Dr. Michelle Kelly:

On engagement with members of the autistic community to directly oppose the implementation of behavioural science practices, we are engaging with certain individuals. We are having discussion with individuals who have been very openly against these practices. When we sit down in a room, have a conversation with people and explain the perspective we have shared with the committee today and how things can be done in different neuro-affirmative ways, we generally get agreement from those individuals and achieve some mutual and shared understanding. We have made great progress with some of those groups. We still have a bit to go but we believe it is about having an open conversation. As mentioned in our opening statement, we are all here for the same reason and when we have that shared understanding and work towards those shared goals, we tend to see progress. We are very hopeful that more of those conversations will happen in future. Hopefully, it will make the committee’s decisions less difficult.