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  • Sarah Pillar

    Sarah Pillar

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Sarah Pillar

Sarah is a Lecturer for the Bachelor of Speech Pathology course in the School of Medical and Health Sciences.

Current teaching

Sarah Pillar is currently teaching within the following unit(s):

  • SPE1100 - Evidence Based Practice in Speech Pathology

Background

Sarah Pillar graduated from Edith Cowan University with a Bachelor of Speech Pathology with first class Honours. Sarah is a Certified Practicing Speech Pathologist and has over 10 years’ experience as a clinician. She brings broad clinical experience from the delivery of clinical services across metropolitan and country Western Australia.

Sarah developed a passion for supporting autistic children and their families through her clinical work, which included the completion of autism diagnostic evaluations. She has significant experience in the assessment of children showing early developmental differences and is an Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS-2) trainer for medical and allied health professionals.

Sarah’s main area of research is autism, with a particular focus on early child- and family-centred supports, and services for children with complex communication needs.

Sarah has published over 16 peer reviewed papers and has an ongoing collaboration with researchers and clinicians at CliniKids, based at The Kids Research Institute Australia.

Sarah has contributed to the translation of research into practice as an author on National Guideline for Supporting the Learning, Participation, and Wellbeing of Autistic Children and Their Families in Australia, has provided input into national teaching practice guides for supporting students with diverse needs, and has written and provided scientific review of articles for parents and caregivers through raisingchildren.net.au. Sarah is also a children's book illustrator.

Sarah is currently undertaking her PhD at The University of Western Australia in the area of early supports for autistic children and their families.

Sarah presents regularly at national conferences and community organisations on topics related to autism, early development and evidence-based clinical practice.

Professional associations

  • 2019 – Current: Peadiatric InterAgency Group (PIAG) – Current Chair
  • 2013 - Current: Speech Pathology Australia (SPA)

Awards and recognition

  • 2025 -The Kids Research Institute Australia Student Professional Development Funding Award
  • 2024 - The Kids Research Institute Australia Publication Excellence Award (Research Translation): National Guideline for Supporting the Learning Participation and Wellbeing of Autistic Children in Australia
  • 2023 - included in The Conversation Australia + NZ's anthology of its most compelling and thought-provoking essays published over the previous 12 months: “2023: A Year of Consequence” for their article: “Autism and ADHD assessment waits are up to 2 years’ long. What can families do in the meantime?”
  • 2022 - Telethon Kids Institute Publication Excellence Award (Journal Article): Effect of Preemptive Intervention on Developmental Outcomes Among Infants Showing Early Signs of Autism: A Randomized Clinical Trial of Outcomes to Diagnosis – published in JAMA Pediatrics
  • 2021 -  Telethon Kids Institute Publication Excellence Award (Journal Article): The misnomer of ‘high functioning autism’: Intelligence is an imprecise predictor of functional abilities at diagnosis – published in Autism

Research areas and interests

  • Autism
  • Early communication development
  • Parent-mediated supports
  • Complex communication needs
  • AAC
  • Clinical community implementation
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