How did your connection with Aspect first begin, and what did it mean to you at the time?
I had just finished my Master's in Clinical Psychology and desperately wanted to work for Aspect (then the Autism Association of NSW). My son was about eight years old at the time and, although he hadn't been diagnosed with autism, I knew he had traits that pointed in that direction. I was eager to learn more and work in the field.
Assessment was where my passion lay. I was frustrated that we still hadn't received any diagnosis for my son, despite it being clear something was going on. So, when I saw a role in the Outreach team that focused on assessments, I was incredibly excited. I interviewed for the position but wasn't successful.
About a week later, I received a call from the manager of the Behaviour Support team, who had heard I was looking for a role at Aspect and asked whether I'd like to join his team instead. I wasn't as interested in the behaviour support area at that time, but I really wanted to work for Aspect. I made a deal with myself that I'd take the role and, if I hadn't moved into assessments within 12 months, I'd look elsewhere.
Well, the rest is history. The person who originally got the assessment role later went on maternity leave, I was offered the position, and around the same time Aspect decided to establish a dedicated assessments team. I was asked to lead it.
What is one memory or moment from your time with Aspect that has stayed with you over the years?
There are so many. I can honestly say there hasn't been a single day in the past 20 years when I haven't been happy to get up and go to work. I think that’s down to the passion for the work and the incredible people I have worked with over the years.
One moment that really stands out was during the COVID lockdowns. At the time I was leading the assessments team - we were told we had to leave the office and cancel all assessments. Families had already been waiting weeks or months, and I couldn't imagine telling them their assessments were on hold indefinitely.
So our team put our heads together. As they say, necessity is the mother of invention. Within days we had developed a remote assessment protocol, along with a research protocol to evaluate it. I'm incredibly proud of how the team adapted so quickly and continued delivering such an important service during a very uncertain time.
From your perspective, how has the understanding of autism, and support for Autistic people, changed over time?
The change has been enormous. I see it from both sides, as both a parent and a professional.
Twenty years ago, the focus was very much on trying to "fix" your child. Families were encouraged to pursue as many interventions as possible, and success was measured by how much you were able to move that child towards a more "normal" developmental trajectory. That was the mindset I had as both a parent and a clinician and it reflected the prevailing view at the time.
Thankfully, we've come a long way. Today the focus is still on supporting learning and development but it's about helping people become the best Autistic version of themselves, not trying to make them someone they're not.
That shift has taken a huge weight off parents. The old approach often felt like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole, leaving parents feeling like they were failing and, unintentionally, sending children the message that they weren't good enough just as they were.
What does inclusion for Autistic people mean to you personally, and how have you seen it take shape in your community or profession?
I think society is more inclusive than it used to be, but we still have a long way to go.
Most people support the idea of inclusion in principle, but I don't think it's consistently reflected in everyday life across workplaces, sporting clubs, schools and preschools. Sometimes people simply don't know how to be more inclusive. Other times it's because they think it will be too difficult.
There's goodwill, but we need to keep turning that goodwill into practical action.
Looking ahead, what would you love to see for the future of autism understanding and support in Australia?
Education and employment are the two areas I'd most like to see improve.
It's probably unrealistic in the current economic climate, but I'd love to see more funding for children who attend mainstream schools. I'd also like to see more employers, particularly large organisations, commit to employing Autistic people and that would mean being willing to craft roles that play to an individual's strengths, rather than expecting everyone to fit into standard job descriptions. Autistic employees have so much to contribute and, in my view, organisations gain far more in return than the effort it takes to create a genuinely inclusive workplace.
Throughout your career you've helped shape autism education and professional practice. Looking back, what are some of the biggest changes you've seen in how Autistic children are supported to learn and thrive?
Funding has been a real game changer, particularly through the NDIS. Before that, there was virtually no funding available for adults, while services for children were patchy, typically time-limited, and frequently dependent on parents' ability to pay.
Educators and allied health professionals are also far more autism-aware than they were 20 years ago. The rise of the neurodiversity movement, and the way those principles have filtered into everyday practice, has changed everything from how we assess children through to goal setting and the outcomes we focus on.
Research has played an increasingly important role in improving autism practice. Why is it so important that organisations like Aspect combine research with lived experience when developing services and supports?
Research gives us confidence that we're building services on the best available evidence. But the people who use those services are the real experts in what they need and what could make their lives better.
When you bring those two perspectives together, you end up with solutions that are not only evidence-based, but genuinely useful in everyday life.
On projects where we've incorporated lived experience, our assumptions have been challenged. We've been encouraged to ask better questions and sometimes completely different questions. That has ultimately led to better resources and supports than we would have developed on our own.
If there is one message you could leave as part of Aspect's 60-year story, what would it be?
I hope we never stop listening and learning.
If the past 60 years have taught us anything, it's that our greatest progress has come from listening to Autistic people, their families and those who support them, while continuing to learn from research and adapting as our understanding grows.
I hope that's something we never lose.
Dr Vicki Gibbs is a Clinical Psychologist and Head of Research at Aspect, and an Adjunct Senior Lecturer at the University of Sydney. Vicki is also the parent of a young man on the autism spectrum and is passionate about research that aims to make a difference in the everyday lives of Autistic people and their families. Prior to Vicki’s current role, she was responsible for establishing Aspect’s first dedicated diagnostic assessment services. Her PhD thesis focused on exploring violent victimisation of Autistic adults, investigating the extent, nature and impact of these experiences. At Aspect, she has led or supported research projects on a wide range of topics, including several autism and criminal justice related projects and projects related to autism screening and assessment practices, employment, education, financial well-being and self-compassion.
