Occupational therapy experiences of interprofessional collaboration in the support of autistic children

Introduction Autistic children commonly receive simultaneous services from various health‐care and other professionals, including occupational therapy, throughout their journey of diagnosis and consequent therapeutic support. Current best practice guidelines for supporting autistic youth emphasise the importance of interprofessional collaboration. Despite this, collaboration among health‐care professionals does not always occur, and little is understood about clinicians' experiences of collaborative care. The aim of this study was to explore Australian paediatric occupational therapists' experiences of interprofessional collaboration and their perception of factors influencing collaboration when supporting autistic children. Methods This study employed an exploratory qualitative descriptive design. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 13 Australian paediatric occupational therapists involved in service provision to autistic children. Questions explored clinicians' experiences and perceptions of interprofessional collaboration. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to inductively analyse data. Consumer and Community Consultation This study was conceptualised and conducted by a team of researchers with a range of personal and professional experiences with the autistic community. The research design was strongly informed by the Autism CRC'S research guidelines. Findings Three themes were generated highlighting factors that influence collaboration between occupational therapists and other professionals. The first emphasised that ‘clinicians' capacity to collaborate’ at both organisational and individual levels was understood to be greatly influenced by funding structures. The second emphasised that ‘relationships are key to collaboration’ with these often established through shared workplaces or clients. The third, ‘shared perceptions make collaboration easier’ described how shared perceptions of collaboration, the occupational therapy role, and autism‐related frames of reference were perceived to influence interprofessional collaboration. Conclusion Findings indicate that, while occupational therapists perceive interprofessional collaboration as valuable in the support of autistic children, there are barriers to effective collaboration, particularly in the context of a marketised service delivery model. PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY This study looked at how Australian occupational therapists work with other professionals to support autistic children. Even t