New research by Western Sydney University has found that autistic young Australians experience significantly poorer employment outcomes than their non-disabled peers. The gap is stark. For many, the transition out of school leads not into the workforce, but into extended periods of unemployment, social isolation and mental distress.

The study, by Caroline Mills, Nicole Sharp, Zoi Triandafilidis, and Danielle Tracey was co-produced with autistic young people, parents, educators and disability employment service providers.

It sheds new light on a period of life that experts describe as critically under-supported. Using a qualitative methodology, researchers conducted in-depth interviews with 39 participants. What emerged was a powerful picture of missed opportunities, systemic neglect and families stretched to breaking point.

The researchers found that although there’s a desire among many young autistic people to prove themselves, to contribute the system is not geared to accommodate their desires.

At the heart of the problem is the fragile transition from school to adult life. Though this period has long been flagged as a point of vulnerability, practical supports remain inconsistent. Autistic students often receive little or no transition planning. When it does occur, it is frequently delayed, fragmented, and disconnected from the young person’s interests or goals.

For families, the burden can be overwhelming. Parents and carers interviewed for the study described the intense strain of navigating disability employment services, education providers, and government funding programs — often with little coordination or guidance.

The study found although the NDIS was expected to address some of these challenges by offering personalised funding for supports. But the report suggests that in practice, the scheme has created a patchwork landscape where gaps persist — particularly during this critical transition period.

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Under the NDIS, young people may be eligible for therapies or school-based supports, but post-school pathways like vocational training or employment readiness programs can be harder to access or inconsistent between regions, however the supports don’t always follow the person.

There’s a cliff-edge effect when school ends.

What makes the transition even more difficult, the study finds, is a broader social context still shaped by stigma and misunderstanding of neurodivergent people. Young autistic people reported feeling dismissed, underestimated, and shut out from opportunities to show what they could offer.

The researchers also uncovered hopeful threads. Autistic strengths — such as attention to detail, deep focus, and unique problem-solving — often go unnoticed or untapped. Participants emphasised the importance of starting transition planning early, aligning plans with each individual’s interests, and involving families and educators collaboratively in the process.

The report calls for an overhaul in how Australia approaches post-school planning for autistic students. It recommends systemic reforms across education, employment services, and policy design — all rooted in the lived experience of autistic people and those who support them.