TCELT research seminar - 7 February 2024

Young people with autism and their circle of support share their perceptions of how Australia’s approach to individualised funding – the National Disability Insurance Scheme, is supporting their transition from school to life after school.

Marie Huska is a Research Assistant with the Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, Centre for Health Policy, Disability and Health Unit, at the University of Melbourne. Marie’s disciplinary background is in nursing and midwifery, including extensive experience working with people marginalised within health and other social systems, particularly people with disability. Since moving into academia in 2020, her focus has been to engage in research examining how the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is working, including at its interface with mainstream systems, to support outcomes across all life domains for people with disability. Marie’s special interest is in research which aims to support health outcomes for autistic young people moving towards their adult life. Marie has recently commenced a PhD examining the NDIS and Primary Health System interface, through the experiences of Autistic youth NDIS participants. 

In 2013 the Australian government launched the National Disability Insurance Scheme. Its purpose: to enable the inclusion of people with disabilities in the social and economic life of our community. NDIS participant data reports autism as the most frequently identified primary disability. Over the next decade, many of these participants will transition from school into their adult life. Evidence indicates that insufficient supports during this period exacerbate the unique developmental, health and mental health challenges often experienced by Autistic youth. To better understand their school to life-after-school transition aspirations and experiences, the research undertaken prioritised the voice of Autistic youth NDIS participants. The aim was to identify how the NDIS may influence these experiences, to inform future NDIS policy and practice. I will identify key government activities completed or in progress since completion of the research and identify where my recently commenced PhD study sits within these activities.

Huska, M., Devine, A. and Naccarella, L., 2023. ‘If there is a Dream there, Don’t Squash it!’: School to Life-after-School Transition Experiences of Autistic Youth within Australia’s National Disability Insurance Scheme.  International Journal of Educational and Life Transitions,  2(1), p.22. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5334/ijelt.58

This talk will take place on Microsoft Teams.