According to the NDIS, autism and intellectual disability (forms of neurodivergence) are the largest disability groups across Australia’s rural and remote areas, where there is typically less access to supports and services. Research indicates generalist mental health services lack the knowledge and experience to meet the needs of these profiles, particularly in regional and remote areas and publicly-funded services.

Parallel to this disadvantage, the neurodiversity movement provides opportunities and challenges for the way we work and the broader systems we work within, including mental health, disability, education, and justice systems.

Neurodiversity refers to every person (client and clinician). Many mental health professionals choose to practise in a neurodivergent-affirming way. A dilemma is often presented because our university training, psychometric tools, diagnostic manuals, published research and historical language have strong roots in the medical (deficit) model of disability and mental health.

The Secret Agent Society (SAS) Small Group Program was originally designed and evaluated for autistic children. Over 13+ years the program has evolved to support the mental and social health of a range of children while building capacity in professional services and communities to meet the unique needs of neurodivergent children and their families. Clinicians are increasingly embracing a neurodivergent-affirming approach with SAS.

It has gamified learning, data tracking, interactive group sessions, school resources, user engagement tools, real-time progress visualisation, multi-level outcomes analysis, and connects children with their support networks to foster social and emotional development in neurodivergent children and improve parent-child relationships. Parents and teachers provide wrap-around support for children outside professional contact. Services can use in-person, telehealth, or hybrid methods to meet children where they are despite geographic distance.

Let’s explore how the delivery of the SAS contributes to a society that values diverse life skills while equipping children for life’s social-emotional challenges through evidence-based practice.

Three Key Learnings:

1. The importance of respecting neurodiversity through flexibly delivery of evidence-based practice.
2. Practical provision of group and 1:1 service to children and families in rural and remote communities, including via telehealth, face-to-face and hybrid models.
3. Using technology to enable wrap-around support processes for neurodivergent children in rural settings.