Moving beyond love and luck: building right relationships and respecting lived experience in New Zealand autism policy

PhD thesis in Public Policy which looks at the policy problems arising from the rapidly increasing diagnoses of autism in recent decades. Considers history and construction of the concept of autism. At present people with autism need to have ‘love’ (ie family to advocate) and ‘luck’ (ie that there are support people and services available) for good outcomes, as policy processes and services/support are fragmented and inequitable. Looks at autism as a ‘wicked’ policy problem and how that might be addressed by bringing those with lived experience into the policy process.