The Victorian Parliament's Inquiry into Services for People with Autism Spectrum Disorder gave unprecedented insight into the daily experiences of exclusion and marginalisation faced by autistic Victorians, their families and carers.
It also demonstrated the strength and leadership of a community that is ready for change.
The Victorian autism plan sets out a vision and a plan for realising that change. It builds on core elements of Absolutely everyone: state disability plan 2017–2020, which guides Victoria's work to be more inclusive of all people with disability. It also incorporates commitments to remove specific additional barriers faced by the autistic community.
The plan will drive change in areas where autistic people have told us they are most missing out, such as community inclusion, early identification and diagnosis, and supports and pathways through key life transitions. The plan also details actions to increase participation in education and training and to build employment opportunities in the public and private sectors.
Increased inclusion relies on increased understanding. A centrepiece of this plan is a public campaign to build realistic and helpful attitudes towards autistic people. A community that is confident and informed is a community that will include autistic people in its schoolrooms, workplaces and positions of leadership.
I want to thank the many autistic Victorians, family members and carers, service providers, researchers and others who contributed to this plan. We will consolidate and expand on this engagement as we implement the plan.
By working together, we can build a community that recognises and values the achievements and contributions of every Victorian.
The Hon Luke Donnellan
Minister for Housing, Disability and Ageing
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