Early Intervention for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in New Zealand: What Children Get and What Parents Want

Research suggests that access to early intervention can improve a range of outcomes for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, little is known about the type and amount of intervention that is typically available to young children with ASD in the New Zealand community. There is also limited information about parent demand for types or amounts of early intervention services in New Zealand. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate parent reported use of, and demand for, early intervention services for young children with ASD in New Zealand. This information was gained from an online questionnaire which was completed by 64 parents/caregivers of preschool aged children with ASD living in New Zealand. It was reported that, on average, children were receiving 2 types of intervention and parents would like them to receive an additional 5 types. On average, children were reportedly receiving 8.7 hours of intervention per month and parents would like them to receive an additional 37 hours per month. The most common intervention that children were receiving was speech and language therapy. These findings suggest that parents would like a wider variety and more hours of educational early interventions than they are currently able to access.