Oxford Paediatric Autism Assessments

16/10/2026

Parent Feedback:

I cannot recommend Oxford Paediatric Autism Assessments highly enough to any family seeking an autism assessment for their child.

From our very first communication with Sarah, the Assessment Coordinator, the entire experience was incredibly positive. Sarah was wonderful throughout the booking process, providing excellent communication, guidance and support right up until our son’s assessment day.

When we arrived at the clinic, our son was experiencing extremely high levels of emotional distress, which made the prospect of completing his assessment quite challenging.

However, from the very beginning, Anthea and Brooke were absolutely fantastic. They immediately recognised and understood our son’s emotional state and rather than expecting him to adapt to the assessment process they adapted the assessment around his individual needs.

Their patience, compassion, understanding and flexibility made an enormous difference. What initially seemed like an assessment that might not be possible to complete turned into an incredibly positive experience.

By the time we finished our son had gone from being highly distressed to calm, comfortable and actively engaging with Anthea and Brooke. Seeing that transformation was wonderful and a real testament to their approach and understanding of autistic children.

The clinic itself is also exceptionally well set up. It provides a quiet, calming and welcoming environment with only the families attending assessments and the assessors present. This made a huge difference in reducing additional stress and sensory challenges particularly given our son’s emotional state when we arrived.

As parents of an autistic child, finding professionals who genuinely understand our children’s individual needs, rather than expecting them to fit into a standard process means so much to our family.

We honestly cannot thank Sarah, Anthea and Brooke enough for their professionalism, kindness, patience and genuine care towards our son and our family.

I would highly recommend Oxford Paediatric Autism Assessments to any parent or carer looking for a supportive, understanding and truly child centred assessment experience.

Thank you again for making what started as an extremely challenging day such a positive experience for our son and our family.

Send a message to learn more

01/10/2026

30/09/2026

OPAA would like to introduce our newest team member Ziggy! He is an Australian Cobberdog and will be arriving in November. He is currently undergoing a 28 day Stay and Train Program with Therapy Support Animals Australia (TASAA). We cannot wait for the cuddles, can you?

28/08/2026

07/08/2026

A kindy teacher emailed me concerned that parents were hearing that there was a 3 year wait to see a paediatrician and putting it in the too hard basket.

She asked if I could let families know that for those who can go privately, the wait time is often much faster. More like 3-6 months for an initial appointment.

And you do not always need to see a paediatrician.

∞ If you are seeking an autism assessment

Many autism assessments are completed by:
✅ Psychologists (clinical psychologist, neuropsychologist, educational and developmental psychologist
✅ Multidisciplinary teams (e.g. clinical psychologist + speech pathologist)

👉 Diagnostic requirements differ between systems (e.g. NDIS and the Department of Education). Check requirements early to ensure your chosen assessment pathway meets your intended support needs.

A paediatrician may be helpful if:
Your child has complex medical needs
You are also seeking ADHD medication
You would like a broader medical or developmental review

🧒 If your child is under 6 years of age
You may be able to access support without a diagnosis.

In Western Australia, the Early Childhood Approach supports young children with developmental delay or disability and their families. This pathway can help you access early intervention while you wait for specialist appointments (or without needing one at all).

👉 Your GP can help guide which pathway is most appropriate for your child.

The biggest message? A three year paediatrician wait doesn't mean there's nothing you can do for three years. There are other pathways, shorter private waits, and supports your child can access sooner.

Start with your GP to work out which pathway is right for your child. Then head to Perth Kids Hub to see what services and assessment options are available across Perth right now.

20/07/2026

Parent Feedback

"Thank you for your care, Sarah, Brooke and Anthea.

The whole process from initial contact to assessment and follow up has been seamless. Anthea and Brooke are fantastic and made my daughter feel very safe. Their understanding of subtle presentations is next level and as a parent I felt very heard.
Anthea assessed my son many years ago who also had a very subtle presentation and she was brilliant - I'm so glad I tracked her down again.

10/10 and highly recommended (I've already recommended to several people I know)."

😃 Thank you 😃

Send a message to learn more

27/06/2026

This week I sat down and read Autism CRC’s new National Guidance for Best Practice in Inclusive Education for Autistic Students.

And for the first time in a long time, I finished a government-funded education document feeling… cautiously optimistic.

Not because it’s perfect. But because, finally, we’re starting to see a shift away from trying to make autistic children fit schools, and towards asking schools to become places where autistic children can actually belong.

That distinction matters.

For years, families have been told their child needs to be “school ready.” Learn to sit still. Learn to cope. Learn to tolerate. Learn to behave.

Rarely have we asked whether the school itself is ready for autistic students. This guidance finally starts asking that question.

One of the biggest strengths of the document is that it moves away from viewing autism as a problem to be managed. Instead, it frames inclusion as a responsibility of the education system.

It talks about creating environments where autistic students experience safety, belonging, engagement and success, not simply attendance.

It acknowledges masking.
It acknowledges sensory differences.
It acknowledges that distress isn’t defiance.
It recognises that behaviour often reflects unmet needs rather than deliberate non-compliance.

As someone who spends every day supporting autistic children, adults and families, this was refreshing to see.

The document also takes a strong stance against practices that many families have been challenging for years.
Public behaviour charts.
Forced eye contact.
Punitive responses.
Shaming.
Compliance-focused approaches.
These are practices many autistic people have told us are harmful, and it’s encouraging to see national guidance beginning to reflect those lived experiences.

The thing I appreciated most wasn’t any individual recommendation. It was the overall philosophy.
Throughout the document there is an underlying message that inclusion isn’t achieved by changing autistic students. It’s achieved by changing systems.

That means classrooms.
Policies.
Teacher training.
Leadership.
School culture.

Because inclusion isn’t something a child earns by behaving well enough. It’s something schools are responsible for providing.

But here’s where I think it still falls short.
Like many guidance documents, it tells us what schools should do better. It doesn’t always tell schools how. Teachers are busy. Schools are under pressure. Many educators genuinely want to do the right thing. But they also need practical examples.
What do you actually say when a student is overwhelmed? How do you support a shutdown in the classroom? How do you respond to a child who refuses to enter the room? How do you distinguish distress from defiance in real time? Those day-to-day moments are where inclusion either succeeds or falls apart.

I also would have liked to see a much stronger emphasis on interoception. Interoception underpins emotional awareness, recognising hunger, thirst, pain, toileting needs, anxiety, fatigue and so much of what schools often interpret as “challenging behaviour.” We cannot continue talking about regulation without talking about interoception. The two are inseparable.

My hope is that this guidance doesn’t become another beautifully written document that sits on a shelf while schools continue suspending autistic students for disability-related behaviours. Because we’ve all seen that happen before. Policies change.
Practice doesn’t.

The true measure of this document won’t be how many downloads it gets. It will be whether autistic students experience fewer exclusions. Whether teachers receive meaningful training. Whether families stop having to fight for basic adjustments.
Whether children finally feel safe enough to learn.

Overall, I think Autism CRC has produced one of the strongest Australian guidance documents we’ve seen in inclusive education. It isn’t perfect. There are still gaps. Implementation will be everything. But it’s a significant step in the right direction.

Now the real work begins. Reading the document isn’t enough. Schools need to live it.
Because autistic students don’t need another policy promising inclusion.

They need classrooms that actually practise it.

20/06/2026

So what is profound autism, and why are some people against the term?

Profound autism is a term proposed by The Lancet Commission to describe autistic people with the highest support needs.

It refers to autistic people over the age of 8 who are minimally verbal or nonverbal, have significant intellectual disability, or both, and are likely to need 24-hour support throughout their lives.

It’s to describe someone cannnot safely advocate for themselves, communicate their needs, live independently, or be left without constant support.

Because when we talk about autism as one broad experience, people like my son are often left out.

They are left out of research. They are left out of advocacy. They are left out of policy conversations. They are left out of services designed for autistic people who can speak, self-advocate, live independently, or explain what they need.

Some people oppose the term because they worry it is stigmatizing or divisive. But lack of language can also harm people…

If we cannot name the level of support someone needs, how do we fight for the services that keep them safe?

For instance, when we did inclusive swimming lessons, it worked great for my son Jude (level 1) but so badly for Charlie (level 3) that he was kicked out.

Charlie needs 24/7 care. Acting like all autistic people need the same kind of support is just stupid and helps no one.

Maybe profound autism is not a perfect term. I don’t know. But the needs it describes are very real. And that’s a great start and I’m all for spilling the spectrum.

12/06/2026

Many children don’t 'ignore' the toilet… they simply don’t feel the signals in time.

If your child struggles with accidents, leaves it until the last minute, or found the transition from nappies harder than expected, this might be about interoception — not behaviour.

When we understand what’s happening inside the body, we can respond with support instead of frustration.

This post will help you see what your child might be experiencing, and give you practical strategies that actually make a difference.

22/04/2026

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆’𝘀 𝗡𝗗𝗜𝗦 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀

If you are a parent of a child with additional needs, today’s NDIS announcement may have landed with a thud.

Many families are already carrying a lot. Therapy. School. Reports. Finances. Big feelings. Uncertainty. The everyday work of raising a child who needs more support than most.

So, when a minister stands up and talks about tightening the NDIS, reducing growth and changing access, it is no surprise that parents feel worried.

Kids First founder, Sonja Walker, has heard and read what the Minister said and has created this quick summary for parents and professionals

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱-𝘂𝗽 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵

Over the past few weeks, there has been a steady drip of “insider” stories in the media about what today’s speech might include.

It is hard not to wonder whether some of that was allowed to leak out so the public would be a little less shocked when the full announcement came. Whether that was deliberate or simply the usual Canberra way of doing things, it did seem to soften the ground before today’s speech landed.

Even so, hearing it all brought together in one speech was still confronting for many families.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄

𝘛𝘰𝘥𝘢𝘺’𝘴 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘦𝘤𝘩 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥’𝘴 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘵.

What the Minister announced was a clearer picture of where planned changes appear to be heading.

Some parts of the Government’s plan are likely to move sooner, with legislation expected when Parliament returns for the Budget sittings from 12 May 2026.

At this stage, those earlier changes sound more like a crackdown on fraud, payment systems and areas of spending the Government says are out of control, rather than an immediate overhaul of support for most children already on the NDIS.

The bigger changes to eligibility still seem to be further down the track.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗿𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼

In plain English, the Government is saying that the NDIS will continue and will still grow, but that it has become:

🔹 too expensive
🔹 too vulnerable to fraud
🔹 too broad in who it supports

The Minister’s message was that the Scheme needs to be tightened so it can keep supporting people with permanent and significant disability into the future.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗶𝗴 𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗲𝗰𝗵

The Government is trying to:

🔹 reduce fraud and poor provider behaviour
🔹 slow down NDIS spending growth
🔹 tighten who can access the scheme
🔹 make providers and intermediaries more accountable

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗺𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗼𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗿

A few changes appear to be on the nearer horizon.

𝟭. 𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝘂𝗽𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗕𝘂𝗱𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀

The Minister said he intends to introduce legislation in the federal Budget sittings, beginning 12 May 2026.

𝟮. 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗱

The rollout of New Framework Planning (which has been talked about for a while now) has now been pushed back again to 1 April 2027.

𝟯. 𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲

There is an existing reform date already on the public record for mandatory registration from 1 July 2026 for:

🔹 Supported Independent Living providers
🔹 platform providers

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗿𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴

The parts of the speech likely to trouble families most are these:

🔹 tighter eligibility
🔹 a stronger focus on functional capacity
🔹 less reliance on diagnosis alone
🔹 more scrutiny of plan spending
🔹 cuts to growth in social and community participation funding

In simple terms, the Government is saying that future access should depend more on how significantly a person’s disability affects everyday life.

The Minister also made it clear that spending on social and community participation is going to be wound back, and that this will have a real impact on participant plans.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲𝗱

This is the part families need to keep in mind.

The speech gave a clear direction, but not all the practical detail.

Some of the biggest changes still need to be worked through, including:

🔹 the new functional capacity access model
🔹 the fine print of future eligibility rules
🔹 broader provider registration changes for higher-risk supports
🔹 the design of the Inclusive Communities Fund
🔹 changes to plan management and support coordination

So while the tone was very clear, many of the details families need are still not settled.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗞𝗶𝗱𝘀?

This is still a very important question.

Thriving Kids was not the focus of today’s speech. It was mentioned briefly, but not explained in a practical, detailed way.

And that is why many families are still uneasy.

There is still clearly a long way to go before parents can feel confident about:

🔹 what supports will sit outside the NDIS
🔹 where they will be available
🔹 when they will be available
🔹 how consistent they will be from one state to another

The official position remains that Thriving Kids has been agreed in principle, with staged rollout dates attached, but it is still being worked through with states and territories.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁

No one wants families to walk away from today thinking:

🔹 “My child is definitely losing their plan now.”
🔹 “Nothing outside the NDIS will be available.”
🔹 “Diagnosis no longer matters at all.”
🔹 “These changes are all settled and final already.”

That would be going further than the speech was actually saying.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗹𝘆

What I'd encourage families to take seriously is the direction in which the NDIS is heading.

The Government is signalling a stronger focus on:

🔹 functional impact, not just diagnosis
🔹 day-to-day disability-related needs
🔹 tighter scrutiny of plans and spending
🔹 clearer evidence about why supports are reasonable and necessary

So, if your child has an upcoming review, reassessment or access request, this is not the time for vague wording or broad statements.

You're likely to need stronger evidence than ever about how your child’s disability affects:

🔹 communication
🔹 learning
🔹 independence
🔹 emotional regulation
🔹 safety
🔹 participation
🔹 everyday family life

𝗔 𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗮𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱

Please don't panic.

Stay the course.

🩷 Keep loving your child.
🩷 Keep turning up.
🩷 Keep advocating.
🩷 Keep going to therapy.
🩷 Keep going to school meetings.
🩷 Keep asking sensible questions.
🩷 Keep good records.
🩷 Keep making sure your child’s needs are being described clearly and practically.

All of this still matters enormously.

𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗮 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘀, 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀

If you are one of the many professionals carrying families through this uncertain period, please hang in there too.

Keep doing what you are doing.

Children still need:

💚 good teaching
💚 good therapy
💚 calm, caring adults
💚 sensible planning
💚 practical support
💚 people who understand what day-to-day life is really like for them

Their need for 'lighthouses' who keep them safe has not changed.

𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗲 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘕𝘋𝘐𝘚 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨.

But it is clearly moving into a tighter phase. That likely means:

🔹 harder access for some groups over time
🔹 more emphasis on functional impact
🔹 greater scrutiny of budgets and plan spending
🔹 more pressure on families to provide clear, real-world evidence

For now, the wisest response is not fear.

It is steadiness.

🔹 Stay informed
🔹 Stay connected
🔹 Keep advocating
🔹 Keep supporting your child
🔹 Keep doing the work that matters

𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 - 𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗥 - 𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗲.