Autism level 1, 2 or 3: understanding your child’s diagnosis report

By The Jay Way team

Published 24 October 2026 · Checked against official sources 24 October 2026

Autism “levels” 1, 2 and 3 describe how much support a child is estimated to need. Level 1 means a child needs support, level 2 means substantial support, and level 3 means very substantial support. The level is one line in a diagnosis report, and it can be given separately for social communication and for repetitive behaviours, interests and sensory differences.

The short version: a support level is the clinician’s estimate of how much support your child needs, based on their assessment. Raising Children Network says a child can have the same level or different levels for the two areas, and that levels can change as a child grows. The DSM-5-TR, the manual clinicians use, says levels shouldn’t be used to decide whether a child is eligible for services. The report usually has much more in it than the number, so it’s worth asking the clinician to walk you through all of it.

What do autism levels 1, 2 and 3 mean?

In Australia, clinicians use a manual called the Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. The current edition is the DSM-5-TR. It lists the signs and characteristics of autism, and it says an autism diagnosis includes an estimate of how much support a child might need.

Raising Children Network sets out the levels like this:

Level	What the level says
Level 1	The child needs support
Level 2	The child needs substantial support
Level 3	The child needs very substantial support

healthdirect describes it the same way: a level between 1 and 3 that refers to how much support your child needs, with 1 the lowest level of support and 3 the highest.

Raising Children Network also explains why a support estimate is included: autism affects children’s lives in different ways. Some children need a lot of support and some need only a little.

Why might there be two levels on the report?

Clinicians diagnose autism by looking at two areas:

differences in social communication skills
repetitive behaviour, intense or special interests, and sensory differences or sensitivities.

According to Raising Children Network, an autism diagnosis indicates the level of support for both areas, and a child might have the same level or a different level for each one. So a report might say, for example, one level for social communication and another for repetitive behaviours. If your child’s report shows only one number, you can ask whether it covers both areas.

Can my child’s level change?

Raising Children Network says children’s support levels can change over time. It lists growing up and big transitions as examples, such as moving from child care to primary school, starting puberty or welcoming a new sibling.

That’s a good reason to keep the report somewhere safe and note the date it was written. If your child’s needs look different a year or two from now, you can ask the clinician whether a review makes sense.

What else is in an autism diagnosis report?

The level is only one part. The National guideline for the assessment and diagnosis of autism in Australia, published by Autism CRC, says the health professionals involved should give you a written report and explain it to you in a meeting. The report should summarise what was found during the assessment and what it means, explain decisions about diagnosis, and suggest next steps for accessing support.

The guideline describes an assessment with several parts, so the report may draw on more than one of them:

Assessment of functioning: your child’s abilities and any support needs across areas such as cognitive abilities, speech and language, daily living skills, friendships and school.
Medical evaluation: a physical examination and review of medical history, sometimes with tests, to check for medical causes.
Diagnostic evaluation: confirming whether autism is the best explanation for your child’s characteristics and behaviour.

The DSM-5-TR also says an autism diagnosis should include whether your child has met the criteria for a co-occurring intellectual disability, language disability or another known neurodevelopmental, medical or genetic condition. Raising Children Network gives autism and ADHD as an example of two conditions that can be diagnosed together.

Reports differ between clinicians and services. If you can’t find one of these things in your child’s report, ask where it is, or whether it was assessed at all.

Does the level decide NDIS access or services?

Raising Children Network reports that the DSM-5-TR says support levels shouldn’t be used to decide whether children are eligible for services. That’s the manual’s position, not a rule about any particular program.

For the NDIS, the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) makes the decision, using the evidence you give it. The NDIS evidence pages listed under official sources don’t say that a particular autism level is needed. The next section covers what they do say. If you’re unsure, confirm with the NDIS.

What does the NDIS say about autism evidence?

The NDIS has a page called “What are examples of disability evidence”, which was marked as current as at 29 May 2026 (as at 24 October 2026). The NDIS pages carry a notice that the website is being updated for new NDIS legislation, so information may change.

For autism, the page says you can gather evidence from your health professionals, including any member of a multidisciplinary team, such as a:

paediatrician
psychologist
psychiatrist
occupational therapist
speech therapist.

It then lists the disability evidence for autism in preference order: the DSM-5, the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale (Vineland-III), the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS) 2.0 for people aged 17 and over, and PEDI-CAT for people aged 16 and under.

The NDIS “How to gather evidence” page adds that evidence should be recent and come from a treating health professional relevant to the primary disability. It says that for a child under 9, you need evidence from the child’s treating health professional that shows the child’s disability diagnosis, including information about any treatments the child is receiving. An early childhood partner can help you gather it. The NDIS also says it may ask for more information if the evidence doesn’t tell it what it needs.

The NDIA decides whether a child meets the requirements. Nothing here means a child will or won’t be accepted.

What should I ask the clinician about the report?

These are questions to put to your child’s clinician. They are not a checklist for diagnosing anything yourself. You might write them down and take them to the meeting where the report is explained.

Can you walk me through the report, including the level of support, in plain language?
Is there one level or two? Which areas do they relate to?
What was this level based on: the observations, my answers, school or early learning information, or specific tests?
Does the report include a description of my child’s thinking, language and day-to-day skills? If not, were they assessed?
Does the report say whether any other conditions were considered or diagnosed alongside autism?
When would you suggest this is reviewed, and what changes might prompt that?
What support does the report suggest for now, and who do I contact for it?
Is this report suitable to give to my child’s school, a therapist or the NDIS? Is there a version that would suit each?
Can I have the report in writing, and a copy of any assessment results?

Free tools to help

Appointment questions: build a question list for your child’s next paediatrician or therapy appointment.
NDIS access request checklist: see what to gather before you apply.

Official sources

This article is general information. It isn’t medical, legal, financial or NDIS eligibility advice. Every child’s circumstances are different, and government programs and requirements can change. Check the official sources above before you apply.