After starting this column in late January, I received inquiries from readers and engaged in in-depth discussions with parents of individuals with autism. These interactions have given me further insights into the support programs currently being launched by Rejoice.
A 74-year-old father emailed with a query. During our phone call, he shared that his 37-year-old son had worked as a teacher after graduating from university but had few friends. After the COVID-19 pandemic, he began isolating himself at home, becoming addicted to the internet, refusing to talk with family, and cutting off contact with friends. He asked if our program could help his “autistic” son. I could hear his deep concern, knowing his advancing age made him uneasy about his son’s future, hoping someone could offer support. As a father myself, I deeply felt his anxiety—the helplessness and sorrow of seeing his son become isolated from others, knowing he himself would one day depart and be unable to do more for his son. However, his son did not exhibit obvious symptoms of autism. Perhaps his son needed a counselor’s assistance to uncover the reasons behind his withdrawal and refusal to share his inner world, which would allow for more effective support.
Our program supports individuals assessed by professionals as having autism who, from childhood, failed to acquire appropriate social skills through life experiences. We aim to better prepare them for the workforce. This reader’s son’s issue seems unrelated to autism; it’s more likely a personal choice to live in isolation due to life experiences. Still, his son is undoubtedly a lonely person.
Children with Autism
Following Australia’s implementation of the NDIS, the proportion of children aged 5–7 assessed as having autism or developmental delays is exceptionally high: 13% of boys and 7% of girls in this age group. This rate is significantly higher than in other countries, leading many to question these assessments. The federal government’s current “Thriving Children” initiative aims to address these concerns. The government’s stance is that regardless of whether these children have developmental delays or autism, if their teachers, early childhood educators, doctors, or parents have reason to believe the child needs help, there should be no delay. The government should provide one to two years of support first, assess the situation, and then make a decision. The rationale is that professional assessments take time, and delaying support risks missing the window for intervention, potentially leading to greater burdens later. Under the principle of “better safe than sorry,” providing initial support allows reassessment when the child is older and the situation clearer, determining whether NDIS coverage is warranted. This approach becomes the solution.
This highlights how challenging it is to accurately diagnose autism in very young children. Parents, being the closest to their children, often lack the experience for objective assessment. Since the NDIS offers substantial resources to assist them, parents frequently perceive their child as having more “special” needs requiring support, leading them to be more proactive in seeking resources. Consequently, the likelihood of receiving an autism diagnosis in early childhood is often influenced by parents’ understanding of the NDIS and their level of advocacy.
This raises a critical question: Are these resources being utilized effectively? For those who secure NDIS funding, should resources be directed toward educating parents on general child development? Or should they focus on equipping parents to navigate the unique challenges of raising a child with developmental needs? Alternatively, should resources support parents in their day-to-day caregiving? Or should they be directed toward direct training for the children themselves? Or, as is currently the case with most NDIS support, allocated toward professional therapeutic activities or non-professional developmental activities? It appears the government lacks a clear plan for this, and NDIS participants are largely at the discretion of their parents.
Current policies indicate the government is willing to provide more support during the initial school adaptation phase. However, beyond this stage, continued assistance often requires additional assessments.
Autistic Individuals in Adolescence
By the adolescent years (ages 9-12), children often establish established social patterns. While parents continue daily care, these children develop greater self-care abilities. During this phase, parental regulation and management gradually decrease. Activities arranged for children increasingly consider their interests, capabilities, and preferences.
During this period, most parents have accepted their child’s autism diagnosis and increasingly seek additional activities or resources to support their child’s development. Unfortunately, systematic programs designed to promote social skills development remain scarce, and few organizations are willing to provide such services. Historically, these activities have relied on government funding allocated to organizations supporting children with autism. The implementation of the NDIS, in principle, offers more possibilities for adolescents at this stage. Yet, in practice, we have not witnessed a significant emergence of such developmental support services.
Adolescents with Autism
After turning 12, adolescents with autism, like their peers, enter adolescence. They may exhibit rebellious behavior and begin to form ideas about their future development. Communication issues frequently lead to arguments between parents and adolescents during this period, often resulting in strained parent-child relationships.
While typical adolescents navigate this phase, parents and families of adolescents with autism often experience a deterioration in their close relationships that may prove difficult to repair later—a regrettable outcome. Parents during this period frequently lack awareness of available resources to support their child’s development.
Adolescents at this stage begin to have certain academic expectations, presenting greater challenges for those with autism. They often struggle to complete project-based assignments with peers and are more susceptible to being overlooked or bullied. Some experience declining academic performance and lose interest in learning. Interestingly, research indicates that individuals with autism exhibit two distinct peaks in intellectual ability: one at an IQ of 85 and another at an IQ of 115. This means that while a portion of them have intellectual abilities below average, an equal number possess above-average intelligence. However, this is not reflected in their academic performance. This indicates that many intellectually capable autistic adolescents fail to demonstrate their potential in school, resulting in average grades.
More often than not, their difficulty in establishing close communication with others makes learning itself challenging. Some feel the school system is unsuitable for them, opting instead for vocational training and abandoning further academic opportunities.
Can they find a job?
However, even with vocational training, it doesn’t guarantee that these autistic adolescents will be able to establish cooperative working relationships with others on the job. Consider this: if a young person has spent over a decade without training in social interaction, lacking practical social engagement and understanding, even completing secondary or tertiary education offers no guarantee they will collaborate seamlessly in the workplace.
Among parents inquiring about Rejoice’s training program, most have children in Year 12 or beyond. They express concerns about their children transitioning from school to the workforce, knowing that most employers require employees to possess basic interpersonal skills.
This precisely aligns with Rejoice’s program objectives. The NDIS does provide funding to support individuals with disabilities in transitioning from school to the workplace. However, most organizations focus on adaptation programs for individuals with physical disabilities or intellectual impairments, targeting repetitive and simpler tasks. For high-functioning individuals with autism, who often possess higher learning capabilities, suitable job training support is rarely provided. They frequently rely on their own efforts, resulting in an unemployment rate exceeding 20% among high-functioning autistic individuals—a deeply disappointing outcome.
It is evident that facilitating the transition of high-functioning autistic individuals into the workplace should not be overlooked. Given the significant investment made by society and parents in equipping them with knowledge and skills during their formative years, why can’t society allocate more resources to enable them to realize their potential, find fulfillment in their work, and contribute back to society?
For those interested in the program, contact raymond@sameway.com.au or 0422 871 799 for more details.
Mr. Raymond Chow