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: Friday, 21 December 2012 8:26:15 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.

The current system does not support individualised flexible services that suit my son with a disability and our family. There are so many barriers to accessing mainstream with support and disability specific services. The biggest barrier is most of the time you are unaware a service that could be providing support even exists. Most times you find out about services by word of mouth, however by then there is probably a huge waiting list.

There is not enough funding to provide the support.

There is also the problem where services are not flexible and are so limited by funding guidlines that often you are told what you want and need rather than getting what you need and want. Often there is waste of funding because rather than a service listening to what the need is they say you have to have for eg 30hrs a week of in home support and I might only need 15hrs and then I am refused service altogether because I wont agree to their guidlines. Rather than that funding supporting potentially 3 families. This also sets up a family for failure as they may then become dependent on that amount of hours and as the service has a time frame when the service is finished the family then fall apart.

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

• More employment of people with disability and less reliance on social welfare,
• The ability to receive services when needed and in the way that suits the person,
• People with disability/family will influence the types of support and services offered

The most important services for the NDIS to provide are:

• Life-skills, Support for families and carers, Flexible in-home/outside home respite

I support the introduction of the NDIS.

I support the NDIS because I want be able to hold the power and have flexibilty and real choice on what will best suit our son with a disability and our family.

There are too many services that are bureaucratic which put so many barriers on what can and can’t be done. Too much repetiveness in collection of information, worrying about risk. Do we put these limitations on people without disabilities “NO”.

Carers are not stupid and we are not greedy we just want what everyone else in the community take for granted. People and families of children with disabilities want to be able to participate; doing what they want; when and where they want too with whateva they need to do it! I think that is fair enough don’t you.

The problem is if you don’t live in the world of disability you don’t have a clue on

Page 2

how hard it is!

I agree for my submission to be made public

Regards,

Mrs Kylie Ramstadius