National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
Submission 458
Little Sound Waves is a small, community-connected paediatric speech pathology practice based in Maryland, NSW. We provide supports to children with developmental delay, autism and other neurodivergent profiles across metropolitan, regional and remote communities through both clinic-based and telehealth models.
Our practice was established with a strong telehealth focus to improve access for families in underserved communities where local allied health services were limited or unavailable. We have supported families across regional NSW, remote communities, Western Australia, Tasmania and metropolitan areas, including Aboriginal families, multicultural families and children involved in out-of-home care arrangements.
We are deeply concerned that proposed changes to NDIS capacity building supports, combined with narrowing definitions around what constitutes reasonable and necessary therapeutic intervention, will significantly reduce practical access to essential developmental therapies for vulnerable children and families.
While there is understandable intent to improve sustainability and clarify scheme boundaries, the reality within communities is that many children currently rely on these supports to access functional communication, emotional regulation, social participation, school engagement and everyday developmental opportunities. In practice, speech pathology and other allied health supports are not simply “additional therapies.” They are often the primary supports helping children participate meaningfully in daily life, education and relationships.
There is significant concern within the sector that children may lose access to critical developmental supports before state-funded foundational support systems are fully operational, accessible and functioning at scale. Current timelines indicating broader foundational supports may not be fully implemented until 2028 create a substantial risk that vulnerable children and families will fall into service gaps during the transition period.
For many families, there are already extensive waitlists, workforce shortages and limited service availability, particularly across regional and remote communities. Smaller private providers are currently carrying a significant proportion of this demand. Reducing funding access before alternative systems are genuinely established and operational may unintentionally destabilise existing providers and reduce service accessibility even further.
The likely consequences will not only affect providers, but also children, families, educators and communities. Children who miss developmental support during critical early years may experience longer-term impacts on communication, emotional wellbeing, behaviour regulation, school participation, independence, social connection and future workforce participation.
There is also concern that narrowing definitions around functional supports may disproportionately disadvantage neurodivergent children whose developmental needs do not always fit neatly within rigid clinical or medical frameworks. Functional capacity building often occurs through relationship-based, developmental and participation-focused supports delivered consistently over time within everyday environments.
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
Submission 458
As a provider working directly with families navigating these systems daily, we strongly encourage the Committee to consider the practical realities facing children, caregivers and frontline providers during this transition period.
We respectfully recommend that:
● access to existing capacity building supports is not significantly reduced until foundational supports are fully operational and accessible across all communities ● transitional arrangements are realistic, gradual and responsive to workforce and service availability ● smaller community-based private providers remain part of the broader support ecosystem ● regional, remote and underserved communities receive specific consideration due to existing workforce shortages and thin service markets ● developmental and neuroaffirming approaches to functional capacity building remain recognised within funding frameworks
Little Sound Waves supports the goal of improving long-term sustainability and accessibility within disability and developmental support systems. However, reforms implemented without sufficient transitional safeguards risk creating significant unintended consequences for children and families who are already vulnerable.
We respectfully urge the Committee to ensure that no child loses meaningful access to developmental support before alternative systems are genuinely available, accessible and functioning effectively in practice.