Submission No 87
INQUIRY INTO FOUNDATIONAL AND DISABILITY SUPPORTS AVAILABLE FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE IN NEW SOUTH WALES
Organisation: ANU South Asian Research and Advocacy Hub (SARAH) Date Received: 11 September 2026
11 September 2026
RE: Submission to the Inquiry into Foundational and Disability Supports Available for Children and Young People in New South Wales
To whom it may concern,
The ANU South Asian Research and Advocacy Hub (SARAH) appreciates the opportunity to present a submission to the Inquiry into Foundational and Disability Supports Available for Children and Young People in New South Wales
SARAH is an undergraduate research group within the Law Reform and Social Justice Department (LRSJ) at the ANU College of Law based in Canberra, ACT. We are run by students who research and advocate for South Asian peoples, and are assisted by academics, community associations, and other non-government organisations.
Our submission focuses on improving early childhood intervention for children with disability. We have chosen this perspective, as we belong to South Asian communities across Australia who have experienced the challenges that South Asian families who have children with disabilities often face when trying to access support.
New South Wales’s South Asian community is rapidly growing, so we believe it is in the NSW Government’s interest to support these communities, particularly those with children who have disabilities. As such, we believe that in order to provide services for South Asian communities, it is important to understand the barriers that uniquely affect South Asian peoples and how services should South Asian families for best access.
This submission addresses the following Terms of Reference in this order: (1)(d), (1)(c), (1)(a), (1)(b), (1)(f) and (1)(e). We have structured the submission to (1) discuss barriers to early childhood intervention access for South Asian families, (2) how this may affect children in these familiies and (c) our recommendation for service outreach.
We welcome the opportunity to answer any questions from the committee regarding this
submission. We can be contacted at redacted
Kind regards,
The ANU South Asian Research and Advocacy Hub: Researchers and Writers Atputha Rahavan and Shaneeq Syed.
We thank Professor Jessica Hambly, Adeline Toohey, Chamika Fonseka and Nirmidha Sankar for their contributions to this submission.
Term of Reference (1)(d): Gaps and barriers to accessing early childhood intervention and their impact on a child’s overall development, health and wellbeing, as well as on their family or carers and other government services and systems
One of the most important factors when discussing South Asian families’ access to early intervention services is the influence of social-cultural factors within South Asian communities. This can include stigma and a lack of awareness on the effects of disability.
Socio-cultural factors within South Asian communities, most notably stigma and a lack of awareness of the effects and presentations of disability, can affect access to early childhood intervention services.
SARAH would like to clarify that the identification of these factors is not to shame South Asian communities for their lack of awareness nor to support their views. The presentation of these factors is important in considering how best to provide effective services.
Stigma
For many South Asian families, disability stigma can act as a significant barrier in accessing services for children and young people. Many South Asian peoples believe that actions in their past life (karma) may be the cause of disability in their current life, and thus, view disability as a punishment (Krishnan, 2026). Therefore, disability can be seen as taboo or a misfortune on the family.
Moreover, the close-knit nature of many South Asian communities can intensify these beliefs, increasing the pressure on families who have children with disabilities (Krishnan, 2026). In South Asian communities, families rely heavily on extended family and community networks. This is particularly so for migrants in countries like Australia, where they may have limited family support (Krishnan, 2026).
Indeed, these community members may also have the same or worse stigmatised views. For example, many South Asian families have had community members attribute their children having disabilities due to factors such as poor parenting or maternal failures. (Krishnan, 2026; Smith et al., 2024). South Asian families have also noted that community members often provide unsolicited advice on spiritual and cultural practices that families can undertake, and families often feel pressured to listen to this advice out of respect for elders or senior family members (Krishnan, 2026)
As such, South Asian families with children who have disabilities often isolate themselves from their communities or are hesitant in openly discussing any concerns they may have (Krishnan, 2026; Smith et al., 2024).
Limited Awareness - Disability
Additionally, in many South Asian and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse households, there are varying levels of understanding of developmental conditions and disabilities (Smith et al., 2024; Garg et al., 2017; Woolfenden et al., 2014). While families may know basic information about certain disabilities, they often do not understand the depth of these conditions, and particularly, how these conditions can impact daily life.
This lack of knowledge can make developmental differences more difficult for families to recognise, which can delay early assessment and diagnosis for young children. Parents of children with disability often state they lacked detailed knowledge on early childhood development indicators, therefore being unable to recognise early developmental concerns in their children (Woolfenden et al., 2014). Additionally, various studies have suggested that to avoid the cultural pressure and fear of judgment, parents may downplay or ignoring their child’s disability(s), ultimately hindering access to appropriate care and support (Krishnan, 2026).
Term of Reference (1)(c): The role of diagnostic services, existing gaps and barriers, and measures to improve effectiveness, availability and access of such service
Limited Awareness - Services and Supports
Beyond recognising that a child has different developmental needs and the initial diagnosis, South Asian families also face difficulties understanding Australia’s disability support systems. Parents of children with disability often do not consistently receive enough accurate, relevant information about supports for their children condition at the time of diagnosis and when it is provided, information is often outdated and negative (Douglas et al., 2017).
As such, CALD families may turn to extended family or trusted people within their communities for guidance on how to navigate these systems. While other families or community members may be able to provide basic guidance, this is typically not enough information and can also be incorrect, preventing quick access to services (Garg et al., 2017).
Furthermore, language barriers can further complicate seeking support, particularly for families who are unfamiliar with disability terminology and documentation that is needed to access National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) support (NDIS, 2025). The NDIS has acknowledged this in their recent strategy document, emphasising how CALD families have not been provided with sufficient information to understand NDIS eligibility, alongside the limited accessibility of in-language NDIS related-resources (NDIS, 2024).
While the NDIS has stated that CALD participation has increased from 24,000 in 2019 to more than 67,000 participants as of March 2026, only 12.4% of the over 51,000 children, aged zero to eight identified as being from CALD backgrounds in 2025 in NSW (Settlement Services International, 2025). This disparity suggests the growth of CALD family participation has not also translated into greater proportionate accessibility for CALD children in NSW.
The importance of appropriate disability support for CALD and South Asian families is reflected in current NSW child development data. According to the 2024 Australian Early Development Census, the portion of CALD or language-background-other-than-English (LBOTE) children from NSW that were developmentally on track on five census recorded domains (OT5) of: Physical health/wellbeing, Social competence, Emotional maturity, Language/cognitive skills and Communication skills/general knowledge fell from 50.4% in 2021 to 48.0% in 2024 (AEDC, 2025).
The largest overall difference was noted in Communication skills/general knowledge, where 66.8% of CALD/LBOTE children were developmentally on track, compared to 78.9% of children from English only households (NSW Legislative Council, 2026). These differences demonstrate the greater need for increasing accessibility to services for CALD children that appropriately recognises their developmental needs.
Visa Status
Additionally, visa status can serve as a distinct structural barrier for migrant families in NSW. Access to the NDIS is limited to Australian citizens, permanent residents, and Protected Special Category Visa holders (NDIS, 2026). Consequently, South Asian and other CALD families that live in NSW under temporary visas are often unable to access NDIS-funded disability support systems, although their child has qualifying disability needs (National Ethnic Disability Alliance, 2021).
Although these families may still have access to some NSW health and community services, the absence of any NDIS support takes away a principal mechanism of long-term disability support for these families (Refugee Council of Australia, 2019).
Term of Reference (1)(a): The role of such services and supports on a child’s overall development, health and wellbeing
Stigma and Family Pressures
For young people who identify as being South Asian or from other culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, experiences of disability and developmental support are shaped by more factors than just the availability of particular services. Cultural understandings of
disability, community attitudes, experiences of racism, as well as the cultural sensitivity of service providers, can all influence whether a young person feels understood and supported. This is particularly for young children and adolescents, who rely on their family and healthcare service providers to recognise their needs and connect them with appropriate support services.
Due to these factors, CALD young people in particular experience pressure to conceal their conditions or may have their behaviour interpreted by family and wider society as the result of poor discipline or deliberate disobedience, rather than an involuntary expression of their disability (Smith et al., 2024).
Additionally, these experiences can have a flow-on effect on a young person’s sense of identity and belonging. Growing up in an immigrant household, these children often felt that their family did not truly understand why they struggled in ways that other children appeared not to (Krishnan, 2026). Particularly for those who lived in households where symptoms associated with disability were downplayed or ignored, they often felt isolated from others, as they did not understand why they felt or acted the way they did (Krishnan, 2026).
For young South Asians, the discourse on disability and racial identity intersect, as they shape the way a young person understands both themselves and their place within society. Their experiences demonstrate the absence early effective support has on their mental wellbeing and sense of belonging.
Term of Reference (1)(b): the types of services and supports available and measures to improve effectiveness, availability and access of such services and supports in metropolitan, regional, rural and remote New South Wales, including medical, community-nursing, allied health services, NDIS services and other service delivery models
Improving accessibility through community-based outreach
The experiences outlined above demonstrate that improving outcomes for CALD and South Asian children requires more than simply increasing the formal availability of disability and developmental services. Consideration must also be given to whether families:
- (1) Know what supports are available;
- (2) Understand how to access them; and
- (3) Feel sufficiently supported to engage with service providers, including that service providers are culturally-sensitive to working with CALD and South Asian communities.
In this respect, SARAH suggests that working with existing multicultural and South Asian community networks is a great opportunity to support accessibility and effectiveness of existing services.
Research examining South Asian migrant parents’ experiences accessing autism diagnosis and early supports in Australia demonstrates the difficulties families can experience when navigating existing systems. Smith et al. (2024) interviewed 13 parents from Indian, Pakistani and Sri Lankan backgrounds and identified challenges including limited knowledge, funding difficulties, lengthy waiting lists and difficulties accessing appropriate clinicians. One parent described not knowing “where to go, where to access any therapies, where to start” (Smith et al., 2024, p. 6), while another identified “the lack of knowledge and the proper support” as a significant difficulty (p. 6).
These experiences demonstrate an important distinction between the availability and accessibility of services. A family may technically be eligible for allied health, early intervention or NDIS supports but may not realise this and understand how to apply for these supports.
Broader Australian research demonstrates the potential importance of ethnic community networks in addressing such isolation beyond South Asian communities alone. One study highlighted that social support from ethnic communities, particularly for migrants, played a significant role in predicting mental health outcomes among Sudanese refugees in Queensland (Schweitzer et al., 2006, p. 179).
The presence of social support from others within the Sudanese community was also a significant determinant of mental health functioning as social groups are “an important source of support, both emotional and instrumental” (Schweitzer et al., 2006, p. 185). Although these findings should not be generalised directly to South Asian communities or all CALD communities, they support the broader proposition that ethnic community networks can constitute important sources of practical and social support for migrant populations.
Existing Responses from South Asian Communities In NSW
South Asian communities in NSW have already attempted to bridge some of these information and community-support gaps. Samarpan Inc, a group in NSW, provides support for people with intellectual and physical disabilities from South Asian backgrounds through initiatives including culturally safe peer-support groups, free NDIS information sessions and culturally sensitive accommodation frameworks for young adults with disability (Samarpan, 2026).
Informal community networks have also emerged, including online groups centered on neurodivergence and special-needs parenting, in which parents can share experiences and information in culturally familiar environments (Australian Asian Autism/ADHD Community,
n.d.). Their emergence indicates that some families are actively attempting to seek out culturally familiar spaces in which to understand disability, exchange information and navigate existing support systems (People with Disability Australia, 2021).
These community-led responses demonstrate both an existing community capacity and an opportunity for greater government collaboration. Community organisations alone should not be expected to replace appropriately qualified health, disability or early intervention services. Instead, their established relationships and cultural knowledge with their communities can be used to create pathways for service outreach.
Term of Reference (1)(e): opportunities to increase engagement across sectors and improved collaboration across both government and non-government services, including Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations, early learning services, educational settings and health services
SARAH’s Recommendation
We recommend that the NSW Government should partner with established multicultural and South Asian community organisations to deliver culturally and linguistically appropriate outreach concerning child development, early intervention, the NDIS and other disability support. Existing community networks can be treated as partners in disability outreach and should play an important role in facilitating and supporting service outreach.
We note that for this to be effective, outreach should meet families in settings with which they already engage, such as community language schools, cultural associations, places of worship and community centres. For example, NDIS representatives, early childhood intervention practitioners or appropriately trained community workers could attend a South Asian community language school or community meeting to explain available supports, eligibility and referral processes, how to navigate the NDIS, and where families can seek further assistance.
Where appropriate, information can be delivered by bilingual or culturally competent workers and made available in relevant community languages. The SARAH researchers note that in Melbourne, Victoria and Gold Coast, Queensland, trusted medical professionals often speak in South Asian language schools about NDIS supports families can look into in an informal basis.
Community organisations could also provide families with trusted points of initial contact and referrals into health and disability services, and support service providers to better understand barriers affecting the communities they serve. Regular outreach within familiar settings may also assist in normalising conversations about disability, directly responding to the stigma and family pressures identified earlier in this submission.
Term of Reference (1)(f): other government or best practice child development and early childhood intervention service models and programs operating outside of New South Wales
An Existing Australian Model: The National Community Connector Program
The CALD component of the National Community Connector Program (NCCP), funded by the National Disability Insurance Agency, used community-based organisations and ‘Community Connectors’ to assist CALD people with disability and their carers to access and navigate the NDIS (Realist Research Evaluation and Learning Initiative (RREALI), 2021, p. 6). Community Connectors were trusted members of each community who had deep knowledge of the NDIS (Realist Research Evaluation and Learning Initiative (RREALI), 2021, p. 6).
The program combined individual service navigation with broader community outreach. Its evaluation found that Community Connectors used collaboration and education to engage with CALD communities, as they understood how to approach sensitive discussions about topics like disability and seeking supports with communities (RREALI, 2021, p. 4). Community Connectors reported reaching almost 42,000 people through community activities, social media and community radio. Significantly, the evaluation emphasised “the importance of face-to-face communication and relationships in accessing CALD communities” (RREALI, 2021, p. 4).
The evaluation further found that providing “tailored information and support” through Community Connectors who understood cultural perspectives on disability assisted in establishing trust, while information provided in community members’ preferred languages improved understanding and accuracy (RREALI, 2021, pp. 4–5).
The NCCP therefore provides a useful model upon which NSW could build upon. SARAH strongly suggests that the NSW Government could fund multicultural organisations to operate as community outreach and navigation partners, with clear pathways into professional health, early childhood and NDIS services.
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