About This Website

About this website

The NZ ASD website has been developed independently by the New Zealand Guidelines Group (NZGG) with funding from the Ministry of Health. NZGG is an independent, not-for-profit organisation that promotes the use of evidence in the delivery of health and disability services in New Zealand.

The information on this website is derived from the New Zealand Autism Spectrum Disorder Guideline (NZ ASD Guideline), which was published in 2008 by the Ministries of Health and Education. The website supports the implementation of the key recommendations in the guideline on the early identification and diagnosis of children with ASD. Research studies show that early identification enables early intervention and is likely to lead to better function in later life.

Further information about the implementation of the NZ ASD Guideline is available at: http://www.moh.govt.nz/asd

Disclaimer

The New Zealand Guidelines Group administers the NZ ASD Guideline website.

Evidence-based practice guidelines are produced to assist health professionals, educators and consumers make decisions about education and optimum care in specific clinical circumstances. Research has shown that if properly developed, communicated and implemented, guidelines can improve care. The advice in the NZ ASD guideline is based on epidemiological studies and other research evidence. Where no evidence is available, but guidance is needed, recommendations for best practice have been developed through a systematic consensus process.

The recommendations in the NZ ASD guideline do not indicate an exclusive course of treatment or serve as an absolute standard of care or education. While guidelines represent a statement of best practice based on the latest available evidence (at the time of development), they are not intended to replace the professional’s judgment in each individual case.

All reasonable measures have been taken to ensure the quality and accuracy of the information available on this website. If you find any information on this website that you believe may be inaccurate, please send an email to asd@nzgg.org.nz

Those accessing this website are advised:

• NZGG has provided links to a number of other websites as a service to the end-users of this website. This service does not imply in any way that NZGG or its partner organisations* endorse these websites or the material contained in them. Users who link to another site are subject to the privacy policy of the new site. NZGG and its partners are not responsible for the use of a link for which a commercial charge applies. Individual users are responsible for any charges that their use may incur
• NZGG and its partners are not responsible for the content of other websites linked to, or referenced from, this website. NZGG and its partners neither endorse the information, content, presentation, nor accuracy of such other websites, nor make any warranty, express or implied, regarding these other websites (except their own websites, which carry their own disclaimers)
• information on this website may be changed, deleted, added to, or otherwise amended without notice
• the content of this website should not be construed as legal or professional advice and visitors to this website should take specific advice from qualified professional people before undertaking any action following information received from this website
• any reference to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacture, or otherwise does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by NZGG and its partners
• each page on this website must be read in conjunction with this disclaimer and any other disclaimer that forms part of it
• the ASD website does not accept advertising.
• All those accessing this website who ignore this disclaimer do so at their own risk.

* Partner organisations: Altogether Autism, Autism New Zealand, Werry Centre, Goodfellow Unit.

Copyright, adaptation and updating

The copyright owner of this website is the Ministry of Health, which is part of the New Zealand Crown.

The material on this website may be reproduced provided that:

• the content is not changed
• it is not sold
• the material is not used to promote or endorse any product or service
• it is not used in an inappropriate or misleading context having regard to the nature of the material
• any disclaimers included on the published information are reproduced on the material
• the source and copyright status of the material is acknowledged.

For the full Ministry of Health copyright statement, go to: http://www.moh.govt.nz/copyright

To reproduce, adapt or update content in the NZ ASD Guideline, please refer to copyright statement on page 15 of the Guideline.

Privacy

Statistical information collected: We may collect statistical information about your visit to help us improve the Site. This information is aggregated and non-personally identifying. It includes:

• the pages you accessed on our Site and the links you clicked on
• the date and time you visited the site
• the referring site (if any) through which you clicked through to this Site
• your operating system (e.g., Windows XP, Mac OSX)
• the type of web browser you use (e.g. Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox)
• other incidental matters such as screen resolution, the release of your installed Flash version and the language setting of your browser.

Use of statistical information: The statistical information referred to above will be viewable by Site administrators and certain other NZGG staff. It may also be shared with other government agencies.

Cookies: This Site generates persistent session cookies for the purpose of monitoring Site usage. The cookies do not collect personal information. You can disable them or clear them out of the web browser you are using to view this Site without affecting your ability to use the Site.

Feedback

We would welcome your feedback about:

• how useful the resources have been
• how you have used them
• formats and language used
• any ideas about other resources that are needed.

Please submit your comments through our feedback form.

Contact details

Email
All enquires, questions, suggestions and complaints: asd@nzgg.org.nz

Phone
+64 4 471 4192

Address 
New Zealand Guidelines Group
Level 10, 40 Mercer Street
Wellington
 

• A recogniser is anybody who might come across a child or adult with a possible ASD.

• A referrer is a professional who makes an initial clinical assessment for ASD, and refers for specialist hospital assessment, if required.