Practical Tools, Emotional Relief, and a Community That Understands Autism Parenting

The following quotes have been taken from the most current NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits 2025-26 Version 1.0 (published 16/06/2025)

Parent/Carer Training is still accessible through NDIS.
Carer/Parent Training line item  #15_038_0117_1_3  "Training for Carers in matters related to caring for a person with disability" is still a billable line item on page 99.

Under 'Other Supports'  Page 99 states:  "These support items assist the development of, or increase, a participant's skills and or capacity for independence and community participation."

What the Approved NDIS Support List Says and How We Fit In:

Early Intervention Supports for Early Childhood (0-9 years)

Support items that provides capacity building support in early childhood, including key worker, to assist a child (younger than 9) with developmental delay or disability and their family or carers in home, community and early childhood education settings, to work towards increased functional independence and social participation. (page 90).  

These support items can be delivered to individuals or groups subject to the rules set out in the NDIS Pricing Arrangement and Price Limits.  These support items can only be delivered by the following types of professionals:    Counsellor - a person who is a member of the Australian Counselling Association (page 91)

(Also Page 91) As well as direct service provision, these support items can be used to claim for:

• Non-Face-to-Face Support Provisions
  
  

Development of Daily Care and Life Skills (Therapy Supports 9 or older)

Maintenance care can be claimed against a participant's plan, where the primary purpose is to provide ongoing support for that participant to maintain a level of functioning including long erm therapy/support required to achieve small incremental gains or to prevent functional decline.  In general, maintenance therapy that is reasonable and necessary should be delivered by carers who are or can be trained in this if required.  These support items can also be used for the assessment, planning and delivery of Disability Health Supports where these supports directly relate to a participant's significant and permanent functional impairment and assist them to undertake activities of daily living. (Page 92)

These support items can be delivered to individuals or groups subject to the rules set out in the NDIS Pricing Arrangement and Price Limits.  These support items can only be delivered by the following types of professionals:    Counsellor - a person who is a member of the Australian Counselling Association (page 93)

As well as direct service provision, these support items can be used to claim for:

• Non-Face-to-Face Support Provisions (Page 94)

If you believe that this program fits your child's NDIS goals, you may be able to apply for a 'Plan Variation'. 

The NDIS website states: 

Plan variations
In some situations, we may be able to make changes to your plan without a full plan reassessment.

Under the NDIS Act, we can only vary a plan:

• To correct a minor or technical error.
• To change the reassessment date of the plan.
• If there needs to be a change to the statement of participant supports in relation to managing the funding for supports or other aspects of the plan.
• To make a change to an existing stated support to reflect a different provider or manner of support provision.
• If you require crisis or emergency funding as a result of a significant change to your support needs.
• If we receive new information in response to a NDIA request for information that had previously been made (e.g., assistive technology or home modifications); or
• If a minor variation is required to increase the funding of supports in the plan
  

If you ask us to vary your plan, we will respond within 21 days by:

• Deciding to vary your plan;
• Deciding not to vary your plan; or
• Letting you know that we need more time.

If we vary your plan, you will receive a copy of the varied plan within 7 days.

You can download this official NDIS 'Change my Plan' document with instructions here

 

Step One: Check plan eligibility
Confirm with your LAC or plan manager that your plan includes Capacity Building – Improved Daily Living funds for Parent/Carer Training (line item 15_038_0117_1_3).
Some plan managers may prefer we use an alternative line item (e.g. 15_606_0118_1_3 Early Childhood Intervention Professional – Counsellor, or 15_043_0128_1_3 Assessment/Recommendation/Therapy – Counsellor). We can do this if requested.

Step Two: Enrol
Choose your tier from the pricing table and complete the NDIS enrolment form. This secures your place and gives you immediate access to the first weeks of training.

Step Three: Training begins
Start your first weeks of training right away. Group calls run on the first Tuesday of every month, alternating between 12:30 pm and 8:00 pm. Depending on when you enrol, your first call may fall in week 1, 3, or 4.

Step Four: Invoice after delivery
An NDIS-compliant invoice will be issued in arrears, around 3–4 weeks after registration, once your first block of training and one group call have been delivered.

Step Five: Claim payment
If plan-managed, the invoice is sent directly to your plan manager. If self-managed, simply upload the invoice to the NDIS portal for payment.

Step Six: Unlock complimentary supports
Once your invoice has been paid, you’ll also gain access to ongoing complimentary inclusions such as monthly group calls, counselling support, and extended access to additional training resources. These extras are provided at no cost and are not part of the NDIS claim.

Note: NDIS approval is not guaranteed. This is why confirming eligibility with your LAC or plan manager first is essential.

Yes, Absolutely!

The Carer/Parent Training line item we use is universal across ECI and NDIS plans.

Early Intervention and Skill Development: Parent training provides parents with tools to engage their children in strategies for early intervention. When parents learn evidence-based techniques to use at home, children have more chances to develop essential skills and reduce behavioral issues.

The same criteria apply as an NDIS plan.  If you are unsure check out the first FAQ "Is my plan eligible?" and the second FAQ "How does this training fit in with the NDIS?"

Yes.  You don't need an autism diagnosis to do the program.

Regardless of whether your child has an autism diagnosis or not you are welcome on the program! If you are facing challenges such as meltdowns and shutdowns, high anxiety, aggressive behaviour, or school avoidance and feel you would benefit from a program that has a neurodivergent affirming approach, we would love to have you.

Many parents join using their child's ECI Plan with a Global Developmental Delay Diagnosis, or if you don't have access to any NDIS funding you are absolutely welcome to join using our upfront or payment plan options from any of the three tiers.

We’ve designed three enrolment options so you can choose the level of support that feels right for your family.

If you prefer flexible, self-paced learning, Tier 1 is perfect.

If you want direct support and a practical workbook to stay grounded, Tier 2 is for you.

If you value lifetime access, community connection, and ongoing support, Tier 3 will give you the most complete experience.

Still unsure? Feel free to contact us — we’re happy to help.

That’s totally okay.

This isn’t school — there are no deadlines or pressure here.

You’ll have 12 months access (or lifetime access if you choose Tier 3) to the program materials, so you can go at your own pace and revisit the content whenever life allows.

We also offer ongoing monthly group counselling sessions (included in Tier 2 and Tier 3) so you can stay supported, even if you're moving through the program more slowly.

This journey is about steady growth, not perfection.

Yes. Many parents start solo — and that’s okay.
This work can shift the entire emotional dynamic of your household even if only one parent is doing it.
Plus, we offer two logins per family so if your partner comes on board later, they can access the program too.

Absolutely. The strategies, mindsets, and frameworks taught in the Autism Parenting Program are designed to support a wide range of neurodiverse needs, including:

• PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance) and anxiety-driven behaviours

• School avoidance and shutdowns

• Communication differences, including support for non-speaking children

Throughout the program, you’ll find guidance on how to adapt and apply the tools to your child’s individual needs — helping you focus on connection, understanding, and co-regulation, not compliance.

Plus, every second month, we host a dedicated live group chat specifically for parents of non-speaking children — offering additional support, strategies, and community connection around communication needs.

(Access to all live group sessions is included in Tier 2 and Tier 3 enrolments.)

No. This program is the opposite of judgment.
You’ll feel seen, understood, and supported — not shamed or blamed.
So many parents tell us, “I’ve never felt so seen and understood before.”
That’s what we’re here for. This is a space for self-compassion, not criticism.

Yes — and in many ways, it might work even better.
We’re deeply aware that many parents in our community are also neurodivergent — and this program is designed with that in mind.
There’s no pressure to mask, be “perfect,” or parent a certain way. We honour your brain, your pace, your processing style — and we provide tools that support your regulation and strengths, too.

Absolutely.
The strategies and frameworks in this program are built to be flexible, adaptable, and respectful of the fact that no two kids are the same — not even within the same family.
You’ll learn how to tune into each child’s unique needs without burning out, and as you become more grounded and less reactive, you’ll find you have more emotional capacity to support all of your children — not just the one in crisis.

This program is relevant for parents of autistic children of any age — from toddlers through to teens and even young adults.
The reason it works across ages is because it focuses on the underlying needs, emotional responses, and relationship dynamics — not age-based milestones or surface-level behaviors.
You’ll learn how to meet your child where they’re at — no matter how old they are, how they communicate, or what stage they’re in.

Meet Barbara, our PSC Mascot fictional character who represents a collection of thoughts, feelings, and personal growth that combines the collective wisdom of past participants’ lived experiences, our extensive program experience, and shared client stories.

Many parents, like Barbara, have a full range of emotions including relief, overwhelm and worry when their child is first diagnosed.

It’s important to remember that this portrayal does not represent all parents, nor does it represent all aspects of raising an autistic child. There are many, many positive and uplifting aspects that aren’t represented in this article.

Here we share her experience:

She knew from the time her son was born that he was different to her other two children, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on why.

All she knew was that he had many different behaviours and quirks to her friends’ children and her other children, and sometimes he would find things really difficult and react in aggressive or challenging ways that made Barbara feel out of control, because the usual ‘tried and tested’ parenting strategies wouldn’t work for him.

Getting the diagnosis was both a shock and a relief to Barbara. She was shocked by how she interpreted the severity of the label as she was being told about all the deficits in her son’s cognitive and physical abilities due to the ‘disorder’ and she was overwhelmed with all the challenges she predicted she would be facing for many, many years to come.

She was worried that she wouldn’t be able to face those challenges in the way her son needed her to. She was worried for her son’s life, fearing he was not going to experience a good life, only a limited painful one with no love or connection with others.

But on the other hand, she was also relieved. Suddenly her son’s behaviours all these years made sense. There was a reason for the behaviours. She could start to work with the reality of the way her son’s brain developed and she knew there were lots of strategies and support services that could finally help her and her son to work on some of the challenges they were experiencing.

After the initial diagnosis, it didn’t take long for Barbara to feel completely overwhelmed.

“Where do I start? What do I need to do now? There’s so much support I need to organise. There’s so much I need to learn. How do I manage my other children and make sure they are given adequate attention while my child is getting the support he needs? Will they feel like I favour my son because I have to do so much for him? Where am I going to find time for me and my career? Should I quit work? What’s going to be the right way to handle his tantrums now? How do I even know if it’s a tantrum or a meltdown? And how do I manage it differently if it’s one or the other? What are other people going to say when they know? Are people going to ostracise us or treat us differently?”

Barbara’s mind was working overtime, playing out endless possibilities of what could happen and stacking that on top of her already busy life. Now that she knew a little bit more about autism, she also started to feel guilty about her previous parenting approaches.

“How could I have not known about this? Why did I miss the signs? All this time I was treating him like he was being naughty. Have I damaged him trying to get him to follow rules that were hurting him? Have I contributed to life being even worse for him? I should have known better.”

And then there were the times when Barbara did know how to support her son because she had learnt techniques to communicate effectively with him, but she didn’t use them. Her emotions had overwhelmed her, and she had reacted poorly. She would sometimes get angry and yell, throw things around in her anger and have her own tantrums. She would ‘stack until she cracked’ and fall apart in tears afterwards. Then would come the guilt.

“I should have been calmer. I knew I needed to handle that better, but I didn’t. I’m such a bad mum. I’m so hopeless and useless at being this child’s mother. Other parents would be handling things so much better than me.”

Then the sorrow and the grief would arise once again.

“Why did this happen to me? It’s not fair. I never thought parenting was going to be like this. My family was supposed to be happy, healthy, and normal. What did I do to deserve this life? There’s so much I’m going to miss out on. There is so much my other kids are missing out on because we can’t go to many places. That’s not fair on them. It’s not fair on any of us. I just can’t connect with him the way I want to. I’m ashamed to admit that I struggle to even like him sometimes. Oh my gosh, that makes me such a horrible person to think like this, but he just makes my life so hard. I don’t know how to feel any other way. I don’t want to feel this way. I hate autism.”

What Barbara hated even more was having thoughts like this, especially about her son who she did love, but just struggled to connect with. Of course, she would never, ever admit to anyone that she had these thoughts.

These thoughts felt very shameful to Barbara. She felt like the worst parent in the world because she sometimes wished she had a different life where autism wasn’t a part of it.

She couldn’t believe that she would think such horrid things and tried as often as she could to shut them out and continue trying to bond with her son, but sometimes she couldn’t help it. She just felt like she was sacrificing so much.

And what also didn’t help was the extreme loneliness Barbara felt too. It was like nobody understood her anymore. It felt like everyone had disappeared off the face of the earth. No one called her anymore. No one invited the family anywhere. It was all so hard to go anywhere without drawing attention to themselves with her son’s autistic characteristics like the sensory overload that would make him meltdown, or the stimming that would be obvious.

People didn’t know how to act around her anymore, so they just started to drop like flies one by one.

Barbara felt like there was no one she could turn to, and if she was being completely honest with herself, she sometimes even felt embarrassed to be in public with her son because of the judgemental looks, stares and sneers she often received.

She felt embarrassed for her son. She felt embarrassed to be with her son and then she felt shame for feeling embarrassed about her son.

“I shouldn’t be feeling this way. I am his mother. I should be loving him unconditionally. It’s just so hard!”

Barbara also felt like she was under constant scrutiny. Not just by strangers, but family too. Everyone seemed to have an opinion on mistakes they thought she was making with her son and how she should be doing things differently.

She was constantly torn between the typical and accepted way of parenting, and a way of parenting she felt her son needed. She constantly argued with herself about the quality of her own parenting when things didn’t work the way they typically would, and she was forever feeling like she wasn’t able to control her son.

She was at a loss. All these emotions. All these questions. So much self-doubt swimming around her every day.

If you feel like Barbara, you are not alone.  The Parental Stress Centre is a safe place to learn and grow, no matter where you are in your Autism journey.  We get you :)