A unique child autism clinic is being tested in Wellington, New Zealand, aiming to help families with children under five showing signs of autism. The clinic, named Raupī te Raupō, will run for 10 weeks and offer weekly sessions to 60 families. These sessions will help families understand and support their autistic child better.
Dr. Hannah Waddington, the clinic’s lead, said the trial aims to show the benefits of early autism identification, hoping to shift the trend of late diagnosis. She explained that while most autistic children can be reliably diagnosed by the age of two, the average age of diagnosis in New Zealand is six and a half years.
The programme has trained 300 health and education professionals in Wellington to spot early signs of autism and refer children and their families to the clinic. Once identified, children and their families can receive support through 17 weekly sessions with a coach. These sessions include strategies that might help the child, as well as practical components of play and interaction with the family.
Dr. Waddington noted that the programme was developed in collaboration with autistic individuals and a Māori advisory group, making it well-suited to the New Zealand context. Although the programme is currently only funded in Wellington, she expects demand to exceed the 60 families it can accommodate.
Dr. Waddington said the trial aims to show the benefits of early diagnosis and, with more funding, could be expanded nationwide. She added that families have so far responded positively to the programme.
