Real-World Impacts of the NDIS Future Generations Bill on Children, Families and

Regional Therapy Services

Senate Inquiry Submission

National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future

Generations) Bill 2026

Thank you for the opportunity to provide feedback on the proposed legislation. I am an occupational therapist working with children and families from toddlers through to teensagers in a regional and rural area of NSW. My work spans homes, schools, clinics and community settings. I support neurodivergent children, children with developmental delay, and young people with functional challenges that affect their participation, learning, relationships and daily routines.

My submission reﬂects what I see every day on the ground: the pressures on families, The gaps in access, and the practical consequences this Bill may create for children, parents, therapists and communities.

Access Pathways and Early Intervention

In regional areas, families already face long waits for paediatricians, psychologists and developmental assessments. Many rely on functional evidence from allied health because diagnostic services are limited or unaffordable.

Narrowing access pathways or tightening deﬁnitions of developmental delay will mean:

toddlers and preschoolers miss early intervention
families wait months for assessments they cannot access locally
children enter school without the supports they need
small challenges escalate into bigger ones

Early intervention is not a luxury. It is the difference between a child coping in school versus disengaging. I regularly see how early sensory, communication and regulation supports prevent later crisis, school refusal and behavioural escalation.

Reassessments and Plan Flexibility

Children’s needs change rapidly from toddlerhood to adolescence. Neurodivergent children, in particular, experience periods of regression, overwhelm or transition stress.

The proposed changes risk:
making reassessments harder to obtain
increasing the burden of “proving” ongoing need
reducing ﬂexibility to adjust supports when a child’s functioning shifts

In regional areas, reassessment delays can stretch for months. Families are left without the ability to respond to new challenges at school, puberty-related changes, or sudden increases in anxiety or sensory overload.

Rigid plans do not reﬂect the lived reality of childhood development.

Impacts on Neurodivergent Children and Those With Developmental Delay

Many of the children I support function differently across environments. A child who appears capable at home may be overwhelmed in a busy classroom. A teenager who manages well in structured settings may struggle in unstructured community environments.

If eligibility becomes more tightly tied to “signiﬁcant functional impairment,” many children with genuine participation barriers will be excluded, including:

autistic children without formal diagnosis
ADHD students with emotional regulation challenges
children with sensory processing differences
children with developmental delay who do not meet strict thresholds

These are the children who rely on OT to stay engaged in school, maintain friendships, and participate in daily life.

Workforce and Service Sustainability in Regional and Rural Areas

Regional and rural communities already face:

workforce shortages
limited provider choice
long travel distances
fewer multidisciplinary services

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Small practices like mine carry significant unpaid administrative load. If reporting requirements increase or plans become more restrictive, many sole traders and small clinics will not be able to continue NDIS work.

The consequences are serious:

provider closures
reduced local access
families forced to travel long distances
increased waitlists
loss of continuity of care

Once a regional provider closes, families often have no alternative.

Impacts on Schools, Families and Community Participation

My work in schools shows how essential timely OT support is for:

regulation
transitions
emotional safety
communication
participation in learning

When supports are reduced or delayed:

teachers carry the load
behaviour escalates
attendance drops
learning gaps widen
families experience increased stress
schools struggle to meet diverse needs

Community participation also suffers. Children withdraw from sport, social groups and everyday activities when their sensory or emotional needs are unsupported.

Unintended Consequences

Based on what I see across home, school, clinic and community settings, the Bill may unintentionally lead to:

more children missing early intervention
increased school refusal and behavioural escalation
widening inequity between metropolitan and regional families
higher long-term costs due to unmet needs
burnout and exit of experienced clinicians
reduced participation in education, community and family life

These outcomes undermine the goal of securing the NDIS for future generations.

Conclusion and Practical Recommendations

To ensure sustainability without harming children and families, I recommend:

1. Maintain ﬂexible access pathways, especially for developmental delay and
   neurodivergent children in regional areas.

2. Protect early intervention, recognising its long-term beneﬁts for education,
    participation and wellbeing.

3. Ensure reassessments are timely and accessible, without increasing burden
  on families.

4. Retain plan ﬂexibility so supports can adjust as children grow and their needs
   change.

5. Reduce administrative load on small providers to prevent further workforce
    loss.

6. Consult frontline clinicians before implementing changes to functional
  assessment requirements.

7. Explicitly consider regional and rural impacts, including workforce shortages
  and limited service options.

The NDIS has transformed the lives of many children in my community. I support efforts to ensure its sustainability, but reforms must not come at the cost of early support, participation and long-term outcomes for the next generation.

Thank you for considering this submission.