MACA's baseline survey results
MACA's national baseline survey reveals stark challenges relating to the transport of children with disabilities and medical conditions in motor vehicles.
First and largest survey of its kind in Australia
MACA engaged Curtin University to develop and implement a national baseline (2021) and follow up (2023) evaluation survey to understand the knowledge and experiences of parents, health professionals and organisations about transport for children with disabilities and medical conditions.
The baseline survey, funded by the Australian Government Department of Social Services, received about 500 responses and has led to several published papers which you can download below.
The findings have helped MACA to evaluate the effectiveness of its work, and to highlight where more work needs to be done.
Key insights - baseline survey
- Nearly half of caregivers believed that their child was missing out on participating in everyday life due to their transport arrangements.
- Parents reported that children frequently get out of their child restraint or seatbelt.
- For health professionals who had prescribed a special purpose child restraint funded by the NDIS, the wait time from the point of identification to receipt of the restraint varied between 1-2 weeks to 2-3 years. The most frequently reported wait time was 5-6 months.
- Health professionals reported low self-perceived confidence and knowledge in addressing the transport needs of children with disabilities and medical conditions.
Download the research papers
Two papers based on this research have been published, significantly advancing Australia’s evidence-base. This includes:
a paper about the experiences of parents (Scandinavian Occupational Therapy Journal, 18 May 2023).
a paper about the experiences and perspectives of health professionals and organisations (Journal of Road Safety, February 2024).
Next steps
Curtin University has prepared a paper analysing the follow up survey data which is expected to be published during 2025.
MACA has acted on the baseline research findings by:
- Providing evidence informed information and tools for Australian health professionals such as a specialist online training course and prescribing resources and templates available in MACAhub Pro.
- Working closely with leading universities and researchers to fill the global gap in research relating to policies, products, and practices.
- Working closely with product suppliers, resulting in an increased range of special purpose car seats available in Australia.
- Establishing the world leading Australian Safety Assessment Program (AuSAP) to independently assess (including crash test) the vehicle restraint systems used by people with disabilities and medical conditions.
This website is the first step in responding to the national survey findings. The information will support allied health professionals in their important prescribing role.
