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, 18 January 2013 7:55:33 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.

I find it hard to be able to receive the kind of help my boy needs with his learning and behavioural diffuculties. There has not been enough funding for him to be able to receive the SSO time he so obviously craves within the school environment, so much so that his Dad and I have been tempted to pull him out of school and home school although not sure that would be the perfect solution either. The services he needs are so popular that we are constantly waiting for appointments such as OT, Speechie etc. He has Aspergers and is hard to watch him constantly battle with himself when I know he is entitled to help.

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

• Ensure support and equipment is available when needed,
• Better access to education and work opportunities,
• More rights for people with a disability,
• Minimising the number of times people have to tell their story in order to get support,
• Less red tape, with planning done locally by people who know their community,
• Access to reliable information about support options,
• Removal of age barriers to services for children

The most important services for the NDIS to provide are:

• Support for families and carers,
• Flexible in-home/outside home respite,
• Positive behaviour support and psychological services

I support the introduction of the NDIS.

To help with any services required by people with a disability is an awesome idea.

I agree for my submission to be made public

Regards,

Miss Rebecca Smith