National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 1603
Submission regarding the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
I am a regional paediatric occupational therapist who runs a small therapy practice in Blue Mountains. I offer an occupational therapy and therapy assistant service providing support to children and families in the Blue Mountains and surrounding communities. I acknowledge the importance of - ensuring the long-term sustainability of the NDIS; however, I am concerned that several proposed “access and planning measures” within Schedule 1 of the Bill may unintentionally reduce access to essential early intervention and therapy supports for children with disability, particularly in regional and under-resourced areas.
I am particularly concerned about the proposed definition of “functional capacity” under section 9B, which assesses a child’s ability to undertake activities “without assistance” and with reduced consideration of environmental and personal circumstances. In paediatric practice, a child’s functioning cannot be separated from their family, school, community and environmental supports. This definition risks underestimating the real impact of disability on children living in regional communities where therapy access, educational supports and community resources are already limited.
The proposed tightening of reassessment criteria and limitations on unscheduled plan reassessments are also concerning. Children’s developmental needs can change rapidly due to growth, transitions to school, behavioural changes, mental health concerns or changing family circumstances. Restricting flexibility in plan reassessment may delay access to timely supports and place additional pressure on families already navigating long waitlists and workforce shortages.
I am also concerned about increased emphasis on “value for money”, comparative lower-cost supports, and assumptions regarding parental responsibility. While cost efficiency is important, paediatric supports must remain individualised, evidence-informed and responsive to functional outcomes. Therapy assistant models, when appropriately supervised by allied health professionals, can provide cost-effective support; however, therapy should not be reduced solely to the cheapest option at the expense of quality, clinical reasoning or long-term outcomes.
The provisions that place greater reliance on informal family supports may disproportionately affect regional families already experiencing caregiver fatigue, workforce shortages and limited respite options. Many parents in rural
1
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 1603
and regional communities are already undertaking extensive unpaid care because appropriate services are unavailable or inaccessible.
I am additionally concerned that strengthening the requirement for supports to arise “directly” from impairments may reduce access to holistic supports that enable participation in education, self-care, emotional regulation and community inclusion. In paediatric occupational therapy, disability impacts are often interconnected and cannot always be separated into isolated functional categories.
I respectfully recommend that the Committee consider: • retaining flexibility within access and reassessment processes for children; • ensuring environmental and regional disadvantage are considered in functional capacity assessments; • protecting access to early intervention and preventative supports; • recognising the unique pressures faced by regional families and providers; and • ensuring therapy supports are assessed on long-term functional outcomes, not short-term cost reduction alone.
The NDIS has significantly improved outcomes for children and families in our region. I urge the Committee to ensure future reforms preserve equitable access, early intervention and participant-centred planning for vulnerable children living in regional Australia.
2