'Thrown Out Into the World': Transition to Post Schooling for Autistic Young People

Autistic Young People in Australia experience poorer employment outcomes upon transition out of school than their non-disabled peers. This can lead to significant disadvantages in terms of financial, social, physical and mental well being as they may not be able to experience the benefits of work. the transition from school to post-school has been identified as a period where Autistic young people do not receive adequate support and, regrettably, understanding how to improve support remains a gap in the research literature. The introduction of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) changed the funding landscape for Autistic young people in terms of the supports they may be eligible to receive, leaving potential gaps in support at a critical time in an Autistic Young Person's life. This research was co-produced and adopted a qualitative methodology and aimed to understand the perspectives and experiences of key stakeholders (Autistic Young People, Parent/Carers, Educators and Disability Employment Service Providers) around the transition of Autistic young people from school to post-school education and employment options. Reflective Thematic Analysis was adopted to analyse transcribed interview data from 39 participants across the four stakeholder groups. Key Findings indicated the uniqueness of young autistic peoples' experiences and their desire to prove themselves as well as the importance of harnessing autistic strengths and interests and the need for early, collaborative transition planning. It calls attention to gaps in transition, including delayed planning, limited and inconsistent supports, siloed approaches to transition planning, strain on families and the impact of ongoing stigma and discrimination toward neurodivergent people. Recommendations are posed to optimise post school transition. This study contributes new knowledge to the evidence base surrounding the transition of Autistic Young People out of school. It highlights recommendations for research, policy, education, and practice to improve outcomes for Autistic Young People