The 2005 Carer Survey of Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect) was conducted over the period September 12 to October 7 2005. The survey was carried out independently of Aspect by Macquarie University’s Voice Project. From a total of 848 families who were mailed a survey form, 269 completed it resulting in a 32% response rate. This was a fantastic response and an improvement of 10% on the response rate for the 2003 Carer Survey. Aspect really appreciated the large number of families prepared to complete the survey.
When Macquarie University analysed all the data, they found that the Client Satisfaction Index for Aspect to be 78%. This is a very pleasing result and was a 5% improvement on the score you gave Aspect in the first survey undertaken in 2003. Also out of the 39 questions asked, only one item showed a decrease in % favourable. All remaining 38 items either remained the same or increased in % favourable compared to the 2003 survey. It is heartening that the majority of the respondents to the 2005 survey perceived Aspect as doing a pretty good job across the organisation, however, the survey also revealed some really important information about areas which need to improve and which will be discussed later in this report.
The Carer Survey results add great value to Aspect’s knowledge and understanding of the concerns among parents and carers. Based on this information Aspect will make changes to services and management to improve outcomes for people with an ASD and their families.
In making sense of the quantitative results and the comments arising from this survey it is important to understand the context of these changes relative to the results of the 2003 survey rather than interpreting them in isolation of those results. Aspect has a strong focus on continuously improving, of exceeding previous benchmarks and standards, and therefore the results of the 2005 survey serve the organisation and its community more effectively when it can make direct comparisons with previous results. In this way the 2003 results form a bench mark for the 2005 survey results.
The following information presents specific information relating to areas of perceived strength as well as those areas requiring development. The report concludes with an overview of the developments undertaken since the report in 2005 and proposed by Aspect over the next 12 months prior to the next Carer Survey.
