Submission to the Public Consultation on Nationally Consistent Approaches to Community Visitor Schemes

“The Australian Autism Alliance welcomes the opportunity to respond to Discussion Paper 2: Strengthening disability safeguards through Community Visitor Schemes (CVS).

This submission is prepared with a particular focus on Autistic people, including those with high support and dependency needs, those who are non-verbal or use alternative communication (AAC), and their families and carers.

The Alliance’s work is guided by a focus on advancing systems that work for autism — ensuring that safeguarding mechanisms are not only present, but effective in practice, recognise diversity, respond to complexity, and deliver meaningful outcomes across the life course.

This submission supports the development of nationally consistent approaches to CVS and recognises their critical role as an independent, relational and preventative safeguard operating within a broader ecosystem of oversight and protection.”