Autism Support Australia: Challenges, Innovation & the NDIS | Podcast

In this episode of the Steadway NDIS Podcast, Chris Hall sits down with Jacqui Borland, CEO of Aspect, one of Australia’s leading autism-specific organisations. 

Together, they explore the evolving understanding of autism, the importance of strengths-based and neuroaffirming practice, and the growing need for inclusive communities beyond traditional therapy models. Jacqui shares insights from more than 25 years in the autism sector, discussing everything from foundational supports and the proposed Thriving Kids program through to sensory-friendly environments, autism inclusion in mainstream settings, and the realities families face navigating the NDIS. 

The conversation also dives into lived experience, late diagnosis, workforce challenges, co-design, evidence-based practice, language and identity, school transitions, and the future of autism supports in Australia. 

Topics covered include: 

• Neuroaffirming practice
• Strengths-based autism support
• Thriving Kids & foundational supports
• Community inclusion & sensory-friendly environments
• Autism and identity-first language
• NDIS workforce challenges
• School-to-adulthood transitions
• Evidence-based practice & co-design
• Autism inclusion in mainstream society 

Whether you’re a provider, parent, autistic individual, clinician, educator, or simply interested in the future of disability support in Australia, this episode offers practical insights and thoughtful perspectives from one of the sector’s leading voices. 

Chris Hall:

Welcome to the Steadway NDIS Podcast. My name is Chris Hall, your host, and today I’m honoured to have Jacqui Borland on the podcast, who is the CEO of Aspect. 

For those of you who may not know, Aspect is one of Australia’s largest autism-specific service providers, spanning services as well as education. 

Jacqui has a fascinating background, with more than 25 years across various levels of leadership. Today we’re going to talk about what Aspect does, what supporting autistic people really means, and what lies ahead for the broader community and industry of NDIS providers. 

So Jacqui, welcome to the podcast. It’s a real pleasure to have you on. 

Jacqui Borland:
Thank you. It’s a pleasure to be here. 

Personal Connection to Autism 

Chris Hall:
Now listen, I’m neurospicy myself. I’m autistic, and my son is also on the scheme and autistic too. So this stuff is close to home. 

It’s been a very interesting journey as a middle-aged man getting diagnosed two years ago and looking in the mirror and going, “That’s Daddy too.” 

So I truly get the journey myself, and it’s really interesting as an NDIS provider to also support clients of ours who are neurodivergent in various forms. 

This is a very real conversation for us as a company and also individually, so it means a lot to have this conversation. 

Jacqui Borland:
And look, I also have a middle-aged son now who is autistic, and that’s really what started my connection to autism a long, long time ago. 

My background is in education, but that personal connection was the beginning of the journey for me. A lot of things have changed over that time. 

So yes, I’m really interested to see where our conversation goes today. 

Chris Hall:
Absolutely — and thanks for sharing that, because often there’s a personal connection of some kind, right? There’s always a “why,” isn’t there? 

Jacqui Borland:
Yeah, absolutely. 

A Different Brilliance 

Chris Hall:
If we think about what Aspect does — the purpose of the organisation is “A Different Brilliant®”, right? 

That’s one of the phrases you use now, recognising the strengths and aspirations of autistic people. Of course, there are also challenges, and it’s called a spectrum for a reason. 

I’m quite hyper-verbal and I’ve got my own challenges, but autism expresses itself so individually. 

So with that motto, so to speak, how do you bring those ideas to life across such a large and diverse organisation? 

Jacqui Borland:
“A Different Brilliant®” has been our purpose for over ten years now, and it absolutely lives and breathes as the DNA inside Aspect and across all of the services and supports we provide. 

As you said, there’s a huge diversity amongst autistic people and their support needs. But underpinning our purpose is the idea that no matter who you’re working with or what you’re doing, starting from a strengths-based approach is the best way forward. 

We all do best when people start with what we’re interested in, what motivates us, and what we want to do. That’s how you get the best out of people. 

So that approach lives and breathes in the individual programs we provide — designing supports around people’s strengths, interests, and motivations. It influences the way we present materials and how we structure supports. 

Within our NDIS services, we also work with participants based on their individual goals, strengths, interests, and motivations. 

We use the same philosophy across our awareness campaigns and fundraising campaigns as well. 

Really, it reflects a major shift I’ve seen over the last 25-plus years in the autism sector — moving away from a deficit-focused approach about what autistic people “can’t do” toward a strengths-based perspective. 

Self-Awareness and Strengths 

Chris Hall:
Absolutely — and I love that. 

Relating it to my own personal journey, I kind of feel like I’ve finally landed on my feet now in my early 40s. I’ve always had a passion for strategy, business, and empowering people, and then all of a sudden I found myself coaching in the NDIS and setting up a provider business. 

I thought, “Oh my goodness, this is my sweet spot.” 

It’s meaningful because I get to positively impact people’s lives while also expressing all the geeky IT and strategy things I love. 

Sure, I know my strengths — like yesterday, I worked ten hours straight hyper-focusing and was absolutely knackered by the evening. But I also know the cost of that. 

That’s why I bring up self-awareness. There are really two types of awareness, right? 

There’s awareness for non-autistic people, where they can become more inclusive and understanding. But there’s also self-awareness — understanding your own strengths, needs, limits, and triggers. 

This is something I’m continuously discovering myself. I married an empath for a reason — she helps me understand my own feelings and experiences. 

So for individuals, understanding both what works for them and what doesn’t is really empowering. 

For example, my dogs absolutely do my head in when I walk through the door and they’re barking loudly. That sensory overload is real for me. 

Could we unpack that a little more at the individual level — the role of self-awareness and how that empowers people? 

Jacqui Borland:
Absolutely. 

I think it starts with understanding things from the individual’s perspective, rather than designing a service or a program and expecting people to fit into it. 

Historically, many autistic people experienced exactly that — being forced into environments or systems that didn’t fit them. The old saying was like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. 

The more we can help autistic children from a young age — or support families with young children — to identify interests, strengths, communication styles, and motivations, the better outcomes we can create. 

Even for children who don’t use verbal language, there are still many ways they communicate what they enjoy, what they’re interested in, and what they’re good at. 

We all have areas where we thrive and areas where we struggle. 

Helping parents and individuals recognise those strengths allows us to build confidence, self-esteem, and self-awareness over time. That’s very much how we approach things. 

Thriving Kids and Foundational Supports 

Chris Hall:
Love it. 

Now, Aspect is obviously a huge organisation and a leading one in Australia. What are your thoughts and feelings around the Thriving Kids program? 

Jacqui Borland:
We do have a position on Thriving Kids. 

One thing we’ve seen since the introduction of the NDIS is a gradual reduction in foundational community supports — the kinds of supports families used to access outside the NDIS ecosystem. 

We know that in order to get the NDIS across the line politically, states and territories were effectively promised they could reduce spending elsewhere. The result is that the NDIS became the central place for support. 

So now, if parents have a young child with developmental delay or autism, the pathway to support is often: get an NDIS package, then become a case manager and find therapists yourself. 

What’s been missing is early support for families when developmental concerns first emerge. 

The opportunity with Thriving Kids is potentially putting some of that support back into the ecosystem so the NDIS isn’t the only pathway for support. 

Chris Hall:
Yeah, exactly. And I think it’s so crucial. 

My wife and I have our own hypotheses about my daughter at the moment — possibly autism, possibly ADHD — and we’re currently going through the diagnostic process. We’re about to get the results soon. 

It’s cost us three-and-a-half thousand dollars. 

That’s such a huge economic barrier, never mind the emotional barrier and the knowledge barrier for so many parents. 

It can be a journey just to even embrace the idea that your child might be neurodivergent. But I think if Thriving Kids can genuinely address that initial stage — understanding developmental or diagnostic status — that would be a real breakthrough. 

So I think that starting point of the whole journey is absolutely crucial. 

Jacqui Borland:
Absolutely. And I also want to acknowledge that there’s a lot of concern in the community about Thriving Kids, and we recognise that as well. 

We absolutely need to ensure that people who genuinely need individualised supports are not diverted away from the NDIS. 

Our position is that Thriving Kids should be an addition to the ecosystem — not something that removes supports from people who need them. 

And we understand that the way it has been announced, how quickly it’s been developed, and the fact that every conversation about Thriving Kids is tied to conversations about NDIS sustainability, has understandably created anxiety. 

But foundational supports absolutely should exist within local communities. 

They should exist in places like early childhood playgroups and community environments — supporting inclusion for families from the very beginning. 

That sort of support is essential, and that’s what we hope will emerge through Thriving Kids. 

Inclusion Beyond Therapy 

Chris Hall:
Nice. And if you think about strategic transformation and the way the whole sector is evolving — both inside Aspect and outside of Aspect — apart from Thriving Kids, what are the most exciting innovations you’re seeing right now? 

Jacqui Borland:
One of the biggest shifts I’ve seen over my years working in autism services is that we’ve moved from focusing only on the individual to also recognising how much work needs to happen within the broader community itself. 

There’s as much work to do around inclusion and making communities accessible as there is around individual supports and therapies. 

That’s actually some of the most exciting work Aspect is doing now. 

We continue to provide schools, education, therapies, and NDIS services — so we continue supporting individuals and families directly — but we’re also increasingly working with communities themselves. 

That includes transport systems, airports, railways, museums, zoos, retail environments, and now increasingly mainstream healthcare settings. 

This work is about helping society become more inclusive for autistic people — and ultimately, that benefits everyone. 

Importantly, all of that work starts with co-design. It starts with autistic people themselves. 

We have teams of autistic people at Aspect who lead and shape this work for us. 

At the end of the day, autistic people and their families want access to the same things everyone else has access to, and the more we can support that, the better. 

Hidden Disabilities and Community Inclusion 

Chris Hall:
Exactly. 

A practical example for me was when we went to the Gold Coast during the school holidays. I spotted the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Scheme in the airport. 

My son is still young, so I explained it to him and said, “Mate, if you want, we can go to the autism room if you need a break.” 

He looked at me and said, “What does that mean?” 

So I explained it to him, and he went, “Oh, that sounds amazing.” 

We agreed that if he wanted one of those sunflower lanyards, we’d get one for him. 

Those grassroots, practical things are so important. 

And even things like Woolworths and Coles introducing quiet shopping hours — it’s really nice to see those changes happening. 

Jacqui Borland:
Yeah, absolutely. 

We’ve worked with all of the airports and supported the implementation of the sunflower program in those environments. 

I’m always surprised now by just how many people are wearing sunflower lanyards whenever I travel. It’s really taken off. 

We’ve also been working with stadiums, and one of the things they’re introducing are quiet spaces or retreat rooms — places where autistic people or families can go if they need a sensory break. 

And it’s amazing hearing feedback from families saying things like: 

“I was able to attend a concert because I knew there was somewhere safe I could go if I became overwhelmed.” 

Sometimes people don’t even end up needing the room — just knowing it’s available reduces anxiety enough to make participation possible. 

That’s huge. 

It means people are able to access the community, and that’s exactly what we want. 

Chris Hall:
Exactly. 

Another example from the Gold Coast was some of the theme parks. You could go to guest services and receive support with queues and sensory overwhelm. 

Again — just lovely practical inclusion. 

Evidence-Based Practice and Research 

Chris Hall:
Now shifting into evidence-based practice… 

There’s so much information online these days — blogs, social media, opinions — and some of it is evidence-based while some of it really isn’t. 

It can be difficult for families to know what’s credible and what isn’t. 

Evidence-informed practice is obviously central to what Aspect does. 

Are there any examples where evidence-based research has genuinely reshaped how supports are delivered? 

Jacqui Borland:
Absolutely. 

At Aspect, evidence-based and evidence-informed practice underpins everything we do. 

We’re not interested in research that simply sits on a shelf. We want research that informs practice, improves programs, and leads to better outcomes for autistic people and families. 

We have our own research team at Aspect, and they’re incredible. They absolutely punch above their weight and collaborate closely with major Australian and international universities. 

Often, when we’re developing a new support or initiative, we start with research grounded in lived experience. 

And importantly, that research is always co-designed with autistic people. We don’t decide what the important questions are ourselves — autistic people help define those priorities. 

A really good example is a project we did around pregnancy and early parenthood. 

Research showed that autistic people often experience significant barriers during pregnancy and early parenting — sensory overload, communication challenges, higher rates of anxiety and depression, and poorer experiences within maternity care systems. 

So we undertook research into autistic people’s lived experiences in that area. 

From that, we developed a Pregnancy and Parenthood Hub — an online platform with resources specifically designed for autistic people during pregnancy and early parenthood. 

We also partnered with healthcare professionals and maternity hospitals to provide training and improve inclusivity within maternity care. 

It’s really about identifying barriers first, then designing practical supports and partnerships that address those barriers. 

And importantly, those resources are freely available. 

Chris Hall:
Wow. I love how intentional and practical that process is. 

You’re not just creating ideas — you’re solving real-world problems in people’s lives. I think that’s where genuine buy-in comes from: pragmatism and usefulness. 

Because ultimately people are asking: “What helps me? What solves this challenge in my life?” 

And that’s really powerful. 

Chris Hall:
Going back to the NDIS landscape — I think people sometimes understandably freak out because it’s constantly shifting. 

There’s always something happening. Funding changes get dropped in like a grenade and the sector is expected to adapt overnight. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. 

Personally, I’ve kind of become used to the ever-changing landscape now. We definitely have to adapt as providers. 

But from Aspect’s perspective, what are the biggest opportunities and challenges in the NDIS landscape specifically for autistic participants? 

Jacqui Borland:
I think the challenges probably outweigh the opportunities — so well done on staying optimistic about all of it. 

But the opportunity is always there to provide really high-quality, strengths-based, neurodiversity-affirming, autism-specific supports that genuinely start with the goals and aspirations of the individual. 

That opportunity always exists. 

The challenge is achieving that consistently within the realities of the NDIS. 

Workforce is always a major issue for us, and I think capability and understanding around autism across the broader sector can also be challenging. 

And then there are the challenges participants and families face around funding, packages, navigating systems, and finding suitable providers. 

So yes, there are many challenges — but we’re all trying to evolve and improve so we can continue delivering the supports people genuinely need. 

Complexity, Funding, and Provider Pressures 

Chris Hall:
Let me throw something into the mix and see what you think. 

As a provider ourselves, we currently support both under-18s and adults. But being radically honest, we’re strategically shifting to primarily focus on adults. 

And I’m not just talking about autism — I mean disability provision generally. 

One of the big challenges with under-18s is that they’re minors. Understandably, there are extra dimensions and responsibilities involved. 

Consistency becomes incredibly important. But there can sometimes be a lack of appreciation that staff get sick, go on leave, or move on — so it can’t always be “Bob” or “Susan” every single time. 

That rigidity can create instability and relationship breakdowns from a service delivery perspective. 

Adults often have a greater ability to understand that support may involve a team of workers rather than one consistent individual forever. 

At the same time, because of the parental responsibility principle, families often end up with very limited core funding budgets because parents are expected to provide most informal supports. 

So there’s this irony where providers are expected to deliver more complex support requirements with fewer resources and smaller budgets. 

And for families dealing with intense situations or potential carer burnout, it becomes incredibly difficult. 

It just feels like a really hard thing to reconcile sometimes. 

Jacqui Borland:
I think you’re right. 

And honestly, some of those same challenges can also apply to autistic adults as well. 

What we see as an autism-specific provider is that we often support people with very complex needs and multiple co-occurring conditions. 

Smaller providers sometimes make strategic decisions around who they can support — whether that’s adults versus children, or participants with higher complexity. 

Often that’s because they don’t necessarily have the expertise, experience, or resources required, and because the funding within plans is not always sufficient for the level of support needed. 

As a larger autism-specific provider, we often end up doing a lot of that heavy lifting — and we want to do that. We see that as part of our role. 

But one of the longstanding issues within the NDIS is that historically there hasn’t been enough differentiation in pricing and funding between participants with highly complex support needs and those with less complexity. 

So naturally, some providers choose not to support those participants, which places greater pressure on organisations like ours. 

It’s a very interesting space. 

We’re also closely watching the upcoming registration changes and the NDIA’s Quality Therapy Pilot, which Aspect is participating in. Hopefully that work will create a better understanding of the real resources required to provide quality, complex supports. 

Chris Hall:
Absolutely. 

And perhaps there’s also a distinction between larger organisations and not-for-profits, where there’s a strong mission-driven focus. 

Of course private providers can also be mission-focused, but the reality remains: often you’re being asked to do substantially more with fewer resources and lower budgets. 

And I think this isn’t just an autism-specific issue — it’s a broader NDIS problem around differentiation, funding relativity, and sustainability. 

Jacqui Borland:
Exactly. 

Our mindset is very much purpose-driven. But at the same time, we still have to make ends meet. We don’t have an endless piggy bank. 

So yes — it’s very challenging for all providers. 

Foundational Supports and the Future 

Chris Hall:
Okay, so amongst all these challenges — if you could wave a magic wand and fix one thing… 

I’m putting you on the spot here. 

What would be the one systemic issue you’d fix for autism-specific support and the broader ecosystem? 

Jacqui Borland:
I actually think you touched on it earlier. 

It’s the broader ecosystem of foundational supports alongside individualised supports. 

Through the development of the NDIS, we’ve seen a gradual vacuum emerge where community and family supports disappeared. 

When I was a parent of a young autistic child, there were many more local supports available — playgroups, community programs, family supports. Much of that is far less available now. 

And that has placed enormous pressure on the NDIS to become everything. 

So I think there’s reason to be cautiously optimistic that foundational supports are finally being reconsidered. 

There’s obviously a lot of work to do, and it won’t be perfect overnight. But if foundational supports existed properly — not just for young children through Thriving Kids, but for older individuals as well — it would create a much healthier ecosystem. 

If people could access meaningful supports in their local communities and mainstream services, it would reduce pressure on the NDIS while improving outcomes overall. 

Chris Hall:
I hope so. 

And forgive me for being slightly cynical for a second, but I just hope it’s not rearranging chairs on the Titanic. 

We don’t want to simply shift the problem somewhere else without genuinely solving it. 

Jacqui Borland:
And look — yes — there is obviously a financial dimension to all of this. 

But for me, the financial side shouldn’t be the reason we do it. 

The reason should be making sure people actually have the services and supports they need around them. 

Autism is lifelong. Many autistic people will always require individualised supports, and the NDIS will remain incredibly important in helping them achieve the lives they want and deserve. 

Neuroaffirming Practice 

Chris Hall:
Let’s make a distinction for a second between accommodations and neuroaffirming practice. 

An accommodation might be something like sensory supports at school. My son had a teepee in kindy where he could go for a sensory break if needed — which absolutely melted my heart. 

But beyond accommodations, there’s also the idea of neuroaffirming practice itself. 

So outside of accommodations, what are some practical ways organisations can genuinely embrace neuroaffirming practice? 

Jacqui Borland:
I think the more neuroaffirming your practices are, the fewer separate accommodations people may need because the environment itself already supports inclusion. 

It starts with working alongside neurodivergent people and understanding things from lived experience. 

That includes language, sensory considerations, assumptions about expectations, communication styles — all of it. 

You need feedback from autistic people themselves to understand where barriers exist and what may need to change. 

At its core, it’s universal design. 

It’s asking: 

• What language are we using?  

• What assumptions are we making?  

• What expectations are we placing on people?  

• How are we building from strengths instead of deficits?  

It’s not about “fixing” people. It’s about understanding where someone is starting from and working collaboratively with them toward the next step. 

Language and Identity 

Chris Hall:
I’ll give you a real-life example from my own life. 

Sometimes my wife might say, “You’re obsessing over that.” 

And I’ll explain to her that to me, “obsessing” feels like rejection or criticism. 

From my perspective, I’m not obsessing — I’m focusing deeply. I’m hyper-focused and intellectually engaged with a particular detail, and my brain genuinely struggles to move on until it’s resolved. 

That’s a good example of how awareness and language matter. 

Jacqui Borland:
Absolutely. 

Autistic adults are often the people who help us understand where we can improve neuroaffirming practice. 

Even language has evolved dramatically over the years. 

When I first started working in autism, we commonly said “autistic people.” Then that became discouraged in favour of “people with autism.” Then “people on the autism spectrum.” And now many people prefer identity-first language again. 

At Aspect, we try to be respectful of what individuals and families prefer. 

For some families with young children, language evolves as they process and understand their own journey. 

It’s a very sensitive and important area. 

Chris Hall:
Absolutely. 

And just to clarify, I’m not trying to make sweeping claims on behalf of everyone. I’m speaking from my own personal experience as someone diagnosed later in life. 

There are so many different lived experiences and perspectives within autism. 

And yes — there are moments where autism absolutely feels disabling for me too. 

It’s complex. 

Jacqui Borland:
It really is. 

And we have to be careful not to oversimplify that complexity, because different people and families experience autism very differently. 

Transitioning Into Adulthood 

Chris Hall:
One final topic — transitions. 

Moving from school into adulthood can be incredibly difficult for autistic individuals and families. 

How is Aspect helping support that transition? 

Jacqui Borland:
It can absolutely feel like falling off a cliff. 

Even for students who struggled at school, there’s still predictability, routine, structure — and then suddenly that disappears. 

From around Years 9 and 10 onwards, our schools place a strong emphasis on employment readiness and work skills. 

We’re fortunate to have wonderful philanthropic partners who support those programs. 

Again, it starts with interests and strengths. We work with students to identify what genuinely interests them and then connect those interests to opportunities in the community. 

Many students spend time in supported work placements during their senior years to gradually build confidence and skills over time. 

Some of our schools also run coffee vans where students learn barista skills and then take those experiences into the community. 

We also partner increasingly with TAFEs and universities to help make campuses more autism-friendly and inclusive. 

And through NDIS-funded programs, we also run practical community-based supports around cooking, shopping, gardening, fitness, and social participation. 

Chris Hall:
One of the biggest things I’ve taken from this conversation is the importance of co-design and genuinely starting from the perspective of the individual. 

Thank you, Jacqui. This has been incredibly insightful and has given me a much deeper appreciation for the breadth and depth of the work Aspect is doing. 

Jacqui Borland:
Thank you. 

And I also don’t want smaller providers to feel overwhelmed by this conversation. 

There are many small practical things organisations can do simply by listening to autistic people, understanding lived experience, and viewing things from a different perspective. 

It doesn’t always require redesigning everything from scratch. 

Small changes can make a very meaningful difference. 

 Chris Hall:
Exactly. 

Fantastic. 

Well, Jacqui Borland from Aspect, thank you so much again for joining us today. 

This has been the Steadway NDIS Podcast. My name is Chris Hall, your host. 

Please like, comment, subscribe, share — all that fun stuff. 

And Jacqui, I look forward to hopefully meeting you in person sometime soon. 

Hope you have a wonderful weekend ahead. 

Steadway supports people with disability to live independent, meaningful lives on their own terms. As a registered NDIS provider and SDA specialist, we deliver high-quality, personalised supports and acoommodation designed around each person’s goals, needs, and aspirations. 

We proudly serve Sydney’s Sydney and Hornsby, as well as the Central Coast, Lake Macquarie, Newcastle, and the Hunter Valley. Our experienced team is committed to compassionate, reliable, and forward-thinking disability support—focused on building trust, consistency, and real outcomes that last.