Intellectual Disability Reference Group meeting bulletin, 13-14 November 2024
The Independent Advisory Council (IAC) Intellectual Disability Reference Group (Reference Group) met in the Gold Coast on 13-14 November 2024. The Reference Group discussed:
What they have heard in their communities
Inclusion Australia’s survey results on improving accessibility in IAC and Reference Groups
The National Disability Insurance Agency’s (NDIA) intellectual disability employment pilot project in South Australia
Principal Member Leah van Poppel and Reference Group Co-chair Gavin Burner led the meeting.
What Members have heard in their communities
Members raised community concerns about NDIS support lists. The changes are creating confusion for participants. Members asked the NDIA to publish clearer information about what is allowed and not allowed under the new rules. Members shared community responses to the NDIA’s recent letters to participants. While the letters shared information about the legislative changes, most still don’t understand the changes.
Members noted that in some communities it’s hard to find support coordinators. They also stressed the important and unpaid role played by participants’ families, especially in regional and rural areas.
Members raised concerns about changes to self-management claiming, and the increase in administration these changes are causing. They are worried this may result in fewer people choosing to self-manage. The NDIA shared that they are doing work to help support self-managers, who are important to the NDIS.
Members talked about concerns around the NDIA eligibility reassessment process. Members shared that some participants, including those who joined the NDIS from state and territory government programs, expressed concerns after being asked for written evidence of their disability. The NDIA noted these concerns, and said it wants to make its letters more accessible. Members spoke of delays in processing NDIS plans and noted the length of NDIS plans are too long for some in the community to read without support. They suggested plans should be in Easy Read, which the NDIA is working on. Some participants report that it takes them years to understand how to spend their plan funding.
Members discussed issues faced by people in older group homes. This includes delays in exploring other housing options. Members mentioned satellite properties could be a solution. This would provide separate, more independent accommodation for participants who need less support. Members also discussed the function of the new navigator roles that are being developed. They noted the importance of consistency, cultural competency, a solid understanding of the NDIS, and pairing navigators to participant’s needs.
IAC and reference groups meeting accessibility
Inclusion Australia are doing a project to help IAC and its reference groups make meetings more accessible. A survey found that member experience has improved in general. There could be better information available on what to expect if you are a part of an IAC reference group. This includes how meetings are run and time commitments. They also feel the IAC meeting papers could include both Easy Read and plain English papers. Members acknowledged Inclusion Australia’s work and hoped the NDIA will apply some of the findings with business areas working on co-design. Next, Inclusion Australia will develop some resources for the IAC and NDIA to use.
Intellectual disability employment pilot
The NDIA shared information about its recent employment pilot in South Australia. The pilot has employed 3 people with intellectual disability to work at the NDIA. The NDIA got advice from other agencies and organisations as part of the pilot, including using targeted job ads aimed at people with intellectual disability. Members acknowledged the work done by the NDIA with the project and urged them to expand the pilot beyond South Australia.
More information on the Reference Group
The Intellectual Disability Reference Group will next meet in 2025. Find out more about IAC and Reference Group meetings and bulletins at the IAC website.
Information in Easy Read
The IAC publishes an Easy Read version of this bulletin. This is part of its commitment to accessibility.