The inquiry found shortcomings in existing services for autistic people, primarily arising from workforces lacking capability to deal with their needs. Testimonials given by autistic people, carers, parents and service providers identified numerous barriers to engaging with workforces in services provided by the Victorian Government and by private providers.
Developing responsive workforces that can engage positively with autistic people is essential to the success of many commitments laid out in this plan.
A necessary first step in building the capacity of workforces is articulating the behaviours, skills and attributes that workforces need in order to serve autistic people effectively.
1.4 Increase skills and knowledge across key workforces
- Develop an autism workforce capability framework, outlining the understanding and skills required to meet the needs of people with autism across key workforces, including health, mental health, public transport, justice, housing, family and community services
- The capability framework, which has now been finalised, will be used across government to inform capability uplift initiatives across all relevant workforces.
- Workforces that are primarily in scope for this capability framework are health, allied health, mental health, community services, public transport and justice. However, the framework is intended to be broadly applicable to other workforces, including non-government workforces.
- A typical capability framework describes all the capabilities required for a discrete role or function. This capability framework, however, describes only the skills, knowledge, attributes and behaviours required by the many roles for the workforces in scope for working or interacting with autistic people. Guidance about capabilities required for clinical applications such as diagnosis or specialist autism treatment and management is outside of the scope of the framework.
Updated