.

Unpublished data from the ­Department of Social Services shows there are almost 80,000 children aged 15 and under with a primary disability of autism who qualify their parents for the Carer Allowance (child), with slightly more than 6000 diagnosed in the year to June.

But there appears to have been a marginal slowdown in the rate of increase, with diagnoses growing at an average 18.3 per cent a year between 2004 and 2011 but 10.9 per cent since 2011.

Dear Ms Gunn

Thank you for your letter (3/11/2016).

In it you wrote:

The Agency continues to consult with experts such as the Cooperative Research Centre for Living with Autism and advocacy groups around the ECEI approach. The Agency values the experience and knowledge from these important groups of stakeholders.

Please would you provide the complete list of the experts that the NDIA consults relating to the provision/delivery of the NDIS for autistic people? And please would you explain how the Cooperative Research Centre for Living with Autism is a “stakeholder” in the NDIS.

We understand this means the NDIA will not consult with Autism Aspergers Advocacy Australia (A4).

The Hon Jane Prentice MP
Member for Ryan, Queensland

On 11/11/2016, A4 received a letter (dated 9/11, see below) from Assistant Minister The Hon Jane Prentice MP in response to A4's email that contained a meeting request. A4 sent a copy of the original letter to the Assistant Minister. 

The letter mentions a response from the NDIA and says the "letter is enclosed" ... but it wasn't.

Dear The Hon Jane Prentice MP

I write about the promise that “that no one will be worse off under the NDIS” (see here). My particular concerns relate to autistic children and their access to impartial information and effective (best practice) early intervention.

I am writing to you because writing to the NDIA (see here, here, here and here for example) made no discernible difference (on these, or any other significant issue)

Mr Bob Buckley

Autism Aspergers Advocacy Australia (A4)

convenor@a4.org.au

Dear Mr Buckley

Thank you for your email of 6 October 2016 to the Chief Executive Officer of the National Disability Insurance Agency (the Agency), Mr David Bowen, about the Agency’s Early Childhood Early Intervention (ECEI) approach for autistic children. Mr Bowen has asked me to respond on his behalf. I apologise for the delay in responding.

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