The Autism Advisory Board plays an active role in shaping policy, research, practice and system reform to improve outcomes for autistic people across Australia. Through national projects, government advisory groups, submissions, consultations and sector engagement, AABA members contribute expertise and evidence-informed advice to key initiatives that influence the future of autism policy and services.

AUTISM ADVISORY BOARD IN ACTION

National Autism Strategy Evidence, Evaluation & Reporting Framework

AABA is proud to be working with KMPG, Reframing Autism and the OTARC to develop the framework to measure and evaluate how the National Autism Strategy impacts Autistic lives, families and carers. It will establish reliable ways to track outcomes and progress of the Strategy.

Major objectives of the Evidence Framework are to: 1. Provide national leadership to develop strategic, robust data and evidence that continuously informs policies and practices that are inclusive and responsive to Autistic people and their families and carers and support networks. 2. Address significant data gaps that exist in relation to the needs, experiences and outcomes of Autistic people and their families and carers and support networks. 3. Build capacity to measure relevant experiences and outcomes for Autistic people of different ages and circumstances, including intersectional groups identified in the Strategy. 4. Understand how place impacts on outcomes and experiences of Autistic people living in different locations and parts of Australia. 5. Support the development of evidence informed approaches to policy and practices by establishing indicators, outcome measures and data sets for the life of the Strategy. Provide for national independent monitoring and reporting on identified outcomes in the Strategy. 7. Drive co-produced research that builds capability and understanding of the experience of Autistic people in relation to the Strategy’s key themes. 8. Inform the effective, efficient and thoughtful application of funding and resources to advance the vision, purpose and priorities of the Strategy, and continuous quality improvement over the life of the Strategy.

Evaluation and Reporting The Evaluation Plan will outline how Government will measure the impact of actions under the Strategy on achieving the Strategy’s goal of improving life outcomes for all Autistic people. The Evaluation Good Practice Guide Checklist developed under ADS will underpin the approach to evaluation activities. Evaluation activities will be both quantitative and qualitative. Consistent with the commitment to accountability, evaluation reports will be publicly available.

Autism Knowledge Hub

The Australian Autism Knowledge Hub (AAKH) @ The Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre is a new national initiative with one clear goal: to turn autism research into real‑life change.

The Hub will bring together Autistic people, families, researchers, service providers and communities to make sure research does not stay in academic journals, but is shared, understood and used to improve everyday life. The Hub will be co-designed from the outset with the Autistic and the broader autism community.

AABA is a member of the Advisory Panel which has been established to guide the Hub’s work and help ensure it stays grounded in lived experience.

Learn more

Autism Advisory Group

The Autism Advisory Group (AAG) was established in 2018 to provide advice and guidance to the NDIA on a broad range of matters related to how to deliver the best outcomes for Autistic children and adults through the NDIS.

The AAG provides an important advisory function to the NDIA in the following areas:

Provide expert advice to the NDIA on delivering the best outcomes for Autistic adults and children.
Identify emerging issues and concerns in relation to the design, development and implementation of the NDIS for Autistic people, and collaborate with the NDIA to determine solutions.
Assist the NDIA to provide clear and consistent communications to Autistic people and their families about the NDIS.