Australian Tertiary Education Network Response to the Joint Standing
Committee on the National Disability Insurance Scheme about transitional arrangements for the NDIS
Joint Standing Committee on the National Disability Insurance Scheme
PO Box 6100
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
The Australian Tertiary Education Network on Disability (ATEND) welcomes the opportunity to respond to the Joint Standing Committee on the NDIS about transitional arrangements for the NDIS.
ATEND is the peak professional organisation for Disability Practitioners in the Higher Education and Vocational Training sectors in Australia. Our membership is predominantly individuals who are primarily employed as a disability practitioner in the tertiary education and training sector and National Disability Coordination Officers. A key role of the disability practitioners is to enhance tertiary education opportunities and access for people with disability.
ATEND has communicated with its membership across Australia to gather input to this response, and comments relate to the specific terms of reference. While the experience of practitioners varied, quotes from member’s experiences are included to assist in clarifying the issues.
A. The boundaries and interface of NDIS service provision, and other non-NDIS service provision, with particular reference to health, education and transport services
Recommendation. Guidelines are developed re support workers accompanying students in tertiary education settings so that support workers are able to provide support that maintains students’ independence and academic integrity, and steps can be taken re accommodation of support staff in classes, and consider and health and safety or risks that may arise.
‘support workers often step over the line when assisting students and assessments are not always a reflection of what the student knows.’
‘Last semester, a student told me about the type of assistance that he was getting outside of TAFE which included, among other things, him typing what someone else was dictating.’
Recommendation The role of NDIS support workers and academic support workers provided through the tertiary institution are clarified and NDIS support staff understand their role in the classroom.
‘We had a student with an agency support worker who was doing the role that we could have provided through the uni. This seemed a waste of NDIS funding’
‘Support workers are answering for students or entering into dialogue in tutor groups’
‘Support staff consider themselves to be part of the class and respond to teacher’s questioning, involving themselves in group work, and in one instance telling the teacher that she was wrong about something she was presenting’
B. The consistency of NDIS plans and delivery of NDIS and other services for people with disabilities across Australia
Recommendation NDIS plans and delivery of NDIS and other services for people with disabilities across Australia are consistent
Recommendation Planners and local area coordinators increase their knowledge of tertiary education as a pathway for students with disability so that tertiary education is promoted as an option for people with disability.
‘I have the feeling that tertiary options are often not considered as they may not ever have been considered as an option during school, or are not known about by planners’
‘NDIS at present does not seem to involve educational staff input in planning and thus students and parents are not necessary making informed choices at planning stages’
Recommendation People with disability have the information needed to develop realistic expectations of tertiary education including course and academic requirements, reasonable adjustments and pathways.
‘I recently had student with a moderate intellectual disability wanting to enrol in a TAFE course because his goal was ‘to come to TAFE’- not to come to TAFE to do x course because he wanted to work as an x. He just wanted to come to TAFE. When I explained to the mother and disability agency that the course they had chosen was not a realistic goal their response was ‘But we’ve already put it in the plan.’’
Recommendation Timely planning is undertaken to put reasonable adjustments into place.
‘When there is no consultation there leaves little time to put some supports into place. An example of this is when a student in a wheelchair enrolls in a course there might be a need for a hoist, access to rooms, specialised equipment. It can take some time to get these things organised.’
Recommendation More work is undertaken to clarify and distinguish the supports available by the tertiary provider and the NDIS so that assistive technologies and training in their use can be considered prior to commencing study.
‘Especially personal computer type equipment, software etc. as well as appropriate pre -training in use of these technologies’
Recommendation. Establish links between NDIS providers and tertiary education institutions to facilitate: education and sharing of information
‘It would be great if there were more educative opportunities for disability support officers to understand NDIS and have options to refer students back to relevant services as necessary.’
Recommendation Consultation and planning is undertaken with the tertiary provider during the planning stage so that supports and reasonable adjustments are clear before a student commences
‘There is a lack of clarity where the NDIS responsibility ends and where the educational responsibility starts when it comes to tutorial or transition support. Can the NDIS assist a student with autism for example transitioning to a new environment, understanding the hidden rules of the institution and making sense of academic writing?’
D. Any other related matters.
Recommendation The NDIS and National Disability Coordination Officer’s (NDCO’s) work
together on the development of planning resources for people with disability interested in education pathways ‘NDCO’s are commencing work on a pre-planning resource that provides students with some of the questions they need to think about around their needs in further education and what funding the NDIS may provide, such as tutoring, technology, personal care, transport for example. It is hoped that this resource will improve the planning process for people accessing further education.’
Recommendation NDCOs and NDIS work together on the development of a resource for support workers on campus ‘One of our members is working on a resource for Support Workers on campus, which will offered as a training package. This resource will provide the staff with things they need to be aware of when supporting a student and may include code of practice. It is hoped that in the future educations providers will have a Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) with support agencies that outlines responsibilities of support workers. Part of that MOU would be that the support workers coming onto campus have undertaken the training.’
Recommendation The NDIS consider an approach similar to School leavers Employment Support to support further educational attainment.
Recommendation Clarity is provided to ensure that NDIS funding isn’t compromised or impeded by an individual’s desire to undertake tertiary study, including access to scholarships, study support from Human Services, HECS-HELP and support under the Disability Support Program.
ATEND would welcome the opportunity to work with the NDIS to develop solutions specifically around the recommendations raised in this feedback.