National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
Submission 1528
From: Sent: Tuesday, 26 May 2026 1:55 PM To: Community Affairs, Committee (SEN) Subject: Review and Submission Regarding Disability Support,
To Whom It May Concern, RE: NDIS Review and Submission Regarding Disability Support, Participant Outcomes, and Scheme Sustainability
I am writing to provide a formal submission from my perspective as a 53-year-old parent and primary carer. Our family currently accesses vital NDIS supports, including Psychology, Positive Behaviour Support (PBS), and Community Access. These interventions are not luxuries; they are fundamental framework components that preserve our family’s stability, safety, and capacity to participate in society.
Below, I have outlined our lived experience across key functional areas to demonstrate how the proposed changes to the NDIS would directly impact our daily lives.
1. Functional Capacity, Access, and the Impact of Current Supports
The current NDIS framework allows us to access targeted allied health and community supports that directly address significant disability-related needs, specifically in the areas of communication, emotional regulation, independence, and daily living skills.
If functional capacity were to be assessed without taking into account existing assistive technologies, therapy strategies, and environmental factors, it would create an inaccurate and dangerous misrepresentation of need.
The Reality of Support:
The current psychology and behavioural therapy strategies significantly reduce the daily impact of disability. They foster emotional regulation and social connection, which directly protects our family’s overall wellbeing.
The Danger of Misassessment:
Without these supports actively in place, the presentation of the disability would escalate dramatically. Assessing an individual’s baseline capacity while ignoring the scaffolding keeping them stable risks stripping away the very interventions preventing crisis.
2. Participant Choice, Control, and Funding Flexibility
The flexibility to choose and retain trusted providers is paramount. Disability support is not one-size-fits-all, and any policy shifts that reduce funding or restrict choice will have severe consequences.
The Impact of Reduced Funding:
A reduction in funding would directly compromise therapy access, drastically limiting independence and community participation.
Flexibility in Times of Crisis:
Human needs are dynamic, not static. We have experienced times when support needs escalated unexpectedly due to factors like developmental transitions, burnout, or behavioural escalation. Having a flexible plan allowed us to pivot resources when needed most.
Stricter Reassessment Rules:
Stricter reassessment rules would trap families in rigid administrative processes during times of acute vulnerability.
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
Submission 1528
3. Continuity of Care and Trust
Building effective therapeutic relationships takes an immense amount of time, patience, and specialized skill.
The Timeline of Progress: In our experience, establishing trust and achieving consistent engagement with clinicians can take months or even years. Progress in emotional regulation and behavioral stability develops slowly over time.
The Risk of Disruption: Disrupting these support relationships means starting over with new clinicians. This results in an immediate loss of progress, increased stress, acute emotional distress, and a profound reduction in participant confidence. Consistency is the foundation of developmental growth.
4. Administrative Complexity and Regional Service Challenges
The administrative burden of navigating the NDIS is already a significant source of stress for families.
Systemic Hurdles: Introducing additional paperwork, frequent reassessments, and stricter evidence requirements will only create further delays and place an unsustainable emotional toll on carers.
Market Realities: These administrative challenges are compounded by existing regional service barriers, including severe workforce shortages, limited provider options, extensive waitlists, and travel requirements. Expecting families to seamlessly transition to mainstream or alternative service systems is unrealistic, as local services outside the NDIS are largely unavailable or entirely unequipped to manage complex disability-related needs.
Conclusion: What the Government Must Understand
I urge decision-makers to recognize that progress takes time and consistency matters. Disability support cannot be managed via a rigid, institutional checklist. The trusted relationships built between participants, families, and clinicians are the primary drivers of positive outcomes.
If flexibility is reduced and funding is cut, the long-term cost to the government—through crisis management, family breakdown, and loss of independence—will vastly outweigh any short-term budgetary savings. I ask that you protect the integrity, flexibility, and participant-directed nature of the scheme.
Thank you for considering this submission.
Sincerely,
Parent / Carer