NDIS Review: How it will affect 600,000 Aussies

The long-awaited review into the NDIS has made radical recommendations that will impact hundreds of thousands of Australians living with a disability. See what it means for them.

The long-awaited NDIS Review has made some radical recommendations impacting the lives of those with a disability.

No longer will the NDIS operate as an “oasis in the desert”, but as part of connected system of services, including mainsteam services, such as accessible public transport, to foundational supports in schools and the community. The NDIS will be reserved for those with needs that can’t be met solely in the community and who need more individualised support.

Therefore, a disability diagnosis will not automatically give you access to the NDIS.

The reforms will take five years to implement.

Here’s our explainer on what it means for the 600,000 Aussies on the scheme and thousands more who need support.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR KIDS?

More children are on the NDIS than experts projected.

The latest quarterly report shows 12 per cent of boys and five per cent of girls aged five to seven are on the scheme.

While most of their packages are small, parents have to get a diagnosis to get help for them.

As a result, rates of autism among children have risen dramatically, as parents have been forced to get their child officially diagnosed and even doctor shop to get the diagnosis they need.

WHAT ADVOCATES SAY ABOUT THE REPORT

Children are at the core of this report and the blueprint is positive, according to Children and Young People with a Disability Australia CEO Skye Kakoschke-Moore.

Children and Young People with a Disability Australia CEO Skye Kakoschke-Moore. Picture: AAP

Federal and States and Territories will provide funding to provide supports in the community for those with a disability, whether they have a diagnosis or not.

For example, there will be more help for children with extra needs in early education and schools.

HOW DOES IT IMPACT PARENTS?

Parents will no longer be forced to get a diagnosis for their child in order to get this kind of help.

There will also be lead practitioners to help children who are not eligible for the NDIS, and their families, find the help they need.

HOW DOES IT IMPACT CHILDREN?

It is expected some children will eventually drop out of the NDIS, because the support they need can be provided in the community.

However, advocates are concerned that this does not happen until adequate supports are in place.

There will also be programs and initiatives at key transition points in a child’s life, such as changing schools, going to university or starting work.

What the advocates say:

“We want to make sure that no child or young person is worse off because of this,” Ms Kakoschke-Moore said.

WHAT THE DISABILITY ADVOCACY NETWORK OF AUSTRALIA SAYS

Disability Advocacy Network Australia, director of policy and advocacy El Gibbs said the Review is quite clear, “Large numbers of kids with developmental delay will get the supports they need early and everywhere”.

“Kids will not have to wait for diagnosis to get support, which is expensive, or if they are in the public system can take years,” she said.

“They have been quite clear they want to move away from specific diagnosis. People should have the supports they need, full stop.

“As always the devil is in the detail and the implementation. We also need to see much more about the timeline for this and what the states and territories will develop.”

HOW WILL NDIS ASSESSMENTS CHANGE?

There are big changes in the way assessments will be carried out for those wishing to join the NDIS.

The focus will be on function and need, rather than diagnosis, and the plans will be longer term.

People will no longer need to get expensive reports to submit for their assessments, but the assessments will be far more in-depth. In some cases it could take 10 hours or more, over several days. The people doing the assessments will be better trained and more knowledgeable.

They will also set the budget for funding, unlike now, where one person does the assessment and another who has never met the individual, sets the budget.

What the disability advocates say:

It sounds great in, but this is one “we will be watching closely”.

WHAT IS A NAVIGATOR?

There will be a new role called a Navigator.

They can help anyone with a disability, with a diagnosis or not, find the right support for them, whether it is in the community or individualised support through the NDIS.

What experts say:

Advocates say figuring out what is available when you’re newly disabled or if your disability has got worse is really hard.

To have someone on your side is a really good change, but they want to see the detail.

WHAT ARE THE PROBLEMS WITH GROUP HOMES?

The Royal Commission recommended group homes for people with a disability be phased out. While some new accommodation is being built, the NDIS is still funding many older style group homes, called legacy homes, some built back in the 1960s. There are 30,000 people living in group homes.

Grace Manor, published by the Royal Commission. Picture: Supplied

Grace Manor, published by the Royal Commission. Picture: Supplied

What does the Review say:

Group homes should go and hubs be set up instead with small groups of people living together, but with their own self-contained spaces. People should also have the choice to live independently if they wish, and have a say about where they live and the supports they need.

What providers say:

Life without Barriers is Australia’s biggest provider of Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) and looks after 5000 people on the NDIS. It has 400 legacy homes, many of which were formerly operated by the States. It says a group home is a concept that is no longer palatable and it has been working in partnership with advocates and developers to modernise.

It is in full support of giving people more choice and control over where they live.

Pictures of Sydenham Grace published by the Royal Commission. Picture: Supplied

WHAT ABOUT SUPPORTED INDEPENDENT LIVING (SIL)?

Some of the intensive support that people with disability need, including in group homes, is being run by unregistered providers, which is perfectly legal under the current regulations, but where a lot of abuse and neglect could be occurring out of sight.

Registered providers, for example, have to log when restrictive practices are used, unlike unregistered providers.

What providers say:  

Life Without Barriers says it absolutely believes this is the way forward and announced it was starting the process of splitting its services and accommodation earlier this year.

What advocates say:

Ms Gibb explained the situation like this: “It’s like your landlord is also your doctor who takes you to the pub at the weekend. It doesn’t work. It’s a huge risk in terms of violence and abuse and exploitation. This is a huge change for big service providers and one we agree with.”

CRITICISMS ABOUT REGULATION

There’s not enough oversight of providers or the kinds of support they deliver, particularly around quality and innovation. There have been hair raising stories about money being taken without people receiving services, poor quality of services and unfair contracts. Not all providers have to be registered.

What the Reviews says:

Providers will have to be registered, which can be an expensive process, and mainly provides compliance checks. The NDIS Quality and Safety Commission will have a much bigger role and it will cover people outside the NDIS as well as those on the scheme.

QUESTIONS THAT NEED TO BE ASKED

Will the commission get more money to take on a bigger role, as it is already struggling to deal with the complaints it currently receives? Many feel the watchdog is not performing under its current remit. Will there be a differentation in the registration between providers who do a lot of personal care for vulnerable people and someone who mows the lawn and has limited contact?

Price Gouging

Service providers should not be allowed to increase prices for services just because it is being provided on the NDIS.

What the Review says:

This is a big change. The Review wants to see compulsory regulation and registration in this area, but advocates say more details are needed.

What providers say:

Ability First Australia, a national body for leading providers, says a study found more than 63 per cent of disability service providers are operating at a loss. It supports reforming the pricing and payments model to account for the true cost of services, particularly for people with complex needs and for services in regional and remote areas.

But it says the government needs to action the pricing and payment reforms immediately because service providers are already withdrawing from the market and pulling back services.

It says the Review’s recommendation to wait for underpinning reforms to be implemented first will risk more service providers having to exit the market and that “we have months, not years to address this”.

Originally published as NDIS Review: How it will affect 600,000 Aussies