National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
Submission 2921
To Whom It May Concern,
I am deeply concerned about how reductions to NDIS funding will impact families like mine who are caring for children with complex disability needs.
I am a sole parent to three neurodivergent children with significant support needs. My oldest son, (11), has Autism Spectrum Disorder Level 3, ADHD, and very high support needs requiring constant supervision, co-regulation, and skilled disability support. My younger son, aged 9, is already requiring police attendance due to behavioural and emotional dysregulation. My daughter, who is also autistic, experiences severe anxiety and school refusal.
Without adequate NDIS support, I believe the risk of out-of-home care for one or more of my children would become imminent. This is not due to a lack of love, commitment, or parenting, but because the level of care and supervision required is beyond what one parent can safely sustain without disability supports.
We have already experienced serious safety concerns, physical injury, property damage, police involvement, and escalating mental health pressures within our family. Without adequate support workers, therapy, behavioural support, and respite, I am deeply concerned we will reach crisis point.
Out-of-home care would be devastating for my children. They are deeply attached to their mother and rely heavily on this relationship for emotional regulation, trust, and psychological safety. Separation would likely worsen trauma, emotional distress, and disability-related behaviours, particularly for children who already struggle significantly with regulation and attachment. I am also deeply concerned that high-quality, disability-informed placements capable of managing such complex needs may not be available.
Importantly, these children are not without enormous potential. All three are considered gifted and, with the right supports, have the capacity to contribute positively to society in meaningful ways. My oldest son is already teaching himself coding, electronics, robotics, and inventing automated systems at just 11 years old. These are children with extraordinary strengths alongside significant disability.
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
Submission 2921
NDIS funding is not simply about managing behaviours — it is about preventing family breakdown, keeping children safely with their family, protecting mental health, and allowing children with disability to reach their potential.
The cost of adequately supporting families like ours is significantly lower than the long-term cost of crisis systems, hospitalisations, police involvement, child protection, and out-of-home care.
Kind regards,