From: Affairs, Committee (SEN); Subject: Submission to the Inquiry into the National Disability Insurance Scheme Bill 2012 Date: Thursday, 17 January 2013 12:01:29 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.
Currently there is no systematic diagnosis for students who have learning disabilties/dyslexia nor is there sufficient informed awareness and support in the community or in the education system. These students are known to be at risk of school dropout, unemployment and depression.
The main features of the NDIS that will make a difference to the community are:
Better access to education and work opportunities, More rights for people with a disability, Access to reliable information about support options
The most important services for the NDIS to provide are:
Education support (technology/services/equipment), Employment support, Positive behaviour support and psychological services
I support the introduction of the NDIS.
In countries such as The Netherlands the NDIS pays for assessment of students and for their specialist support. There is a clear definition of dyslexia that is used and only those who fall with the definition are eligible. We need the same system here where many students have not been diagnosed and suffer negative lifelong consequences. Currently undiagnosed dyslexia/learning disabilties causes significant individual suffering and national economic loss. I am looking forward to the NDIS scheme addressing this issue.
I agree for my submission to be made public