In February 2024, we conducted a survey with hundreds of autism families across Australia to better understand their experiences with their state or territory's education system.

With a recent review of the NDIS recommending states and territories increase their support of young people with disabilities, we wanted to understand the barriers currently faced by autistic students and their families in Australian schools and how we can advocate for their needs in this period of change.

The response was overwhelming and insightful, with key findings including:

• 35% of families experienced being discouraged or refused enrolment for their child
• 50% of those parents experienced this in the public school system
• 45% of families report that their child’s school is either reluctant to use accommodations or are unwelcoming
• 16% of autistic children are reportedly ‘very unhappy’ at school
• 89% of parents believe they should be able to choose the most appropriate schooling option (eg: mainstream, special education) for their child
• 59% of parents have considered or used alternatives to school (homeschooling and/or online distance learning)
• Only 16% of parents are happy with how their schools manage the funding to support their child at school
• 83% of children included in this report received some kind of support from the NDIS

We are pleased to announce that the summary report of our National Autism and Education Parent Survey is now available to read. You can click the button below to access the full report and follow us on our social media channels where we'll share key findings from the report throughout April (Autism Awareness Month).