NDIS Planning
Submission 148
Linda Bone Carer of son with Cerebral Palsy and intellectual disability
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Son living in supported accommodation where he was being abused, neglected and suffered with malnutrition.
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Was accepted into new SDA project of living independently in a unit subject to SDA and SIL funding approval
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Submitted change of circumstances for review. Was relentless process that took 8 months to get a review meeting, after continually calling call centre, going into NDIA office, sending emails to complaints and feedback
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Was unable to speak to anyone to get information as to what was needed for the SDA process so was unable to be prepared. | funded an extensive OT report for SDA that cost
$2300 that was not able to be reimbursed
- Had senior NDIA planner, who made it very clear that SDA funding was near impossible to get and our chances were not good, but was not able to tell me what extra information |
could provide to improve out chances.
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Plan came back with an SDA level that was much lower than the high physical support level he needs. Planner said he couldn’t explain why and told me to call SDA manager in Canberra, no such position exists
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Contacted two ministers, no response
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Son hospitalised with malnutrition abuse and neglect, everyone trying to send him back to original supported accom, emergency guardianship taken out to stop his return, CEO of the
organisation | work for contacted the same ministers | had, then got things moving. THIS was
the change, everything approved living in own one-bedroom apartment with 1:1 support 24/7 with his choice of staff and is thriving.
My son could now be considered an NDIA success story, but it has come at a huge cost to my son and myself. My son came close to dying and had to endure several years of abuse and
neglect. My mental and physical health has suffered, | had to take extended periods of time
off work without pay and my work suffered when | was there.
| was fortunate that my CEO intervened, what happens to those that don’t have that kind of
support behind them???
How it could have been done better:
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Have 1 person in NDIA as point of contact to be able to speak to and email directly, during this process | spoke to over 30 different people
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Have a team of experts in NDIA that can provide a clear and transparent process and resources along the way to advise what | needed to do and when.
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Call centre to be able to connect people to the team of experts when they have these complex enquiries
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1800 NOwee/