Independent Assessments

                                   Submission 86

The NDIS was designed around individual goals. Our family and many other families we have discussed the proposed individual assessments are angry that our voices are not being listened to nor the peak disability bodies’ responses. It is highly insulting to disabled people that the government has already allocated contracts to companies to provide independent assessments. The trial of IAs has been slammed by trial participants on many grounds. A series of questions asked by people previously unknown to the participant is not a fair assessment, contrary to Minister Roberts’ assertions. One of the strengths of the NDIS to date has been the opportunity for participants to express their goals, to submit reports from practitioners who at the very least know the impact of disability on the participant, but very often know the participant, their goals and have specialist expertise in particular areas. For example, a speech pathologist who specialises on supporting people with complex communication needs, including the requisite knowledge of a broad and current range of AAC and is the only certified PODD instructor in our state of WA (one of the communication systems our son uses) and who has been supporting our young adult son in his communication goals for the past four years is the person who currently writes assessment reports, pre admission to NDIS and since. We struggle to find speech pathologists with the high level of specialisation and skills required to work as therapists for our son. Thus it is not surprising that we have very little confidence that an “independent assessor” could be found, and would be allocated to our son, with the necessary skill set to make an accurate and informed assessment. Indeed, our son has struggled to find an NDIS planner who adequately understands the complexities of achieving his goals. Having ill informed assessment by someone without smart communication partner skills and a stranger to our son is actually an invitation to come up with a highly inadequate, inaccurate assessment. We are also very concerned regarding the inability of a participant to appeal any assessments.

And the need for any new assessments at all.

Our son’s therapists and allied health professionals and other service providers submit detailed reports to the NDIS every plan. Our son’s first two plans were 3 months and six months respectively because the NDIA would not approve longer plans. His current one year plan is being reviewed after only six months at NDIA request.

Our son and his family are fed up with his NDIS funds being spent on three month and six month reports at the request of the NDIA. We want to devote time and energy towards achieving his goals rather than devoting again to get the government to listen to us and other disabled people.

This is so far from the NDIS we fought for.

What do I say to our son’s sister and brother who fought along with us for the NDIS so that their brother could access the supports he needs to lead an orinary life?