Submission
No 77
INQUIRY INTO FOUNDATIONAL AND DISABILITY
SUPPORTS AVAILABLE FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG
PEOPLE IN NEW SOUTH WALES
Name: Name suppressed
Date Received: 25 July 2026
Partially
Confidential
Submission to the Select Committee on Foundational and Disability Supports
Available for Children and Young People in New South Wales
Thank you for the opportunity to make a submission to this inquiry.
I am writing as a member of the NSW community who believes children and young people with developmental concerns, delays, differences or disabilities should be able to receive appropriate support when they need it, regardless of their postcode, their family’s financial position, or whether they meet the eligibility requirements of the NDIS.
One of my greatest concerns is the gap that exists between identifying that a child needs help and actually being able to access that help.
A child should not have to deteriorate, fall significantly behind, reach crisis point or obtain a particular diagnosis before meaningful assistance becomes available.
Early intervention
Early intervention needs to genuinely mean early intervention.
If parents, teachers, health professionals or carers identify developmental
concerns, families should have somewhere accessible to turn without facing months-long waiting lists, complicated eligibility processes or unaffordable private fees.
Delays during childhood matter. Months and years spent waiting for speech
pathology, occupational therapy, psychological support, developmental
assessment or other assistance can represent a significant portion of a young child’s life.
Government investment should therefore prioritise early support rather than waiting until difficulties become severe enough to require more intensive and expensive intervention.
Children who fall outside the NDIS
There also needs to be a functioning system for children who require assistance but are not eligible for the NDIS.
A child who does not meet an eligibility threshold does not suddenly stop having developmental or functional needs.
Families should not be left in a gap between the NDIS and mainstream services, with each system expecting the other to provide the