NDIA Accountability Project

This project is in DRAFT

Occupational therapy practice concerns regarding standardised assessments and funding reductions (Provider experience)

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National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026

Submission 1540

From: Sent: Tuesday, 26 May 2026 2:08 PM To: Community Affairs Committee (SEN); Subject: Re: Submission - NDIS Future Generations Bill 2026

National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026

Submission 1540

standard sensory processing assessments provide different forms for different environments, but they still only offer a rigid snapshot that rarely captures a child’s fluctuating needs.

  • The Danger to Complex and Trauma-Informed Care: Crucially, standardised tools fail to capture how trauma and complex comorbidities affect the central nervous system’s fight, flight or freeze responses. For new graduates or less experienced clinicians relying strictly on these “tick-box” tools without deeper clinical oversight risks completely misinterpreting a schild’s needs.

  • **The Power of Real-World Observation:***I do not establish therapy plan until have observed a child across multiple environments—at home; preschools at school—and times day A child behaviour * difficultly between school and home.Real-world observation is far more valuable funding efficiency than rigi, standardized tool.

  • Context Driven Transferable Gains While clinic-based therapy absolutely has its benefits certain interventions children goals span all areas life True therapeutic gains blossom become transferable when can also happen dynamically where it needed most Limiting therapy single setting reduces opportunity learn each other real world natural environment social contexts.

The Urgent Need Integration vs Thriving Kids Bottleneck

For years I have envisioned collaborative programme exactly like what Thriving kids promises be—one builds robust community opportunities embedding occupational therapists speech pathologists directly into learning environment This model proven take immense pressure off families already stretched limits trying coordinate external appointments Currently delivering external within school logistically challenging Educators under immense pressure managing various independent visitors creates unavoidable administrative burden However simply employing therapists education system creates alternative structural challenges history shows high caseloads less flexible institutional demands often risk overwhelming staff limiting their effectiveness Far sustainable effective option utilise “funding block” similar how schools currently contract providers gymnastics intensive sports programmes By structured term-to-term contracts OTs brought educational spaces run targeted age-appropriate initiatives such perceptual motor programmes Contract-service completely removes permanent adminburden teachers ensures stable, sustainable workflow clinicians making a seamless highly effective part of the day need for this integration never urgent now seeing longterm impact COVID-19 pandemic manifest our daycare preschool early primary years babies toddlers born isolation stress entering without foundational developmental needs met As result educators facing unprecedented increase in unable to self-regulate In my own practice with redacted, I personally delivered targetted OT programs by 2

National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment Bill 2026

Submission 1540

Going directly into preschools provides consistent ongoing support vital education educators. This model has been extremely successful proving therapists work hand-in-hand can address severe challenges reduce burden staff improve outcomes children Upskilling supporting early childhood is absolutely crucial now. However current procurement landscape NSW Thriving program indicates that will be engaged “where required” as an exception Independent represents bulk senior expertise precisely because migrate practice protect their standards avoid corporate burnout Excluding from core delivery in favour overstretched NGOs government agencies trigger bottlenecks exact moment retracts:

  • Severe Workforce Capacity Deficits: The public NGO sectors handle volume Loss Continuity Care Forcing vulnerable away trusted onto years-long public waitlists derail development Elimination Choice Families lose access specialised flexible business models tailored child’s unique sensory emotional needs.

What I Ask Parliament to Do

I strongly support No OTs NDIS campaign urge Committee adopt recommendations put forward Occupational Therapy Australia (OTA). Specifically, ask parliament reverse proposed funding cuts capacity-building and participation supports prohibit fully automated decisions ensure functional assessments conducted holistic clinical judgment qualified professionals constrain broad Ministerial powers remain based individual real-world needs rather than system-wide rules formally recognise existing AHPRA regulation protect sustainable clinically governed allied health workforce across both federal state-interfacing programmes. The initiative broader ecosystem simply cannot succeed without formal meaningful immediate inclusion independent private workforce Thank you for considering my submission.