After a child is diagnosed with ASD Level 1, the most useful next steps are to understand what the report says, ask the clinician about recommended supports, check NDIS and other funding options, and share the diagnosis with your child’s kinder or school. None of it needs to happen in the first week. Most families take a few months to work through it.
A diagnosis can bring relief, worry and a lot of questions all at once. That’s normal, and a clear plan for the next few months helps.
What does ASD Level 1 mean?
ASD Level 1 means a child is autistic and needs some support, most often with social communication and coping with change. Many children at Level 1 talk fluently and do well academically, which is why their needs are easy to underestimate.
Day to day, Level 1 can look like a child who knows every fact about trains but can’t join a game at lunchtime, or who copes all day at school and then falls apart at home in the evening. Level 1 is sometimes called “mild” autism, but many autistic people dislike that word because it hides how much effort ordinary days can take.
The report may list a separate level for social communication and for restricted or repetitive behaviours. Understanding how the ASD levels work makes the report easier to read.
What should you ask the clinician who made the diagnosis?
A follow-up appointment with the paediatrician or psychologist is the best place to start. Useful questions include:
- Which parts of daily life does my child find hardest right now?
- What supports do you recommend, and in what order?
- Does my child have any co-occurring conditions, such as ADHD, anxiety or a language disorder?
- Can I have a written report that explains how autism affects my child’s everyday life?
That last point matters more than many families realise. A report that only states the diagnosis and level is much less useful for funding applications than one describing how autism affects things like dressing, eating, friendships and learning.
Can a child with ASD Level 1 get NDIS funding?
Some can. For children with autism diagnosed at Level 2 or Level 3, the NDIA treats the diagnosis itself as strong evidence for access. A Level 1 diagnosis isn’t on that list, so the NDIA looks closely at evidence of how autism affects a child’s daily functioning.
For children younger than 9, the first contact is usually an early childhood partner, who can connect families with support straight away and help with an NDIS application if it’s likely to succeed. Reports from the paediatrician, psychologist, speech pathologist or occupational therapist all help show what support a child needs. Children aged 9 and over can apply directly by calling the NDIS on 1800 800 110.
Some children with ASD Level 1 and low to moderate support needs may get help through Thriving Kids, a government program for children aged 8 and under that started rolling out in October 2026. NDIS access rules won’t change until 1 January 2028, so families can still apply to the NDIS in the meantime.
How do you tell your child’s school or kinder?
Sharing the diagnosis with your child’s educators helps them make sense of behaviour they may have already noticed. Under the Disability Standards for Education 2005, schools must make reasonable adjustments so autistic students can learn alongside their peers.
In Victorian government schools, families can ask for a Student Support Group, which brings parents, teachers and support staff together to plan adjustments and review progress. Adjustments for a child at Level 1 might include:
- A quiet place to go when the classroom gets too loud
- Warnings before changes to the timetable, such as a relief teacher or an excursion
- Clear written or visual instructions alongside spoken ones
- Support during unstructured times like recess and lunch
- Another option for group work or class presentations
Kinders and childcare centres can also adapt routines and environments, and they can be a valuable part of the support team.
What kind of support helps children with ASD Level 1?
Support works best when it’s built around the child’s goals and the situations they find hard. Common areas include understanding social situations, managing big feelings, coping with change and building independence with everyday tasks.
ABA therapy can teach practical skills in small, achievable steps, such as starting a conversation, joining a game or packing a school bag without reminders. When behaviour like refusing school, meltdowns after school or lashing out at siblings is causing problems at home, Positive Behaviour Support looks at what’s driving it and what would help instead. Younger children often benefit from early childhood intervention that works with parents and educators in everyday routines.
Speech pathology and occupational therapy are also common, especially for social language, handwriting, sensory needs and emotional regulation.
How can families help at home?
Small, predictable routines often make the biggest difference. A visual schedule for the morning, a warning ten minutes before screen time ends, and a calm space to retreat to after school can all reduce stress for everyone.
Many children at Level 1 hold it together all day and then let it out at home, where they feel safe. A quiet first hour after school, with a snack and no questions, can help them reset before homework or activities.
It also helps to notice and use your child’s strengths. A deep interest in dinosaurs or Minecraft can become a way to practise conversation, turn-taking or writing.
Where can parents get support for themselves?
Looking after an autistic child can be tiring, especially in the months after a diagnosis. Carer Gateway offers free counselling, coaching and peer support for carers on 1800 422 737. The Thriving Kids Autism Helpline on 1300 654 789 gives autism-specific information and connections to local services.
Talking to other parents of autistic children, in person or online, often helps more than anything else. Many families also find it useful to read about autism written by autistic adults, who can explain from the inside what their child may be experiencing.
Support after a Level 1 diagnosis
Helping Hands Behaviour Support (HHBS) helps autistic children, including many diagnosed at Level 1, build the skills and confidence that make school and home life easier. As an NDIS-registered provider of Positive Behaviour Support, ABA therapy and early childhood intervention, we also work with older children and adults, at home or at school. Families can use NDIA-managed, plan-managed or self-managed funding with us.
If your child has a Level 1 diagnosis and NDIS funding for therapy, contact HHBS on 0452 423 822 or write to us online, and we’ll help you plan support around what your child finds hardest right now. Support coordinators working with a newly diagnosed child are welcome to send us a referral, and our team will be in touch.
This article is general information for families after an autism diagnosis. It isn’t medical advice or an assessment of any child, and NDIS eligibility decisions are made by the NDIA.
