National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
Submission 478
From: Sent: Wednesday, 20 May 2026 13:58 To: Cc: policy@ota.com.au; thrivingkids@dcj.nsw.gov.au; kogarah@parliament.nsw.gov.au; portstephens@parliament.nsw.gov.au
Subject: Submission Regarding Proposed NDIS Reforms: Paediatric Occupational Therapy Perspective
To Whom It May Concern,
I am writing as a Grade 2 Occupational Therapist working in private paediatric practice in metropolitan Sydney. I have four years of experience supporting neurodivergent children and young people, particularly Autistic individuals and individuals with ADHD, across home, school, and community settings. I currently work at Leapfrog Therapy and also supervise occupational therapy students completing university placements.
I appreciate the need for an NDIS system that is sustainable and equitable. However, I am concerned about the unintended consequences of reforms that may reduce or delay access to early intervention and allied health supports for children and young people with disability, developmental differences, psychosocial disability, and fluctuating functional capacity.
In paediatric practice, early and consistent support is preventative. Occupational therapy and allied health interventions help children build functional skills for everyday life, including regulation, sensory processing, independence, school participation, social navigation, and community access. Timely support can reduce the need for more intensive services later, while delays often lead to increased challenges for children, families, schools, and healthcare systems.
One concern is that highly standardised or snapshot-style reassessments may not accurately reflect real world functioning. Many neurodivergent children and young people experience fluctuating capacity, masking, sensory overload, and burnout that may not be immediately visible in brief observations or assessments.
For example, I regularly support children and young people whose support needs present differently across environments. Some may appear to manage well at school, while experiencing significant fatigue, overwhelm, or increased support needs at home due to the cumulative demands of the day. Others may be verbally expressive or academically engaged, while still requiring meaningful support with regulation, executive functioning, sensory processing, transitions, and daily participation. A single assessment point
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National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
Submission 478
may not fully reflect fluctuating capacity, masking, or the effort required to participate meaningfully across environments.
I am concerned that some children and young people with genuine functional support needs may lose access to supports if thresholds become increasingly restrictive. This risks rewarding visible crisis over preventative care and may leave families feeling they must repeatedly “prove” disability, creating unnecessary emotional and administrative burden.
The long-term consequences of insufficient early support are significant. Reduced access to allied health may contribute to poorer educational engagement, reduced workforce participation across the lifespan, increased mental health and healthcare costs, greater reliance on welfare supports, and increased pressure on schools and public systems. Parents and carers may also reduce work hours or leave employment when adequate supports are unavailable.
I also encourage consideration of the role private paediatric allied health providers play in addressing service demand. Many experienced clinicians now work in private practice, supporting children who may otherwise face lengthy waitlists or limited access to support. Reforms that destabilise this sector risk worsening workforce shortages, increasing access inequities, and reducing continuity of care for families.
In paediatric occupational therapy, meaningful progress is built through trusted relationships, consistency, and flexible supports that respond to real-life participation needs. Neuroaffirming, relationship-based care is particularly important for neurodivergent children and young people.
As a clinician early in my career who is committed to continuing to build specialist paediatric skills and support children over the long term, I am also mindful of the broader workforce implications of reform. A sustainable allied health workforce is essential to ensuring children and families can continue to access quality support. Changes that reduce stability in the sector may also impact opportunities for clinicians like myself to continue developing expertise, supervising students, and building sustainable careers in paediatric disability support.
I support balanced reform that maintains the sustainability of the NDIS while protecting access to meaningful early intervention, recognising fluctuating disability, reducing unnecessary reassessment burden, and preserving continuity of care for children and families.
Thank you for considering this submission and the importance of ensuring children, young people, and families can continue to access supports that enable meaningful participation in everyday life.
Warm Regards, Sydney Clinic: 2/33 Alexandra Street, Hunters Hill, N
Aleisha Hyslop (she/her) Office Phone:
Office Email: sydney@leapfrogtherapy.com.au Occupational Therapist
Website: www.leapfrogtherapy.com.au
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