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

Submission Number:

Inquiry Into The National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (“Securing the NDIS For Future Generations”)

About Me

As a parent with two participants under the NDIS program, after being diagnosed at age ten years old as having Autism Spectrum Disorder Level II alongwith ADHD. she also has motor coordination difficulties, joint hypermobility and is currently undergoing further assessment regarding Developmental Coordination Disorder(DCD). another son aged six years who was diagnosed similarly to his sister but attends an autism class within mainstream school. as primary coordinator of both child’s needs I spend substantial time arranging therapies attending appointments communicating schools implementing recommendations home advocating education community safely. alike many parents disabled children significantly reduced workforce participation coordinate supports attend appointments meet their needs. i support efforts ensure ndis remains sustainable future however concerned several provisions this bill risk reducing access support increasing uncertainty families shifting greater caring responsibilities onto parents without adequately recognizing realities disability. title: The NDIS Is Not About Extras In Our Family much public discussion around ndis reform focuses on spending reduction. four my children ndis supports are not luxuries psychology help daughter manage significant anxiety remain engaged in education occupational therapy helps address executive functioning challenges sensory regulation participate daily life.

National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 1559

Physiotherapy assessment has helped identify significant movement difficulties and hypermobility that affect my daughter’s participation alongside her peers. My son’s supports help him attend school, build communication skills, access learning and reduce the likelihood of crisis situations that can lead to school difficulties or exclusion. Without these supports, difficulties do not disappear. They simply shift onto families, schools and health systems. I am concerned that the Bill increasingly frames disability support through the lens of cost containment rather than participation, inclusion and long-term outcomes.

Neurodivergent Children Already Miss Out On Too Much One aspect of disability that is often overlooked is the extent

to which neurodivergent childrencanbe excluded from ordinary childhood experiences.Manychildren participate inschool camps , athletics carnivals,cross country eventsexcursions,sportclubsperformancesbirthday parties andreother social activities with little additionalsupporth For manyneurodivergent childr enparticipationin those sameactivities requires significan tpreparationaccommodationstherapeutic suppor tschool adjustmentsandan ditionalparental advocacy.Even then part icip ation maynot always be possible Mydaughterhas been unable toparticipate inseveralexperiencesthatmanyofherpeers takefor granted becausethe combination ofanxiety sensory demandssocial expectationsands physical challenges makes them overwhelming.Families are n ot seeking special treatment.Weareoftensimplytrying togive ourchildrenthe opportunityto b e included inorderlychildhoodexperienc es an dto reach their potential whateverthata my look like forthem TheNDISplays acritical role inh elpingchil ren buildtheskills confidenceandcapacity neededtopar tic ip ate more fullyineducationcommunity lifeandr elationships I am also concerned th a t future reformsmay increasingly favour standardisedgroup-basedor centrallydesigned supports over individualis edsupports While group programs, canb ev aluableforsome ch ildren they arenot appropriate f orvery

c h i l dr. Both ofmy childrenhave often required highlyindividual isedapproachesc onse totheir specific combinationson needs,sensory profiles , anxietycommunication differences and support requirements. 2

National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment Bill

Submission: Submission-1559

One of the strengths of the NDIS has been its recognition that disability is not a one-size-fits-all. The supports that help one child thrive may be ineffective or even counterproductive for another. As reforms are considered, i urge policymakers to preserve principles like choice control individualisation families should not be forced standardised support models simply because they easier adminster deliver at scale.

Concerns About New Functional Capacity Assessment I am particularly concerned about proposed functional capacity assessment framework My daughter’s challenges do fit neatly separate categories Her autism ADHD anxiety motor coordination difficulties hypermobility interact each For example:•anxiety affects participati•motor difficul•executive functioni•social communication chal These factors combine create disability-related impacts greater sum individua My daughter undergoing assessme regarding Development Coordination Disorder (DCD) following physiotherapy assessments identifying significant motor coordina This illustrates how disability rarely exists neat diagnostic categoris her physical emotional executive functioning and social participation challenge interact another The combined impact daily functing cannot easily separated into individa These difficulties affect her partic in many aspects childhood often taken granted Activities such running organised sport athletics events other physically demanding school activities can significantly more challenging than peers. These also confidence willingness participate inclusion.

National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 1559

However, because she is academically capable and attends a mainstream school, these difficulties are not always immediately visible. This highlights the importance of assessment frameworks recognising the interaction between physical, cognitive, emotional and social factors rather than viewing each area of functioning in isolation.

I am also concerned that a standardised functional assessment may not adequately capture masking and compensatory strategies, particularly in autistic children and young people.

My daughter is a bright and capable child. When appropriate supports and accommodations are in place, she is able to achieve impressive things. In Year 3, she achieved Strong to Exceeding results across all NAPLAN domains, and she has also achieved success in art competitions.

However, these achievements should not be interpreted as evidence that her disability has diminished or that support is no longer required. Rather, they demonstrate the effectiveness of the supports around her.

Her NAPLAN participation included disability adjustments, including a quieter setting, additional time and the option of breaks. Even with these supports, the writing assessment initially caused significant anxiety.

There is a risk that a functional assessment framework could view achievement as evidence of low support needs without recognizing the accommodations, therapy input, school adjustments, parental advocacy and personal effort that made those achievements possible.

disability does not disappear when a person succeeds. Success is often the result of appropriate support being available.

Academic achievement tells only part of the story.

My daughter is often able to demonstrate her knowledge and abilities when tasks are adapted to suit her needs. For example, she participated in her school’s speech competition by preparing and recording her speech at home rather than delivering it live in front of an audience. She also participated in the classroom component of a spelling bee but was unable to continue to the finals held in the school hall in front of an audience.

Similarly, she has been unable to participate in school camp, cross country and athletics events due to the combined impact of anxiety, sensory demands and physical participation challenges.

These examples illustrate a common reality for many neurodivergent children. They are capable of achieving at a high level, but may require accommodations, alternative formats or reduced environmental demands in order to participate. Without those adjustments opportunities can be lost entirely.

National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 1559

Concerns Related to Autistic Children

This document highlights concerns regarding assessments focusing solely on what autistic children can achieve rather than understanding how much effort they put into achieving those goals.

Example: My Daughter’s Experience

The author describes their daughter as capable but often at a significantly higher personal cost compared to her peers due to various challenges such as anxiety management, sensory demands, executive functioning difficulties, social expectations, motor coordination issues etc., which are largely invisible without proper assessment systems.

National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 1559

This work exists alongside ordinary parenting responsibilities.

I am concerned that the Bill assumes families have unlimited capacity to absorb additional caring responsibilities. Many families have:

• multiple children with disability
• disabilities of their own
• limited informal support networks
• reduced workforce participation due to caring responsibilities In my view, the benchmark should not be what a parent can be expected to endure. It should be what support a non-disabled child of the same age would reasonably require. The legislation should also recognise that the cumulative impact of caring for multiple children with disability can be substantial. The concerns raised in Recommendations 29 and 30 in The Growing Space submission closely reflect my own experience as a parent of two disabled children, particularly regarding parental responsibility, informal supports, and the sustainability of unpaid family care.

Early Intervention Matters My children’s supports are intended to build skills and prevent future difficulties.The value of therapy is not always immediate.Sometimes progress looks like:• preventing school refusal• reducing anxiety• avoiding mental health deterioration• maintaining participation in education• supporting social connection• reducing family stress• preserving future independenceThe NDIS should not only respond when people reach crisis point.Preventing crisis is often more effective, more humane and ultimately less costly.I am concerned by changes that narrow eligibility or early intervention pathways and support retaining the existing approach to early intervention.

Transparency, Review Rights and Automated Decision-Making

Families already face significant uncertainty in navigating the NDIS. Many struggle to determine:

• what can be claimed
• what evidence is required
• whether a support will be approved
• how decisions can be challenged When decisions affect a child’s development, delays and uncertainty can have significant consequences. I support stronger review rights, greater transparency and mechanisms that provide participants with confidence about funding decisions before they commit to spending. I am also concerned about expanding automated decision-making before robust safeguards are in place. My children’s circumstances are complex. A system that relies heavily on automated processes risks missing important context that cannot easily be captured through standardised forms or datasets. Any adverse decision affecting eligibility, funding or claims should involve meaningful human review and provide the participant with an opportunity to respond to the concerns or information relied upon before the decision takes effect.