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o Members are keen to understand the evidence that has informed the Inklings Pilot,
that was referenced in the Thriving Kids announcement, and how are the benefits
and impacts are going to be measured.
o Members expressed concern that providers are withdrawing in-home/at school
support due to pricing changes for travel. There is an impact to providers in areas
not classified as remote/very remote but where significant travel is required.
2. Fraud and Integrity
• Key
themes:
o The Agency has conducted a review of a sample of debts raised between 2017 to
2024.
o Of the 475 debts reviewed, the majority were handled correctly. There were 115
cases where it was decided to revoke the debt and issue an apology.
o There were 28 cases where the debt to be revoked had been paid in part or full, and
refunds are being made, with interest.
o The Agency now has controls in place to avoid future errors. As of July 2024, all new
debts go through a three-step process before being raised:
Review by the debt team with accurate records and consistent guidance.
Review by debt leadership team and legal specialists.
Review by the Agency’s debt panel which includes the CEO and 3 other
members of the senior leadership team.
o The provider market has seen a range of interventions that includes the NDIS
Quality and Safeguards Commission banning (over 900 providers have been exited),
re-education, and referrals to the ACCC.
• Key
insights:
o Members are concerned that the NDIS website lists debts raised against participants
before debts raised against providers raising the public perception of participants
rorting the system.
o Members expressed support for the new three-step approach before debts are
raised but have concerns around making sure there are previsions in the legislation
to protect these changes.
o Concern that the error rate for debts in the sample reviewed is 24.2%, and a
suggestion to ensure review of debts is continued.
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o The new three-step approach to raising debt has been running for a year, and
members would like to see a comparison between debts raised pre and post
implementation of this process.
3. NDIS Communications
• Key
themes:
o The Agency is improving how we communicate clear and timely information about
reforms and integrity concerns to minimise uncertainty for participants and their
families.
o The NDIS website is being redesigned to embed accessibility design principles
including focusing on plain, simple language, and LOTE and Auslan translations.
o The Agency has been working with Down Syndrome Australia (DSA) on an
accessible communications pilot that’s now in the second stage. Key findings from
stage one are:
Easy Read documents need to be shorter.
Reduce paragraphs to short sentences and break up resources into easy to
consume topics.
Simplify complex language and explain what NDIS terminology means.
o As part of implementing the findings the Agency has consulted and engaged with
over 300 participants on the website redevelopment, and is working on voice to text
options, translation capabilities, and exploring how plain English and Easy Read
should look.
• Key
insights:
o Members discussed the importance of tailored communications for culturally and
linguistically diverse communities.
o Members expressed the importance of testing Easy Read with users and would like
to see Easy Read summaries provided with NDIS plans as a priority.
o Concern was raised that the Participant Reference Group is not representative of
people with intellectual disability.
4. DRCO Forum 2025 workplan
• Key
themes:
o The monthly caucus meeting to gather member feedback and provide the NDIA with
input on the Forum agenda has improved DRCO members involvement in agenda
setting.
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o The membership working group has begun piloting the previously endorsed
Membership Criteria. Currently, there are three applications being assessed against
the criteria.
o The accessible communications working group has provided feedback on eligibility
reassessments and early intervention communications.
o The DRCO employment working group is supporting the NDIA to develop
employment conversation guides for staff and partners when supporting participants
with goal setting.
• Key
Insights:
o Concerns there are no Mental Health lived experience peaks represented on the
section 10/section 33 evaluation advisory group.
o Members are keen to hear more about the employment conversation guides being
developed, and ensure it complements work done in other spaces.
5. Participant Pathway Experience
• Key
themes:
o As a direct result of feedback, the Agency has made changes to the pathway around
reducing how often participants need to tell their story.
o Under the revised pathway design, participants can meet with the plan delegate
before the plan is approved, and implementation meetings will become optional.
o Key stages in the new participant pathway:
Preparing for a support needs assessment
The support needs assessment discussion
Validating the assessment report and building the NDIS plan
Support when receiving and using your NDIS plan
o Under the new approach delegates will need to review and decide if the support
needs assessment is valid or needs to be sent back for reassessment. The results of
the support needs assessment will inform the participant’s NDIS plan, including their
budget.
o The NDIA wants to work with the sector to develop a quality assurance framework
for support needs assessments, to help the plan delegate decide if they need to
order a new assessment.
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• Key
insights:
o Concerns that participants can’t ask for edits to the support needs assessment
summary report before they see their plan.
o Concern over the many interfaces and contact points for children, and a need for a
consistent point of contact to build trust while learning to navigate the system.
o Members are keen to see more work done on what happens when the process isn’t
going smoothly. It’s unclear what happens if there is a disagreement or what the
formal review pathways are.
6. Support Needs Assessment Tool
• Key
themes:
o The Agency is close to procuring a support needs assessment tool. The Agency can
then start to test and modify the tool and assessment approach as we learn over
time. Work will also start on staff training and accreditation.
o The tool facilitates a semi-structured interview, so the assessment conversation will
vary depending on the participant, their disability, and cultural factors.
o The tool will be used alongside targeted assessment modules for more complex
needs.
o Examples
of
targeted modules are:
Assistive
technology
Home and vehicle modifications
Disability
related health supports
Some NDIS funded home and living supports
• Key
insights:
o Members stated that modifications to the targeted tools for different cohorts should
be tested before they are rolled out.
o Members expressed that the tools should consider and accurately score if someone
needs supervising and prompting when carrying out daily tasks.
o Members cautioned around simplifying physical disability as easy to assess and how
this language dismisses the impact of comorbid disabilities.
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7. NDIA Workforce Transition
• Key
themes:
o The transition of the NDIA workforce to support the new planning approach will take
time. It will involve a multi-layered process of redesigning work environments,
structures, technologies, training and processes to ensure staff are supported.
o The transition will be completed in 3 stages:
Supporting staff to know what the change means for them.
Delivering training and recourses so staff are equipped with the right skills and
tools.
Continuous improvement to ensure the Agency is supporting staff to embed
and refine the skills in their daily practice.
o Workforce capability uplift and recruitment will be phased, with defined diversity and
inclusion principles. The NDIA wants to:
Grow and retain high quality staff.
Support the mobilisation and transition of current staff to the right roles.
Explore strategic recruitment opportunities e.g. care economy and sector
workforces.
• Key
Insights:
o Members expressed the need for the outcomes of support needs assessments to be
checked and overseen by clinical supervisors.
o Members acknowledged the challenges of staff retention during this period of
change and highlighted the importance of strong recruitment and retention
strategies.
o Members expressed the importance of valuing the lived experience of disability as a
key requirement in recruitment.
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Attendees
Australian Federation of Disability Organisations, Autistic Self Advocacy Network of Australia and New
Zealand, Blind Citizens Australia, Brain Injury Australia, Carers Australia, Children and Young People with
Disability Australia, Community Mental Health Australia, Deaf Australia, Deafblind Australia, Disability
Advocacy Network Australia, Down Syndrome Australia, Every Australian Counts, Inclusion Australia, JFA
Purple Orange, Mental Health Australia, National Ethnic Disability Alliance, National Mental Health
Consumer and Carer Forum, People with Disability Australia, Physical Disability Australia, ReImagine
Australia, Women with Disabilities Australia, Young People in Nursing Homes National Alliance, Australian
Autism Alliance, Deafness Forum Australia
Apologies: A4 Autism Aspergers Advocacy Australia, Self Advocacy Resource Unit
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