SA begins nation-first pilot to help infants with autism

A pilot program designed to support babies showing early signs of autism and their families has been launched in South Australia

Transcript

00:00 The program was a key recommendation in the state's Royal Commission into Early Childhood

00:06 Education and Care.

00:07 Up to 1,300 South Australian families will be amongst the first to benefit from the nearly

00:13 $15 million program that is being funded by both the state and federal governments.

00:20 The program will use short videos to help parents better understand their baby's thoughts

00:24 and feelings and the different ways that their babies communicate and the importance of interaction

00:30 as well.

00:31 It is going to be delivered by the state government in conjunction with the Telethon Kids Institute

00:38 across the northern parts of Adelaide and also the lower air and the far north of the

00:43 state as well.

00:45 The pilot will focus on those families of First Nations families as well as those culturally

00:52 and linguistically diverse and those who have a low socioeconomic background.

00:58 Emily Burke, the Assistant Minister, we heard from her earlier today.

01:04 She said this program is about giving the parents they need to help better understand

01:08 their children.

01:10 Those trials showed that a child is less likely to meet the requirements of a medical autism

01:16 diagnosis by 66%.

01:20 And further, they also found that a child is less likely to need ongoing support as

01:25 they grow and develop.

01:27 Because what we are doing is giving tools to the parent so that they can better understand

01:32 their child so the child can reach their individual potential.

01:36 There is going to be a second pre-emptive program that is going to be announced later

01:42 this year.

01:42 [BLANK_AUDIO]