Focus Area 2: Ongoing actions
Commitment 1: Improve environments to support the inclusion of Autistic children and young people in our preschools, primary and secondary school settings.
Target
Improve in-classroom supports for Autistic students to support their individual needs.
Action
Continue to invest funding for access to an Autism Inclusion Teacher in public primary schools across South Australia.
Lead: Department for Education
Target Date: 2026
Action
Deploy School Services Officer (SSO) to improve in classroom supports and learning experiences for students.
Lead: Department for Education
Target Date: 2026
Target
Develop accessible educational settings to support student learning outcomes.
Action
Develop a publicly available 'Good Design Guide' for the fit out of learning environments that is evidence informed. This includes retreat and sensory spaces that provide for self-regulation and privacy as well as passive supervision, fit out, equipment, lighting, mechanical services and acoustics.
Lead: Department for Housing and Urban Development and Department for Education
Target Date: 2027
Commitment 2: Improve the knowledge and understanding of autism amongst our educators, support staff and those connected to our education and care settings.
Target
Provide Autism Awareness and Understanding training to educators in preschool, primary and secondary school settings in South Australia.
Action
Provide support to educators within the Autism Inclusion Teacher program to provide subject matter expertise and continuing education on autism awareness and understanding.
Lead: Office for Autism (Department of the Premier and Cabinet)
Target Date: 2026
Target
Improve the training and supports provided to educators in higher education settings.
Action
Collaborate with South Australian universities to deliver the Diverse Classroom project, preparing newly qualified teachers with training in autism awareness and understanding.
Lead: Office for Autism (Department of the Premier and Cabinet) and Department for Education
Target Date: 2026
Commitment 3: Identify ways to improve the transition between educational settings and beyond school.
Target
Embed autism inclusion into policies and procedures.
Action
Identify and promote successful inclusive practices, policies and strategies for Autistic students in primary and secondary schools that can be adapted and implemented across public schools in South Australia.
Lead: Department for Education
Target Date: 2026
Target
Collaborate with stakeholders to support Autistic students to transition between secondary education settings and higher education.
Action
Develop information sharing processes between TAFE SA and schools to ensure Autistic students have consistent continuity of support during transition.
Lead: TAFE SA
Target Date: 2026
Commitment 4: Implement neurodiversity-affirming supports and strategies, tailored to the individual, to ensure Autistic children and students receive the right supports for them.
Target
Explore strategies that are neurodiversity-affirming and focus on supporting Autistic students and their families and carers.
Action
Provide neurodiversity training for educators using a trauma informed practice lens to increase safe learning environments in preschool and primary school settings.
Lead: Department for Education
Target Date: 2027