In June 2025, AnglicareSA’s Autism Services commenced a partnership with TAFESA to develop and support Vocational Education and Training (VET) education in Early Childhood Education and Care, to ensure it is responsive to the needs of autistic children and their families.

Our Autism Services, which comprises our Autism Specific Early Learning and Care Centre (ASELCC), a unique offering in South Australia, as well as our Outreach AnglicareSA Therapeutic Services (OATS), provide personalised therapy and supports for children, young people, and adults with autism, developmental delays, or disability.

Recognised as subject matter experts through the partnership, AnglicareSA will support TAFESA to develop autism-specific content for the Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care, helping future educators undergoing the qualification to grow their skills in supporting children diagnosed with autism.

Through the partnership, our Autism Services team will also be providing lectures to TAFESA lecturers teaching within the early years qualifications, ensuring that they are equipped with skills and knowledge to teach students and answer any questions they might have.

AnglicareSA Senior Manager, Autism Services, Grace Frost, said she was proud that her team were engaged by TAFESA as subject matter experts on supporting the training of early childhood educators in South Australia.

“Our autism early years team include a multi-disciplinary staff with comprehensive knowledge and skills in supporting young children, families and educators in early childhood education environments,” Grace said.

“We are uniquely positioned in both the disability and education sectors and know how important it is for these sectors to work closely together to make a true difference in how we support autistic children and their families to thrive.”

This partnership will strengthen the ASELCC’s reputation as a centre for excellence and future-proof the early learning sector, build capacity for the early learning sector in neuro-affirming practice, and provide a potential pipeline of student placements and educator recruitment for ASELCC.