National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
Submission 1473
Submission to the Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
To the Committee, I am writing as a paediatric Occupational Therapist who provides telehealth services to children and families accessing the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). Through my clinical work, I support children with autism, ADHD, intellectual disability, developmental delay, psychosocial disability, sensory processing differences, emotional regulation difficulties, executive functioning challenges and complex behavioural presentations. I work closely with families who are already under immense pressure navigating disability, school demands, behavioural challenges, financial stress and limited access to services. While I acknowledge the importance of ensuring the long-term sustainability of the NDIS, I am deeply concerned that the proposed National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 risks significantly weakening the foundational principles of the Scheme. In my view, the Bill moves the NDIS away from a person-centred, individualised model of support and toward a standardised, fiscally driven system that does not adequately reflect the realities of disability or the lived experiences of participants and families. One of my greatest concerns relates to the proposed changes to the definition and assessment of functional capacity. Occupational therapists assess people within the context of their real lives. Function cannot be accurately understood in isolation from environmental supports, assistive technology, routines, emotional regulation strategies, sensory needs, fatigue, executive functioning or the availability of informal supports. The proposed legislation appears to require participants to be assessed without these contextual factors being considered. This approach fundamentally contradicts occupational therapy practice and risks creating an unrealistic and reductionist understanding of disability. Many of the children I support may appear capable during short structured interactions but experience substantial impairment in daily life. For example, I work with children who can engage appropriately for a brief telehealth session but require constant prompting, co-regulation, emotional support, supervision and environmental structuring throughout the rest of their day. I support children who mask their difficulties in formal settings but experience severe dysregulation, shutdowns, aggression, anxiety or exhaustion once demands increase. If these contextual supports and fluctuating presentations are ignored during assessment,”many”participants”may incorrectly appear “high-functioning” despite requiring extensive daily support. The proposed functional capacity framework also fails to adequately account for fluctuating𝙉𝛟����e𝚯𝛫𝛭𝛯𝛺�ﻏ disability and fatigue. Many participants can complete tasks briefly but experiencenotice: This text appears garbled due to OCR misreading; it is likely a redaction marker indicating that this part was withheld under an exemption code not legible from image alone.
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
Submission 1473
post-exertional exhaustion, sensory overload or deterioration afterward. A snapshot cannot capture the cumulative impact of disability across an entire day, week month This is particularly concerning people with autism psychosocial disability chronic fatigue conditions neurological conditions executive functioning impairments. I’m also deeply concerned increasing standardisation funding planning proposed throughout The Bill Disabling highly individual Two children same diagnosis can have vastly different needs depending their communication abilities sensing processing trauma history family supports behavioural complex emotional regulation cognitive profile environmental circumstances occupational therapy recommendations developed through detailed clinical considering safety participation sustainability long-term outcomes preventative intervention. The powers allowing caps benchmarking percentage-based reductions risk oversimplifying ignoring individual Many categorised as “community” capacity building are essential maintains mental health participation skill development function reducing these does underlying transfer burden onto families schools hospitals emergency systems unpaid carers I am particular concern about reduction social community access frequently used daily activities attending appointments safely build emotion isolation and supporting independence Similarly therapists nature Occupational often reduces support needs improving emotion regulation participation independent awareness self-care caregiver sustaining Reducing may create short-term financial savings while hospitalization breakdown school refusal safeguard concerns mental crises Proposed reassessment changes also deeply extending decision timeframes from days to leave participants without adequate during periods crisis deteriorate burnout In practice requests made because something has already become unsafe unsustainable Families seek additional only once they’re approaching breaking point Delays up three months could significantly increase risks alike Also growing reliance on administrative assessment processes that not adequately recognize complexity disability Therapists assess whole person consider interaction between
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
Submission 1473
impairments, environmental barriers, sensory processing, communication, trauma, fatigue, behaviour, emotional regulation and participation demands. support needs rarely arise from one isolated impairment Narrowing evaluation frameworks risks excluding participants whose disabilities are cumulative intersecting or not easily measurable through standardised tools As a telehealth Occupational Therapist also work \with\families regional underserved areas where access services is limited The proposed treatment permanence requirements may disproportionately disadvantage participants who cannot afford private therapy specialist appointments repeated assessments live significant workforce shortages Many families already struggling to appropriate services Requiring exhaustion of all appropriate treatment before accessing support creates impossible barriers vulnerable participants Ultimately I believe this Bill shifts away original purpose rights based person centred insurance scheme grounded individualised participant well being deeply concerned reforms will disproportionate impact children invisible fluctuating disabilities families experiencing carer burnout complex support needs respectfully urge Committee reconsider proposals preserve whole-of-person assessment approaches strengthen safeguards retain planning principles ensure funding decisions remain real-world functional need rather than broad fiscal targets sustainable should not simply reduce expenditure It should dignity participate safety inclusion family sustainability long-term wellbeing people disability Thank you considering submission