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

From: To: Community Affairs, Committee (SEN); Subject: Spam: Submission to the Inquiry into the National Disability Insurance Scheme Bill 2012 Date: Monday, 24 December 2012 2:23:27 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 disability system is currently a mindfield to navigate and almost impossible to receive the supports and services that we need. There is no choice what services we can access. It is not possible to plan for a flexible, fullfilling, safe and individualised future for my child with a disability because programs are not tailor made to an individuals dreams and aspirations. There is no flexibility on how we can access respite supports such as assisting with community access through supported employment opportunities where a support worker is required, development of peer friendships is not available due to the inflexibility of rules and regulations that service providers impose on families. Flexible respite is not available eg. inability to choose your own workers; involvement in regular life experiences is not available as service delivered support workers are not permitted to support a person with a disability and their sibling/cousins/friends/play dates. This is a ma jor barrier to living a regular life for people with a disability and has caused major behavioural and emotional issues for my child as it segregates her from her own community. Access to a safe environment at home and disability equipment is not available through current government funding such as MASS unless you have a physical disability. My child has very severe epilepsy along with intellectual impairment, extreme behavioural difficulties and everything that goes with these things eg. speech language issues etc etc but because there is no physical disability access to funding through MASS etc is not available to her. Again, this shows the lack of flexibility to meet the needs of people with complex disabilities. Specialist behaviour support is not available unless the person is with child safety/relinquished. This is an enormous issue for me. The gaps in availability of supports and services are many and a constant problem when trying to care for a person with a co mplex disability and cause major financial, emotional and family stresses, making caring even more challenging than it already is. Burn out is a real issue for me and without flexible supports, appropriate housing, safety measures, equipment and access to more respite is forever on my mind and causes many sleepless nights.

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

• More opportunities to participate in the community,
• 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

The most important services for the NDIS to provide are:

• Equipment and home/vehicle modifications,
• Employment support,
• Flexible in-home/outside home respite

I support the introduction of the NDIS.

I strongly support the NDIS as it will give people with disabilities the same choices that people without disabilities get such as, where they live, who they live

with, where they work, who they have in their lives, the opportunity to plan a good life, to have goals, dreams and a good quality of life, to give back to their to the community, to contribute to their families and communities, to have paid employment that suits their needs, to receive the supports needed to live a regular life, to have access to specialist support services as well as regular community activities with the supports they need and to be included in their communities.

I also believe that more respite that suits the individual will enable families to continue to care for their loved one with a disability and minimise carer health issues, family breakdown and the issue of relinquishment due to lack of support.

The NDIS gives everyone with a disability the opportunity to access the supports and services they need instead of the current system that is inequatible. Currently it is a lottery to receive support/funding and for those who simply do not have the education, skills, and emotional strength to fight for funding, supports and services are currently not even in the race to obtain support due to the difficulties that face them along with caring for someone with a disability. The current system pits families against eachother for supports and creates unrest within communities for everyone involved. As some say, there are the “haves” and the “have nots”. This is extremely inequatible on so many levels.

I stronly believe that everyone has the right to a good life and whatever they need to achieve this should be accessible. I also strongly believe in everyone being given the opportunity to a quality education, a quality life and employment. These are basic human rights.

I agree for my submission to be made public

Regards,

Miss Kylie Clark