National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 2317
Committee Secretary Senate Standing Committees on Community Affairs PO Box 6100 Parliament House Canberra ACT 2600
Submission to the Senate Inquiry into the NDIS Amendment Bill (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations)
Introduction
I am writing as the parent of a nine-year-old NDIS participant who has permanent disabilities including autism, intellectual disability, motor dyspraxia and speech dyspraxia.
Our family lives in a rural community and has been involved with the NDIS since our son entered early intervention supports at the age of three.
My child requires significant support across all areas of daily life and requires ongoing supervision due to substantial safety risks. He has limited awareness of danger and will enter roads, approach traffic, enter water and interact with strangers without understanding the risks involved. As a result, he requires a much higher level of supervision and support than would typically be expected for a child of the same age.
Like many families of children with disability, our focus is not only on supporting our child with disability but also on maintaining a healthy and connected family life. The supports provided through the NDIS have enabled our family to participate in our community, maintain employment, support our child’s development and ensure that both of our children have opportunities to experience activities and milestones that many families take for granted.
Our family’s experience has shown that when supports are tailored to the individual, based on evidence and delivered by trusted providers, people with disability can achieve outcomes that may otherwise be considered impossible.
I understand the importance of ensuring that the NDIS remains sustainable for future generations. However, I am concerned that some of the proposed reforms may unintentionally undermine participant safety, reduce genuine choice and control, and move the Scheme away from the person-centred approach that has enabled my child to make significant progress.
My submission focuses on the importance of person-centred planning, participant choice and control, access to rural providers, therapy supports, community participation, flexibility within plans, recognition of family and carer impacts, and the need for decision- makers to properly consider evidence when making planning decisions.
The NDIS Has Changed Our Child’s Life
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 2317
The NDIS has provided our child with access to supports that have significantly improved his quality of life, communication, independence and participation in the community.
Through speech therapy, occupational therapy, behaviour support and community-based supports, our child has developed skills that many people may not have expected him to achieve.
These supports have helped him improve communication, learn new skills, increase participation in everyday activities and become more confident navigating the world around him.
The combination of NDIS-funded supports and school-based supports has also enabled our child to participate successfully in education. He attends a small rural school where he receives one-to-one support to ensure his safety and support his individual learning needs. The therapies funded through the NDIS complement his educational program and contribute significantly to his ability to attend and participate in school.
Importantly, these supports are building capacity rather than creating dependence. They are teaching skills that improve safety, communication, independence and participation.
The benefits extend beyond our child. Appropriate supports have enabled our family to continue working, remain connected to our community and provide opportunities for both of our children to participate in family activities and experiences.
Person-Centred Planning Must Remain at the Heart of the NDIS
One of my greatest concerns is any move towards standardised planning approaches based on diagnosis, age or broad disability categories.
Our experience has shown that every person with disability is different.
Two children with autism may have completely different support needs, risks, goals and capacities. Funding decisions should therefore be based on the individual participant rather than assumptions about what people with a particular diagnosis require.
Our child has demonstrated significant growth because he has been able to access therapies and supports tailored to his individual needs.
There is often an assumption that children with autism only benefit from limited therapy or should receive a standard number of sessions. Our experience has been the opposite. Our child actively engages with therapies and continues to make meaningful progress because of consistent and appropriate support.
A diagnosis should not determine a participant’s opportunities or future potential.
The NDIS should continue to recognise that participants are individuals and that funding decisions should be based on evidence, functional need, risk and goals rather than broad assumptions.
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 2317
Access to Therapy Supports is Essential
Speech therapy, occupational therapy and behaviour support are critical supports for our child.
These therapies are not optional extras. They are fundamental to helping our child develop skills that many neurotypical children acquire naturally.
Speech therapy has improved communication and reduced frustration.
Occupational therapy has supported participation, daily living skills and functional development.
Behaviour support has provided practical strategies that improve safety, increase participation and support our family to better meet our child’s needs.
Our child has shown significant growth because these supports have been available.
Reducing access to therapies or applying diagnosis-based funding limits risks restricting opportunities for children who have the capacity to continue developing important life skills.
Early Investment Creates Better Long-Term Outcomes
One aspect of sustainability that I believe is often overlooked is the long-term value of investing in appropriate supports early and consistently.
The therapies, behaviour supports and community participation opportunities that our child receives today are helping him develop skills that will support greater independence in the future.
Every improvement in communication, safety awareness, daily living skills, emotional regulation and community participation has the potential to reduce the level of support that may be required later in life.
Our goal as parents is not for our child to remain dependent on supports. Our goal is for him to develop as much independence, confidence and capability as possible.
The supports funded through the NDIS are helping us work towards that goal.
If access to effective therapies and supports is reduced, there is a real risk that opportunities for skill development will be lost. This may result in greater support needs in adolescence and adulthood, increased reliance on formal services and higher long-term costs.
In our view, sustainability should not only be measured by reducing expenditure today. It should also consider the future benefits that result from helping participants build capacity, increase independence and reduce risks wherever possible.
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 2317
Investing in the right supports at the right time is not simply an expense. It is an investment in better outcomes for participants and potentially lower costs over the long term.
Choice and Control Must Be Preserved
One of my strongest concerns relates to proposals that would require all providers to become NDIS registered.
While I understand the intent behind these proposals, I believe they would have unintended consequences for families living in rural and regional Australia.
Provider availability in our area is already limited, with significant workforce shortages and lengthy waiting lists for many services.
The providers we currently use have developed strong relationships with our child and understand his communication style, behavioural needs and safety requirements.
This continuity is critical.
Many of our providers are independent practitioners who are not NDIS registered.
If registration becomes mandatory, I am concerned that many quality providers will leave the sector because the administrative and financial burden will be too great.
This would significantly reduce participant choice and control.
It would also disproportionately affect rural families who already face workforce shortages and limited service options.
Large organisations are not always best placed to support participants with complex needs.
Our experience has been that independent providers offer greater flexibility, continuity and responsiveness. They know our child, understand our family and work collaboratively with us.
Removing access to these providers would not improve outcomes. It would reduce them.
The Importance of Quality Behaviour Support
Our child receives behaviour support from a local provider who works directly with him and our family.
The support is personalised, practical and focused on achieving meaningful outcomes.
The provider understands our child’s needs and works alongside us to implement strategies that improve safety, increase participation and build capacity.
This support represents excellent value for money because it is tailored to our child’s actual needs.
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 2317
I am concerned that future changes may unintentionally favour larger providers while making it harder for smaller, high-quality providers to continue operating.
The focus should be on outcomes and participant benefit rather than organisational size.
Community Participation Supports Are Essential
Community participation funding is one of the most important supports in our plan.
Without support workers, many everyday activities would simply not be possible.
Our child’s safety risks mean that ordinary activities such as attending a local park, visiting a swimming pool, using public transport or attending community events require additional supervision and support.
These activities are not luxuries.
They are opportunities to learn practical skills, increase independence and participate in the community.
As a family, we have been able to attend local attractions and community activities because a support worker has been able to assist with supervision and support.
Without this support, many experiences would simply be too difficult or unsafe.
These supports also allow our child to learn real-life skills in real-life environments, including road safety, community participation and social interaction.
Community participation funding promotes inclusion, safety and capacity building.
It should not be viewed as discretionary or non-essential support.
Water Safety is a Critical Support Need
Water safety is a major concern for our family.
Our child is naturally attracted to water but does not fully understand the associated dangers.
For this reason, swimming and water safety programs are essential safety supports rather than recreational activities.
Our NDIS plan includes funding towards one-to-one swimming lessons and our family contributes additional funding ourselves because we recognise how important these skills are.
We also utilise a disability-specific beach and water safety program through Starfish Nippers.
These programs provide structured opportunities to develop water safety skills in an environment that understands and accommodates disability.
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 2317
For our child, these programs are directly linked to risk reduction and safety and may ultimately save his life.
Not Every Participant Can Access Group Programs
I am concerned about any future approach that assumes group programs are suitable for all participants.
Our family has experienced situations where disability programs have been unable to accommodate our child because his support needs were considered too significant.
This demonstrates why individualised planning is essential.
While group programs may work well for some participants, they are not suitable for everyone.
Participants with more complex needs should not be disadvantaged because they require individual supports rather than group-based services.
A person-centred NDIS must recognise that what works for one participant may not work for another.
Supporting the Whole Family
One aspect of disability support that is often overlooked is the impact on the entire family.
The benefits of appropriate supports extend beyond the participant and help families remain connected, engaged and able to participate in everyday life.
Like any parents, we want our children to experience opportunities, activities and milestones that other families enjoy.
We want to attend community events, visit local attractions, spend time together and create positive family memories.
Without appropriate supports, many of these experiences would simply not be possible.
These supports are also important for our child’s sibling.
In families where one child has significant disability and support needs, siblings can unintentionally take a back seat while parents focus on therapies, appointments, safety concerns and day-to-day care requirements.
This is not because parents care less about their other children. It is simply the reality of managing complex support needs.
The supports funded through the NDIS help create opportunities for our entire family to participate in community life and ensure that our other child also has opportunities to enjoy experiences that might otherwise be missed.
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 2317
Disability affects the whole family. Effective supports help families remain connected, resilient and able to participate in everyday life rather than operating in a constant state of crisis management.
The Impact on Families and Carers
Families understand their responsibilities as parents.
However, caring for a child with significant disabilities involves responsibilities that go well beyond those experienced by most families with neurotypical children.
Our child requires constant supervision to remain safe.
The mental load associated with monitoring risks is continuous.
The physical and emotional demands are significant.
The administration involved in coordinating therapies, providers, appointments, reports and NDIS processes is substantial.
Both parents in our family work full-time while managing these responsibilities.
We previously requested support coordination to help reduce this burden and lower the risk of carer burnout. That request was denied.
The reality is that when supports are reduced, the need does not disappear. Instead, the burden shifts to families.
Many families are already operating at their limits.
Future reforms should recognise the contribution of unpaid carers and avoid increasing pressures that contribute to burnout.
Evidence Must Be Properly Considered
One of the most frustrating aspects of our NDIS experience has been the inconsistency of planning decisions.
Our family has spent thousands of dollars obtaining professional reports and assessments documenting our child’s disability, progress, risks and support needs.
In one review process, we provided more than 100 pages of evidence from professionals.
Despite this, supports were removed from our child’s plan.
We were subsequently required to seek review through the Administrative Review Tribunal on two separate occasions.
On both occasions, the Tribunal restored supports after considering the evidence.
This experience was stressful, time-consuming and avoidable.
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 2317
The evidence already existed.
The needs had already been documented.
The supports had already been shown to be reasonable and necessary.
The outcome only changed when the evidence was properly considered.
Families Are Experts in Their Own Circumstances
Families who live with disability every day develop a deep understanding of the participant’s strengths, challenges, risks and support needs.
While professional reports and assessments are essential, the lived experience and knowledge of families should also be recognised and respected throughout planning and review processes.
Families are often responsible for coordinating supports, attending appointments, implementing therapeutic strategies, managing risks and advocating for their loved ones.
They see firsthand what works, what does not work and what supports are required to achieve meaningful outcomes.
The best outcomes occur when professional expertise and lived experience are considered together.
A person-centred NDIS should recognise the valuable role that participants and families play in identifying needs, setting goals and determining what supports are most effective.
Recommendations
I respectfully recommend that the Committee:
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Preserve participant choice and control, including the ability to self-manage funding.
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Ensure participants can continue to engage quality independent providers and avoid mandatory registration requirements that reduce service availability in rural and regional communities.
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Maintain genuinely person-centred planning based on individual need, evidence, risk and goals.
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Reject diagnosis-based funding models or standardised support packages.
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Protect access to therapy supports that build capacity and improve long-term outcomes.
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Protect community participation supports that promote safety, inclusion and skill development.
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 2317
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Recognise that water safety and swimming supports can be essential safety supports for some participants.
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Retain flexibility within plans so funding can respond to changing needs throughout the year.
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Ensure planning decisions properly consider professional evidence and family knowledge.
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Retain strong review and appeal rights for participants and families.
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Recognise the contribution of unpaid carers and avoid reforms that simply transfer responsibilities onto families.
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Ensure participants with complex needs continue to have access to individualised supports where group programs are not suitable.
Conclusion
The NDIS has made a profound difference to our child’s life.
The supports we receive have improved communication, increased independence, enhanced safety and enabled our child to participate more fully in school, family life and the wider community.
These supports have also strengthened our family’s ability to care for our child while maintaining employment, supporting our other child and participating in our local community. They have allowed us to do what every family hopes to do: provide opportunities for our children to learn, grow, build relationships and experience the world around them.
Our family is committed to helping our child achieve the greatest level of independence possible. The supports funded through the NDIS are critical to achieving that goal.
The skills our child is developing today through therapy, behaviour support, community participation and safety-based learning opportunities will directly influence the level of support he requires in the future. Every skill gained today has the potential to reduce future reliance on services, increase participation in community life and improve long-term outcomes.
Reducing access to effective supports may create short-term savings, but it also risks increasing future costs for participants, families and governments. A truly sustainable NDIS should recognise the value of early and ongoing investment in building capacity and independence.
Our family supports the goal of ensuring the long-term sustainability of the NDIS. However, sustainability should not be achieved through reforms that reduce participant choice,
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 2317
restrict access to effective supports, limit flexibility or replace person-centred planning with standardised approaches.
For families like ours, the NDIS is not about convenience. It is about safety, inclusion, dignity and opportunity.
The true measure of the NDIS should not simply be its cost. It should also be measured by the opportunities it creates, the lives it improves and the futures it helps build.
I ask the Committee to ensure that any reforms continue to uphold the principles of individualised support, participant choice and control, evidence-based decision-making and meaningful access to the supports that allow people with disability to live safe, fulfilling and connected lives.
Thank you for taking the time to read our submission.