National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 1250
Dear Committee Secretary,
Submission to Senate Inquiry: National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
I am the Practice Manager at , a paediatric occupational therapy service supporting children with autism, ADHD, developmental delay, sensory processing differences, and other functional challenges.
I also make this submission as the parent of a child with multiple disabilities currently supported through the NDIS.
I support the importance of ensuring the NDIS remains sustainable and appropriately governed. However, I am concerned that some of the proposed changes relating to functional capacity assessments, reassessment processes, and tighter access to supports may have significant unintended impacts on children and families requiring early intervention and ongoing therapy support.
From both a professional and personal perspective, I know that children do not present consistently across environments or assessments. Many neurodivergent children are able to cope briefly in structured settings, while experiencing significant dysregulation at home, school, and in the community. Functional challenges are often variable, cumulative, and difficult to capture in a single assessment process.
I am concerned that narrower or more rigid interpretations of functional impairment may unintentionally exclude children who still require substantial support to remain engaged in education and daily life.
In my own experience, my son was diagnosed with Autism and ADHD at age five. At that time, our family was struggling with school refusal, aggression in the classroom, emotional dysregulation, periods of becoming non-verbal during distress, and attempts to leave school grounds. More recently, he has also been diagnosed with dysgraphia, which has helped explain significant challenges with writing and school participation.
Without timely access to early intervention supports through the NDIS, including occupational therapy, speech therapy, and psychology, I do not believe my son would still be attending mainstream school. As a single mother raising three children alone, I also would not have been able to remain in the workforce without these supports.
The NDIS has been critical in improving my child’s emotional regulation, participation, communication, and overall functioning, while also reducing pressure on our family and school supports.
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 1250
In my role as Practice Manager, I see many families already struggling with long waitlists, limited therapy availability, financial pressure, and complex NDIS processes. Additional reassessment requirements, administrative burden, or delays in accessing supports are likely to place further pressure on families already at capacity.
Interruptions to therapy for children with developmental disabilities do not simply delay progress. In many cases, they can contribute to regression, school disengagement, behavioural escalation, caregiver burnout, and reduced workforce participation for parents.
I am also concerned about the impact these reforms may have on paediatric therapy providers already managing workforce shortages and extensive waitlists. Increased compliance and administrative demands may reduce provider capacity and further limit access to therapy supports, particularly in regional and outer metropolitan communities.
Early intervention is not a short-term benefit. It is an investment in long-term participation, education, independence, and future employment outcomes for children with disabilities.
I strongly encourage the Committee to ensure any reforms preserve timely access to early intervention supports, recognise the variability of childhood disability and neurodivergence, and avoid creating additional barriers for families already struggling to access therapy services.
Thank you for the opportunity to provide this submission based on both frontline professional experience and lived experience as a parent of an NDIS participant.
Kind Regards,