Submission to the Inquiry into the National Disability Insurance Scheme Bill 2012

From: To: Community Affairs, Committee (SEN); Subject: Submission to the Inquiry into the National Disability Insurance Scheme Bill 2012 Date: Thursday, 17 January 2013 5:09:56 PM

Please consider this email a formal submission by me to the Senate Standing Committee on Community Affairs Inquiry into the National Disability Insurance Scheme Bill 2012.

The current disability system has many problems that need to be addressed.

There are too many time constraints and too much administrative red tape which mean that services and equipment are not available when they are needed most. Service providers spend far too much time in meetings and not enough time on hands-on assistance. There are very few service providers in country districts which means that regular therapy sessions are unlikely to occur. The most important service for the family of a disabled person is the provision of in home respite care for the disabled person/child. Studies have shown that families who receive respite care are much more able to provide the ongoing care needed for the disabled person for a much longer time. Funding for respite care is virtually non existent and what is available is extremely difficult to access. My daughter gets a total of 4.5 hours per week respite for her 4 year old daughter who has severe spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy and needs 24 hour daily care. Provision of support for disabled children at kindergarten is available but funding is only enough to employ unskilled helpers who struggle to provide the necessary assistance for the disabled child especially those without verbal communication but who are cognitively normal.

The main features of the NDIS that will make a difference to the community are:

• People with a disability can plan their lives and pursue their goals and dreams,
• The ability to receive services when needed and in the way that suits the person,
• Less red tape, with planning done locally by people who know their community

The most important services for the NDIS to provide are:

• Therapy and allied health services, Education support (technology/services/equipment), In-home care and domestic assistance

I support the introduction of the NDIS.

The NDIS will remove a lot of the despair and depression faced by disabled people and their families. Knowing that they can access support and services which suit them and are timely will do this. I would hope that the NDIS will also have a major focus on enabling disabled people to be seen as just part of the community and not “special”. Every person is special not just disabled people. Education for community acceptance will make the lives of these people much happier and more able to contribute to their work place and community.

I agree for my submission to be made public

Regards,

Mrs Margaret Hibbins