Lay summary
Supports for autistic children in Aotearoa do not currently meet the needs of the community. This is partly due to the absence of neurodiversity-affirming, culturally appropriate measures. Most measures of supports are based on deficit-focussed, Western understandings of autism, which do not align with the priorities of the community in Aotearoa and, particularly, those of Māori and Pacific peoples.
The project will involve three separate autism, Māori, and Pacific advisory rōpū (groups) who will decide on priority, meaningful support outcomes for autistic children, and appropriate and effective ways of measuring these outcomes. These rōpū will be facilitated by researchers who are members of the respective communities. The research team will then discuss the identified outcomes and measurement approaches with key stakeholders in the Wellington region and begin to assess perceptions of the wider community. This will provide a strong foundation for further larger-scale health delivery research and grant funding.