Australian Government
Department of Social Services
Joint Standing Committee on the National
Disability Insurance Scheme
Inquiry into implementation, performance and governance of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS): the NDIS Workforce
Australian Government
Department of Social Services
Submission
June 2020
Introduction
The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is a significant social reform program that represents a unique opportunity to deliver life changing supports nation-wide for people with disability, their families and carers.
The Department of Social Services (DSS) is working with states and territories to develop the
National NDIS Workforce Plan (the Plan) for the Council of Australian Governments
Disability Reform Council (DRC). The Plan aims to meet the needs of NDIS participants and achieve their goals with support from a responsive, capable and sustainable workforce. The Plan is scheduled to be considered by DRC in July 2020.
This submission addresses the Committee’s terms of reference – including: the size of the workforce, attraction and retention, and implementation of a co-ordinated strategic workforce plan – by outlining some of the considerations in the development of the National NDIS Workforce Plan.
Statement addressing the inquiry terms of reference
There has been an increasing number of participants accessing a wider range of services, as new participants enter the NDIS or transition from state-based services under the National Disability Agreement (NDA). In order to respond to increasing demand, the workforce may need to grow by around 52,000 full-time-equivalent workers (FTEs) by 2023, with disability support workers growing by around 7.8 per cent per annum and Allied Health workers growing by around 9.6 per cent per annum from 2019 to 2023 (Figure 1).
Figure 1 - Estimated NDIS workforce growth required to 2023
'000 of estimated FTE workers (midpoint) • Support Workers • Allied Health • Other'
+48 to 55 (52) Annual growth Between 2019 and
rate required: 2023, the workforce 177 to 202 (189)
r———–– may need to grow by 48,000 - 55,000 FTEs
92 to 102 {97)
~ ~
20182 2019 2023
Source: AlphaBeta analysis of NDIA Monthly data3; Stakeholder interviews;
Australian Government, National Disability Insurance Scheme 2015, NDIS Integrated Market, Sector and
Workforce Strategy, page 19, (https://www.dss.gov.au/disability-and-carers/programmes-services/for-people-with-disability/ndis-integrated-market-sector-and-workforce-strategy).
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Taking into account the total new workers required by headcount (the actual number of workers required, given disability support workers work 23 hours4 per week on average), workforce productivity and retention rates, an additional 95,000 workers may be needed to replace workers exiting the NDIS sector, increasing the total new workers required by 2023 to around 173,000 (Figure 2).
Figure 2 - Estimated FTEs and total workers required by headcount Estimated ’000 (midpoint), FTEs, worker headcount, between 2020-2023
89 - 102 (95) 162 - 185 (173)
With average hours per worker around 23hrs/week4, 73,000 - 83,000 workers may be required when converting FTEs to a worker head count
73-83 (78)
With exit rates at around 48-55 (52) 17%5, 89,000 - 102,000
workers may be needed to replace those leaving the NDIS w orkforce
Total new Required Replacing workers Total new workers
FTEs required new workers leaving the sector required by 2023
(Figure 1) by worker headcount Source: AlphaBeta analysis, estimates and forecasts;
National Disability Services 2018, Australian Disability Workforce Report,
(https://www.nds.org.au/images/workforce/ADWR_Third_Edition_July_2018.pdf); Victorian Government, Department of Health and Human Services 2018, Understanding the workforce experience of the NDIS: Longitudinal Research Project: Year One, page 11, (https://www.vic.gov.au/ndis-longitudinal-workforce-research-report-2018); Victorian Government, Department of Health and Human Services 2019, Understanding the workforce experience of the NDIS: Longitudinal Research Project: Year Two, page 16, (https://www.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-05/NDIS-Longitudinal-Research-Project-Year-2-Report.pdf).
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In response to this job creation opportunity, the Growing the NDIS Market and Workforce Strategy6 (the Strategy) was released by the Federal Government in March 2019. The Strategy set out the long-term vision for a capable and adaptable NDIS workforce, with workers pursuing attractive career pathways. Two workforce priorities were set: fostering a capable NDIS workforce and growing the NDIS workforce.
To achieve these priorities at the required scale estimated, the NDIS workforce will need to achieve the following outcomes:
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Attracting workers: o attracting a diverse and sustainable pipeline of workers who have the right attributes and values to support NDIS participants will address existing known shortages in support workers and allied health occupations.
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Retaining workers o supporting a sustained and rewarding work environment that values workers and provides a career pathway in the disability sector will help reduce high turnover rates among workers in the NDIS sector.
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Workforce innovation and productivity o developing innovative and responsive service models using technology and other tools that maximises workforce productivity and effectiveness will address the decline in average weekly hours completed per disability worker.
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Quality and capability o ensuring workers are equipped with the relevant skills, values and attributes, thorough training and mentoring, to support participants.
It is worth noting that these areas are often inter-linked. For example, attracting workers with the right attitudes and behaviours, and supporting their development and capability will reduce retention and turnover issues. This could help improve participant satisfaction and participant outcomes.
In response to the Strategy, the Government has funded the development of the NDIS Capability Framework to translate the NDIS’ Principles, Code of Conduct and Practice Standards into required capabilities in order to drive a quality workforce to meet NDIS participant needs. The National NDIS Workforce Plan will incorporate the ongoing work of the NDIS Capability Framework to achieve its outcome of lifting workforce quality and capability.
In addition, DSS and the National Disability Insurance Agency are working together on the NDIS Thin Markets Project to address market gaps in thin sub-markets, addressing challenges faced for particular locations and location types, cohorts and cohort types, and supports and support types.
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The NDIS Participant Employment Strategy 2019-20227 was released in November 2019 and outlines the practical steps to improve employment outcomes for participants, including how the NDIS can better support participants to aspire to and prepare for work. Further information is included at Attachment A.
The Disability Employment Services (DES) Program Review will also provide insights into the efficiency and effectiveness of supports provided through the DES program for people with disability to find and retain supported and/or open employment.
Each of the projects provide an opportunity to explore the role of the Commonwealth as well as the states and territories with the view to finding an effective combination of ‘levers’ to grow a responsive, capable and sustainable workforce.
Impact of COVID-19 The commitment to ensuring services and supports are delivered to people with disability during COVID-19 are outlined in the Meeting of Commonwealth, State and Territory Disability Ministers Telepresence – 11 May 2020 Communique8. It includes specific
measures to support the disability workforce. Further information is included
at Attachment B.
We would welcome the opportunity to appear before the Joint Standing Committee on the National Disability Insurance Scheme to discuss the matters raised in this submission.
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1 Note: ‘Other’ include all occupations within the Case or Social Worker category, Managerial roles category as well as Counsellors; Social Professionals; Fitness Instructors; Sports Coaches, Instructors and Officials; Insulation and Home Improvement Installers; Manufacturers; and Importers, Exports and Wholesalers. 2 2018 estimates include disability care workers working under the previous state-based NDA (based on NDA spend in 2018) who will transition into the NDIS, as well as disability care workers already in the NDIS. 3 Notes: The current NDIS workforce by occupation group was estimated by drawing a relationship between participant numbers and their spend. The number of disability care workers working under the NDA and their transition to the NDIS workforce is based on DSS estimates; a significant proportion of expansion between 2018 and 2019 is in ‘other’ workers and likely reflects small expansion in a number of other industries outside the traditional disability workforce. 4 Note: Based on 23 hours/week for support workers, 28 hours/week for Allied health and other workers; FTE is assumed at 38 hours per week. 5 Note: Sector exit rates are based on annualised estimates of 17% for supports workers, 5% for Allied Health and 11% for other workers. It also takes into account existing workers exiting the disability sector each year between 2019-2023. 6 Australian Government 2019, Growing the NDIS Market and Workforce Strategy, (https://www.dss.gov.au/disability-and-carers-programs-services-for-people-with-disability-national-disability-insurance-scheme/growing-the-ndis-market-and-workforce-strategy))
7 Australian Government 2019, NDIS Participant Employment Strategy,
(https://www.ndis.gov.au/about-us/strategies/participant-employment-strategy)) 8 Australian Government 2020, Communiqué 11 May 2020 - Disability Ministers Meeting, (https://www.dss.gov.au/disability-and-carers-programs-services-government-international-disability-reform-council/communique-11-may-2020-disability-ministers-meeting))
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Attachment A
NDIS Participant Employment Strategy 2019-2022
Participant employment strategy The NDIA’s goal is to enable 30 per cent of participants of working age to be in paid work by 30 June 2023. Our commitment to increasing employment outcomes for NDIS participants is expressed through the NDIS Participant Employment Strategy 2019-2022. The Strategy was released in November 2019 and outlines the practical steps to improve employment outcomes for participants, including how the NDIS can better support participants to aspire to and prepare for work. The Strategy focusses on how NDIS funding and other mainstream employment supports can work better together to support NDIS participants to achieve their employment goals, and how the NDIA can influence industries and employers to create more opportunities for NDIS participants.
Barriers and challenges
People with disabilities face well known barriers to employment, including limited
opportunities for supported work experience and training, poor customisation of jobs, lack of accessible infrastructure, and sense of isolation in workplaces. The barriers to employment can be amplified for NDIS participants. Culture, policy and systems have contributed to low employment aspirations, people have a perception that NDIS participants can’t work, and employers think it is too difficult to employ NDIS participants. When NDIS participants are employed, they are often restricted to menial work and are often under employed in very limited work hours or have limited options.
There are different challenges for people with different disability support needs. For example, people with physical disabilities report that inaccessible transport prevents them from getting to work, and people with intellectual disabilities are the least likely to be in open employment.
Opportunities
The aim of the Participant Employment Strategy is to ensure that NDIS participants are able to find meaningful employment in growing sectors, including the disability sector. NDIS participants now have greater choice in the use of their supports to enable individualised
employment approaches that achieve their vocational and employment goals. The aim
is to ensure interests and strengths are understood, skills and independence are built over time, people can remain in the workforce with access to the right workplace supports, including NDIS funding, to grow skills and capabilities, and people have options in their careers, including self-employment or a range of small, medium and large employers.
The Strategy will invest in ensuring that employers in the disability sector have greater understanding of the value of a diverse workforce, value the lived experience of NDIS participants, and that employers have the confidence and the right supports to employ, retain and develop career paths for people with significant, lifelong disability.
Daniel’s story (below) provides an example of an NDIS participant who, through capacity building and good job matching, is contributing to the NDIS and aged care workforce in a meaningful way.
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Daniel’s newI’ve chapterJOSH PRESTON lot bappier mentally and
got a purpa;e.“ he said. NEW Gympie resident Dan- ·t.rorue’s passioo is look iel O’Looghlin has dealt with ing afte< people. and I’ve got his rair share o( hurdles. but th.at passion too.· finding a job he’s pas>ionate ·tte’sgoingveiy ,·eiy well about has helped him begin a he’s been fanta5tic.“ Ms D•w new du.pie< with he.Jth and son said happi~ in abundance. She said she had 26 e<n· LMng with a SEYe<e inteJ. ployees and •c1ose IO JO cli
lectual disability has been ents•.
tough at times for Mr
O ’Loughlin. llnd he knew be wanted to make a change when be moved IO the region about • month ago.
So when opportunity
eame knocking last month in the form o( Leonie Dawson and her aged care and disabtl ity support business Lronie“s
Ca.ring. the 23-year-<lld
jumped at the clw>ce. “Leonie was originally car ing for me and when she came IO clo hor sign-ups I asked her if she rould employ me. and she was very inter ested in that.” Mr O’Looghlin said.
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At the moment rm tak- ing ctients shopping. or if they have IO go to lhe doctors or the bank or the post otrJtt. if they need some sort o( community access. ’ It’s the sort o( job I love and enjoy. ·1 enjoy the boars and I
love looking after elderly
people. and people who have a disability. I’ve got a disabab !y and I’ve got …-ere mental health troubles so I can relate IO people _ because I know what they go through.
Mr O'Looghlm said be CHANGED MAN, Doniel
understood the importance o•~ h .. a l><illhte< cl having a support netwonc ot.rUook on life now be I’m a anilable when “it’s a struggle jobpeople.he - _hdpq othff, to get up in the morning… “It imprO'es my life and their ffl•cs as well I’ve been a
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Attachment B
Impact of COVID-19 on NDIS workforce
The COVID-19 pandemic is a rapidly evolving situation and its effect on the disability workforce is yet to be quantified. The introduction of practices such as two-person gatherings, self-isolation and physical distancing has had a profound impact on the lives of many people with disability and changed the way supports are delivered to NDIS participants.
In this rapidly changing jobs market the Australian Government is supporting businesses and those Australians looking for work.
While many businesses have been adversely affected by COVID-19 and are reducing their workforces, there are some areas of the economy which have an increased demand for workers. This includes jobs in health and care sectors, transport and logistics, some areas of retail, mining and mining services, manufacturing, agriculture and government sectors, among others.
In collaboration with DSS and the NDIS Commission, the NDIA launched a dedicated
webpage ([www.ndis.gov.au/coronavirus/finding-support-workers](https://www.ndis.gov.au/coronavirus/finding-support-workers)) to help providers and
participants find additional support workers during the pandemic. This website provides direct links to 12 different support matching employment platforms. It also identifies the opportunity for those who are looking for work to connect with matching platforms to help pursue employment in the disability sector.
These initiatives work hand in hand with the unprecedented suite of broader initiatives undertaken by Government to support businesses and workers.
The Government announced a number of changes to visa arrangements to enable temporary visa holders to remain in key industries, such as health, aged care and disability care. International students currently working for registered disability service providers will also be able to work more hours to help support the disability sector. These changes will help boost front line staff and ensure critical services continue.
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