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

Submission 1786

Occupational Therapist - Early Childhood Private Practice (Queensland)

I am an occupational therapist with 20 years’ experience working with children aged 0-8 years in Queensland. Operate a small established private practice through Let’s Play Developmental Therapy, delivering early-intervention services from fully equipped evidence-based clinic across my career including independently larger settings previously employing other therapists My current model allows me provide consistent high-quality relationship based capacity building care to children family educator provider My work primarily supports children at pre diagnosis stage those developmentally vulnerable but not yet meet eligibility thresholds formal diagnoses funded programs In addition I also provide service participants of NDIs Level autism This continuity needs evolve time early concerns more defined support requirements Importantly way currently deliver strongly aligned stated intent design Thriving Kids reforms My practice already incorporates:

• early identification functional support
• parent capacity building, regular coaching practical guidance collaboration education sector classroom strategies participation PSP school planning processes intervention delivered real-life contexts to participate and develop This is many experienced practitioners have been delivering well before introduction NDIS Support intend Thriving Kids earlier accessible support families However concerned proposed design may unintentionally undermine existing workforce delivering this model Care Under Thriving Kids mild moderate emerging needs directed into government-funded services selected contracted providers Families wish access independent clinician must do so without funding support In effect required choose between funding clinician choice

Submission Practice pathways will reinforce this. schools, early learning providers,GPs child health services will naturally refer into Thriving Kids contracted providers as these become recognised and funded pathway creates default system redirects referrals away from independent practitioners based on quality outcomes but due design result clinician like myself who already delivering consistent model may be excluded very system aligning have been decades family perspective risks disrupting continuity care trusted therapeutic relationships families establishing progress independent clinician may change providers order accessing funded support critical developmental stage inconsistent relationship-based trauma-informed early-intervention practice reducing engagement effectiveness overall development outcome significant workforce implications current proposed model appears favour large organisations selected contract holders requiring experienced sole practitioners relinquish professional autonomy work under third-party organisational control accept allocated caseload locations potentially take substantial reduction remuneration despite demonstrating capacity independently deliver safe effective efficient early intervention services while not intentional practical effect form structural inequity where access tied organizational scale rather than clinical experience capability places long-standing small private practices including those established prior NDIS disadvantage dependent private practitioners represent important vital component early childhood system often provide flexibility local responsiveness continuous larger service models struggle replicate many embedded communities collaborate closely with schools early learning settings retain senior clinical oversight everyday practice broader risk that experienced clinicians exit altogether reduce access to senior clinical judgement continuity care

National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 1786

Let’s Play Developmental Therapy Pty Ltd

• Ph: redacted | Email: redacted | Website: www.letplaytherapy.com.au* diversity within the service system — all of which are critical to achieving the intended outcomes of Thriving Kids. My concern is not about resisting reform. It is about ensuring that the refonn builds on existing strengths, rather than displacing them. A strong early-childhood system should include a mix of delivery models, including experienced independent senior practitioners who are already embedded in their communities and delivering high-quality care. as local highly experienced practitioner and small business owner, i am seeking reassurance that: • The existing experienced private early-intervention workforce will be recognised as part oF THE solution • families will retain meaningful choice In how they access support • And funding anD referral modes Will Not unintentionally exclude Experienced Independent clinicians Recommendations To suppo1i thriviNg kids i respectfully recommend That: • mechanisms Be established TO allow independenT Senior qualified Private Practitioners TTo deliver funded services without requiring employment by or subcontracting through large organisations • Referral pathways explicitly preserve family Choice Of provider Including independent Clinicians Who meet quality and safeguai·ding requirements • Workforce design recognise AND retaiN experienced sole PracTIcants particularly those alreadY deliveRinG evidence-based ealTy-interveNTion seVices within community settings Without this there Is a genuine risk THAT Thriving Kids may narrow tHe workfOrce it depends ON rathEr Than strengtHenIng It I appreciate the work being unde1iaken to improve earLy suppOi for children and farnilies, AnD hope these insights contribute constrnctively to that process Kind RegaI·ds Paediatric Occupational Therapist Let’s Play Developmental Therapy Ph: redacted