Supporting Documents

Agency Readiness

Attachment A

NDIS Pathway

Attachment B

NDIS Planning and Assessment Framework

Attachment C

Participant Plan

Attachment D

Complaints Handling and Internal Reviews

Attachment E

Registration of Providers

Attachment F

Engagement and Communication

Attachment G

Fact Sheets:

Attachment H

• SA Launch
• Tasmanian Launch
• Indigenous Australians
• Safegards for the NDIS
• Choice and Control within the NDIS
• Early Intervention within the NDIS
• Service Providers - Access to NDIS IT System

Attachment A

Agency Readiness

Governance

The Agency corporate planning and risk management framework is progressing. Performance measures for the Scheme and for the Agency are currently under discussion with governments. A key component of our governance will be the principles around internal quality assurance, customer service charter and continual improvement principles. Participants and providers will be encouraged to submit feedback on options for how we can improve their experience throughout the launch. The outcomes of this feedback will inform improvements to agency operating processes and incorporated into learnings for full scheme rollout in NSW.

Operational Procedures and ICT

There is agreement from governments to the overall approach for the client pathway and this has been discussed with and refined on the basis of consultation with many different potential participants, wider community groups and providers. See Attachment A. The Agency, after consultation with governments and several of the Expert Working Groups, is close to finalising the nature and approach to the planning and assessment process that the Agency will use to guide decisions on the nature of supports that a participant might need to enable them to achieve their goals and participate in daily life.

The ICT core system build is progressing well and is being built concurrent with finalisation of legislation and rules. The Agency will be heavily dependent on the ICT capability to ensure effective and efficient delivery. In particular the capacity for providers to interact at low cost and with minimal impost has been a focus of design.

Key design elements reflected in Agency processes including ICT design are summarised below:

• Tell us once. Participants should only need to tell us once on any data captured.
• Keep it simple. Where possible, keep business processes and design outcomes as simple as possible.
• Efficient administration. Minimise administration overhead wherever possible.
• Devolved decision making. Client facing services and decision making should be local.
• Mobile workforce. Agency staff and LACs will be able to meet participants in their own environments.
• Disability exemplar. The Agency will be exemplary in providing accessible physical and electronic environments for people with disability, including staff and participants.

Participants will be able to access their plan online. Providers will be able to submit claims for payment online. No special software will be required to access the Provider portal and a link to the portal will be available from the new NDIS Launch Transition Agency website (due to be launched in June) and related websites such as NDIS.gov.au.

A key area for work over the next several months will be to collate material to guide decisions in relation to early intervention supports.

We envisage establishing expert panel capabilities to advise on this evidence and to support the Agency in our continuous improvement.

Sector Development

The Agency has commissioned 73 projects under the Practical Design Fund which are designed to identify practical ways to prepare people with disability, their families and carers, the disability sector and workforce for the transition to a National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

These projects will give individuals and organisations the opportunity to contribute to the implementation of the NDIS. It will also help prepare people with disability, their families and carers, the disability sector and workforce for the changes in how people choose and access disability supports under the NDIS.

The projects include innovative and new approaches that will:

• assist people with the transition to individualised and/or self-directed funding
• support people with disability to exercise choice and control
• support the growth and skilling of the disability workforce, and
• help transition disability service organisations to an NDIS environment, including providing person-centered support and managing individualised funding arrangements.

Bilateral discussions have commenced to progress implementation of activities against agreed priorities for the Sector Development Fund. We are very conscious that this is a change for the sector –providers, community and participants - but are confident that this can be managed during launch. One of our key areas of focus will be to understand and implement, in conjunction with governments, activities to ensure that the projected growth in the disability workforce is able to be achieved.

Client, Program and Provider Transition

Discussions are well progressed with host jurisdictions on options for ensuring the gradual transition of clients from existing state and commonwealth program arrangements to the NDIS. We are conscious that this gradual transition will need to be clearly communicated and we are working towards having materials by April that explain how this gradual transition will be implemented.

Quality Assurance

The bilateral agreements require the Agency to use the existing quality assurance framework for providers of funded programs within each launch site subject to further development of and transition to a nationally consistent risk based quality assurance approach in the longer term. To ensure that the Agency is able to comply with these provisions we are in detailed discussion with each site to ensure that Agency procedures capture site specific compliance and reporting requirements.

People

The Agency has been able to attract strong and experienced management teams for all sites. Recruitment for planners has commenced and advertising for LACs (in Victoria and SA) and all other staff will be completed by mid-March. Planners will need to commence mid May to allow time for training. LACs – either staff or on a contracted basis will need to commence early June 2013. Additional staff will be appointed to match the gradual participant intake flows.

Finance and Reporting

The development of financial systems to support the Scheme is progressing well. We will be able to meet the financial reporting to governments required under the bilateral agreements. In particular, we have now appointed an independent actuary to guide the actuarial framework for the Scheme. This is informing the data that will be collected and the performance reporting that will be provided to governments.

Communications and Engagement

We have adopted a three phase approach to our communications and engagement to match the increasing level of detail on the operational elements of the scheme as we progress with the objective of providing clear and timely information to people with disability, their families, carers and service providers about the NDIS.

Our co-design activities with providers and the community continues with a clear focus on Agency operational design and we have held a number of forums and have many more planned during March. See details at Attachment A.

Information Management

We are conscious of the need to ensure that data relating to participants and others is respected and managed with a detailed compliance with all required privacy principles. To guide this work we have commenced a privacy impact assessment.

Site Implementation

4 of 25

Regional Staff Engagement

The Agency regional staff are increasing engagement at the local level with jurisdictions to design site specific working arrangements addressing bilateral obligations and interfaces with existing system requirements in each site.

• Offices will be established in the following locations:

  • South Australia – St Mary’s and Elizabeth
  • Tasmania – Hobart, Launceston and Devonport
  • Victoria (Barwon Area) – Geelong and Colac (from Feb 2014)
  • NSW (Hunter Area) – Charlestown

Contracts for construction managers for all sites are now in place with sites will become available from late May to early June.

Attachment B

THE NDIS PATHWAY

• The NDIS Pathway diagram reflects the NDIS Bill 2012 (see diagram below). This is a stylised version of a more detailed diagram. This is what is being used with community forums.

• The Pathway reflects a client perspective, thus demonstrating how the pathway facilitates choice and control.

• The Pathway design includes key Scheme design elements to support sustainability of the Scheme through managing eligibility, ensuring people with disability are effectively linked to community and mainstream services and only have access to funded support where it is reasonable and necessary.

• The Pathway:

  o allows for a person to move around the pathway, as indicated by the arrows in the diagram, rather than it being a linear process;

  o reflects client outcomes and financial sustainability of the Scheme o reflects a client perspective so as to demonstrate choice and control and individual capacity to inform and direct the process, with emphasis on the goals and aspirations of the individual in the planning and assessment section of the pathway; and

  o makes available the functions of local area coordination and decision support as appropriate.

• The pathway uses a wide gateway to provide information about the NDIS for everyone through the Agency and multiple points in the broader human service system. The gateway harnesses generic disability, community and mainstream supports through local area coordination (LAC) and the Agency local presence. The LAC community development role and access to Tier 2 (generic disability) assistance are available in the gateway. Potential participants can also self-report support needs to inform access using the Agency self-reporting tool. This short tool asks demographic and support needs questions and will provide the individual with an indication as to their eligibility and, where likely to be eligible, they are encouraged to make contact with the Agency.

• Potential participants make initial contact with the Agency for preliminary assessment of access and risk and can be facilitated by a LAC. In this step the Agency determines access requests, priority for access and whether crisis support or a ‘light touch’ approach is required for some participants. Local area coordination is available to support mainstream connection and goal setting for the participant statement of goals and aspirations. This decision will be delegated to local Agency employees by the CEO.

• The planning and assessment step brings together the participant’s statement with their support needs identified through goal based planning. The statement of participant supports is finalised including informal care, mainstream and community services, local area coordination (where chosen) and reasonable and necessary supports (checked against the reference package). Planning is done by the

• Participant and Agency, with local area coordination and design and decision support

  assistance where required. Using these inputs the Agency determines the

  participant their statement of participant’s supports, how the plan will be managed and, where included, the reasonable and necessary funding for supports and the scheduled review date for the plan. This decision will be delegated to local Agency planners by the CEO.

• The next step is implementing the plan and organising supports where the

  participant, with or without assistance, organises supports and implements their plan. Assistance can be provided by Agency, design and decision support and financial and service intermediaries depending on the choices made.

• The participant, their identified supports and the Agency play the key roles in monitoring the plan.

• During plan review the outcomes of the participant’s plan will be measured by the

  participant and the Agency against the participant’s goals and objectives over time. The participant can ask for their plan to be reviewed if their circumstances change. Local Agency planners are delegated by the CEO to review participants’ plans for both scheduled reviews and when participants request a review.

**My NDI S Pathway yes -> contact the NDIS and work out if I’m eligible…

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Attachment C

NDIS Planning and Assessment Framework

Proposed Approach to Goal Based Planning and Support Needs Assessment

The Agency approach takes into account the focus of the Scheme on choice and control and the need for flexibility, recognising that not all individuals will progress through all of the processes from access request, goal based planning to statements of support, plan implementation and subsequent reviews in a linear manner.

It reflects the insurance based approach which requires the process to interface with the reference packages for the Scheme to inform decisions on Scheme sustainability and reasonable and necessary supports including levels of investment..

The design of the NDIS requires the planning and assessment framework to provide a dual focus on both planning and assessment with a consistent but responsive approach to identifying support needs within a goal based planning conversation that acknowledges individual goals and aspirations.

It is intended that where a participant’s requirements do not indicate a support needs assessment, this will not be undertaken. This is likely to be the situation where a person’s goals and needs can be met through mainstream and or community supports and possibly the assistance of Local Area Coordination (LAC) and/or one off supports, such as an item of equipment.

NDIS Planning and Assessment Toolkits (Adult and Child versions) have been developed for launch for use where required as part of the goal based planning conversation, which is designed to:

• confirm eligibility (where this is not clear);
• build on participants’ self-reported support needs information;
• identify the areas and extent of functional impacts arising from participants’ disabilities;
• describe specific support needs in detail;
• identify where specialised assessment or early intervention may be needed;
• assess risks and, where necessary, identify safeguards;
• inform the development of participants’ plans; and
• assist in ensuring that participants receive reasonable and necessary supports appropriate for their individual needs and goals.

Individual goals and objectives will be measured against personal outcomes, such as goal attainment, wellbeing, social and economic participation, independence, developing and maintaining relationships and personal resilience. The approach also uses the World Health Organisation International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) as the common and linking design feature across all processes including reference packages, thus enabling data to be interrogated for common support needs and funded supports.

In addition to being designed to support the NDIS focus on choice and control and understanding an individual’s goals and circumstances, the structure and content of the NDIS Planning and Assessment Toolkits are based on the following principles:

• linking to the ICF – the contemporary internationally-recognised standard for assessing and classifying functioning and disability;
  • ensuring that as a part of the planning and assessment process that where participants needs are most appropriately met by other mainstream systems they will be directed there;
  • using a functional assessment approach (i.e. assessment based on what a person can do or would like to be able to do, rather than a medical diagnosis-based approach);
  • minimising the assessment burden for participants including utilising existing Commonwealth and State assessment information where relevant;
  • ensuring that the assessment process is cost-effective; and
  • using a flexible assessment process that can be tailored to individual circumstances

Planning and assessment framework for launch

The NDIS planning and assessment framework uses a multi-layered structure to provide a flexible, efficient and individualised approach centred on goals, aspirations and support needs with assessment only when required (see diagram below). The following outlines the approach for prospective participants.

The proposed stages of NDIS planning and assessment build on each other to ensure that individuals do not need to provide information more than once, and are as follows:

1. NDIS Self-report – to inform access request decisions – a concise summary self-
    report by prospective participants for the NDIS.
        a.  Available in multiple formats, assistance to complete the self-report tool will
        be available if required.
        b.  Tool will help people screen themselves out where they are clearly ineligible
             for Scheme supports.
         c.  This data will also provide information for evaluation by recording information
         about those who test their eligibility for the Scheme, and for those found
             eligible to capture their own perspective on support needs.

2. Development of Participant Plan:
        a.  Participant statement of goals and aspirations is prepared by the
            participant as part of the planning process with assistance if required.
                              i.  Will be able to be received in multiple formats such as short media
                      clips.
                               ii.  Collects goals, aspirations, personal environment and context to
                 inform goal based planning discussion.
                               iii.  Strength-based.
                    iv.  Planning tools and planning and decision supports will be available.
        b.  Participant goal based planning and assessment of support needs -
         addressing principles such as choice and control, building capacity, inclusion,
            participation and independence.

    The goal based planning conversation will use a strength based methodology.
     Agency planners will be trained in this approach which will draw on research and
        better practice. Training will also go to ensuring the participant’s choice and
       control and making information available to inform choice where this is needed.

Assessing Risks - The NDIS Toolkits (Adult or Child)

Also facilitate the consideration of risks, where required, associated with:

• delivery of supports;
• circumstances and living arrangements; and
• any impact of the person’s behaviour on themselves or others.

This risk assessment will then guide the planner in the development of appropriate safeguards for the participant.

3. Approved Statement of Supports – this is compiled by the planner, by working with the participant and taking into consideration the Participant Statement, including goals, objectives and aspirations; the assessment of the participant’s support needs including determining reasonable and necessary funded supports; and checks against reference package parameters.

The detailed assessment sections cover the range of ICF functional domains and also collect information relating to specific assistive technology needs, supports and services, carer needs for sustaining care and risk assessment.

Unlike the Disability Support Pension assessment, these tools do not measure severity of disability or impairment.

There is also capacity for a separate conversation with carers which will take into account their circumstances, capacity and plans relevant to their caring roles and the sustainability of informal care arrangements. Supports required for sustaining care will be informed by the toolkits.

NDIS Planning and Assessment Framework

Preliminary

Statement

• EEPEEE ET: of of supports
• risk and light > *
• With touch support needs

Participant

NY SY

OS OS OO

####### TS Re-assessment only when support needs change

Legend:

redacted

Attachment D

Participant Plan

As part of the participant’s plan, the Statement of Supports is developed by the Agency in response to the participant’s support needs, goals and aspirations, circumstances and informal supports. It is an estimate of their reasonable and necessary supports over the expected 12 month life of the plan.

Flexibility in the Statement of Supports will be accommodated in two ways:

• Recognising that needs fluctuate over time;
• Enabling flexibility between items classed as flexible.

Background

The NDIS Bill 2012 requires a plan to include:

• A participant statement of goals and aspirations;
• A statement of general supports (eg local area coordination);
• Which supports are funded;
• How the plan and funds will be managed; and
• When the plan will be reviewed.

The participant plan will also include the following components:

• Consideration of results of any assessment of functional capacity where support is needed including

  • The participant’s self-reported support needs
  • Any support needs assessment undertaken by or on behalf of the Agency
  • Any existing relevant assessments provided by the participant
  • Any risk assessment undertaken by the Agency;

• Planned outcomes for the participant such as:

  • Wellbeing;
  • Independence;
  • Social, civil and economic participation;
  • Developing and maintaining relationships; and
  • Choice and control.

These components are illustrated in the diagram below.

Flexibility in plans 13 of 25

The Bill requires that a participant must spend the funds received in accordance with the

participant’s plan and that supports may be described generally in a plan or specifically identified.

The planning process will have taken into account choice and control and recognise that flexibility is needed to allow purchasing of some supports to adjust to changes in people’s circumstances.

The plan will support flexibility in sourcing supports, regardless of how or by whom the plan is being managed, by:

• providing information to individuals to support choice during planning and the implementation of the plan;
• building the individual’s capacity, where required, to exercise choice and control;
• ensuring that supports are age and life stage appropriate and take into account developmental needs, particularly for children;
• recognising that individual needs vary from week to week as part of normal life and therefore providing flexibility in the quantum and frequency of all supports purchased over the life of the participant’s plan, as long as the total value of the plan is not exceeded;
• acknowledging that the basis for determining the level of supports included in the plan is based on a best estimate at the time the plan is developed, thus requiring an approach that allows some overs and unders between relevant funded supports.

The policy intention is that participants should have the same degree of flexibility regardless of whether they choose to self-manage their plan (or some or all items in it) or if they ask the Agency to manage their plan (or some or all items in it).

However, some funded supports will be the specific purpose of achieving improved outcomes. For example, early interventions underpin the insurance approach by taking a lifetime view of the individual. Investing in people early is made to ensure that over the long term, outcomes for individuals and the community are maximised and the scheme’s liabilities are minimised:

It is intended that investment and early intervention support items will be fixed with no flexibility to spend these funds on other supports. This is to ensure that anticipated outcomes are achieved:

• quotes be required for high cost items where prices may be variable and difficult to accurately estimate eg home modifications and electric wheel chairs; and For remaining supports, participants will have choice and flexibility to purchase more or less of these supports in their plan (to the total value of the flexible items in their plan), enabling for example less expenditure on taxis and more on self-care, where they believe this assists them to achieve their goals and outcomes.

The following diagram seeks to demonstrate the golden thread flowing from goals and aspirations through supports and leading to outcomes.

Participant Plan

Participant Statement of Goals and Aspirations

• Prepared by the participant (with assistance from Planner, LAC and/or family/carer where needed) Includes:
• Goals, objectives, aspirations of the participant ¢ Environmental and personal context including: ¢ Living arrangements ¢ Informal community supports and other community supports, and ¢ Social and economic participation Assessment: ¢ Identifies functional areas where support is needed, including supports for sustaining informal care arrangements (by ICF category)
• Risk assessment Statement of Implementing Supports in the plan rranging Prepared WITH the participant to * General supports (including capacity building for planning exercising control, and information and referral services):
• Access to mainstream and community supports
• Supporting sustainable informal care Purchasing
• Developing and maintaining natural supports and carer/family support for community connections sustaining informal care and building capacity of the participant’s carer
• Access to mainstream and community supports
• Reasonable and necessary supports that will be funded in under NDIS ¢ Flexible support items — flexibility in funding items Reviewing Agency must review the plan * progress toward goals,
• The management of the funding objectives and outcomes ¢ Impact on personal outcomes ¢ The management of other aspects of the plan

Attachment E

Complaints Handling and Internal and External Reviews

Customer feedback, including complaints, provides people with a disability and disability service providers with an important opportunity to improve the quality of disability services.

The following values, which guide the way the Agency approaches its work, will apply to the system adopted for managing complaints:

• Rights: the Agency upholds the right of people with a disability to give feedback and complain about disability services.
• Respect: the Agency takes all feedback, including complaints, seriously and treats all parties with dignity, sensitivity and courtesy.
• Fairness: the Agency seeks to resolve complaints by having a fair process. All staff will communicate openly and honestly and listen carefully to what all parties say about the complaints that are made.

The Agency will invite feedback from participants, their family, providers and the public on the operation of the Scheme and will collate data from feedback received to provide the qualitative information for Scheme improvement. All comments received will be captured in a central database and analysed for system improvement.

The most important aspect of Agency feedback is the subject of complaints received and the manner in which they are managed.

All associated with the Agency will be provided with information on the Complaints Management system and invited to contact the Agency as soon as they encounter a problem. Contact can be by phone, email, mail or in person. People will be provided with assistance in lodging a complaint.

When a complaint is received, it will be logged in the IT system and dealt with by Agency administrative support staff (if straightforward) in the Launch site or escalated to an appropriate person in the same office.

If the complaint is transferred, the transferring officer will advise the person complaining that the staff member receiving the complaint will get back in touch with the complainant within 48 hours to clarify the subject of the complaint and advise the manner in which it will be managed.

Following the principles underlying the operation of the Scheme, all complaints will be dealt with transparently, in accordance with published policy, and swiftly. The complainant will be kept informed of progress along the way.

At times, the subject of a complaint may also be the subject of a Merits Review but this will not prevent the complaints management system being applied as this may result in faster resolution of the problem. Agency staff handling the Merits Review will be different personnel from those managing the complaint.

Internal Review

Internal review is available for any decision listed in clause 99 of the NDIS Bill. Almost all decisions in the Bill are reviewable.

A person requesting a review may be a participant, prospective participant, provider of supports, a nominee or person who was rejected when applying to be a nominee, a person who has been denied responsibility for representing a child participant.

All decisions which are adverse or which differ from what the affected person expected will be accompanied by a set of reasons in plain English.

A person dissatisfied with an adverse decision can contact the original decision maker who can change the decision. The person can be assisted by a support person.

This should be useful in cases where the reasons for decision show that a relevant matter may have been overlooked, misunderstood or given too little weight. It may also be useful where the person had difficulty accessing or understanding the reasons. Contact can be face to face or by telephone or electronic means.

If the person wishes to go further they contact the Agency and request a review. The request should be made within 3 months of receiving the notice of the decision. Extensions of time can be granted. A request can be in writing (including electronically), or made by telephone or other means. [Clause 100]

The CEO refers a request for review to a review officer who was not involved in the original decision. The intention is that reviews are handled at the local level where at all possible. The review officer must make a decision as soon as reasonably practicable. [Clause 100]

The person is able to speak with the review officer. This can be by telephone or in an Agency office or in the person’s home in an appropriate case. This is to ensure that the person has a clear opportunity to present their case and the review officer can clarify any issues that are unclear about the person’s case. A support person in these discussions can assist the person.

In a difficult or novel matter the review officer can seek assistance from one or more members of a panel of experts to assist in the decision making. The panel contains experts from fields including law, medicine, rehabilitation science and other disciplines of relevance.

Any opinion from the panel of experts will be made available to the person and their support person. The review officer may confirm, vary or set aside the reviewable decision. [Clause 100] A full set of reasons accompanies the decision of the review officer.

The reasons for decision advise the person of the next level of review, external review by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT), how to contact the Agency’s complaints resolution service or the Commonwealth Ombudsman in case the person has complaints about the review system or the Agency’s operations more generally.

Attachment F

Registration of Providers

Provider registration is critical to enable:

• a listing of potential providers to inform participant decision making, while noting providers can join this listing at any time;
• payments to be systematically made where the plan or elements are not self managed;
• information on supports and related information such as compliance with relevant regulations is known and maintained by the provider.

It is planned that providers will register with the Agency to indicate the supports that they can provide to participants and to enable payments by the Agency for supports delivered.

If the funding for supports is managed by the Agency, these supports must be provided by a registered provider.

Self-managed funding of supports

When a person is self-managing their plan and directly purchasing supports, they have the freedom to purchase supports from any provider. The provider is always required to deliver supports that achieve the purposes set out in the participant’s plan.

Participants who self-manage will engage, direct and pay providers for the supports in accordance with their plan.

The Agency will make an initial advance payment to the participant, in accordance with the estimated costs of supports in their plan. On receipt of an acquittal statement from the participant, the next advance payment will be made.

All participants who choose to self-manage will receive a comprehensive information pack covering how to choose a provider, requirements for directly employing support staff and options if that is not preferred.

Alternatives to Self-Management

The Bill (s44) allows the CEO to restrict a person’s management of all or part of their plan where this may present an unreasonable risk to the participant.

A decision by the CEO as to whether a participant can self-manage will be informed by an assessment of the level of risk to that person given their degree of vulnerability and possibility of harm, their capacity to select and manage support arrangements, and their social circumstances such as the presence of a supportive network .

A decision to not allow a person to self-manage is a reviewable decision.

Agency managed funding of supports - registration requirements

The NDIS Bill and Rules aim to achieve a balance between effective choice and control for participants and management of risks for vulnerable people. The Bill requires that the CEO be satisfied that a provider meets the criteria prescribed by the Rules. The draft Rules set out the following criteria for registration:

• An ABN and account with a financial institution (to enable efficient payments by the Agency)

• Agreement to the Agency’s terms of business
  • Compliance with workplace and employment laws (if an employer)
  • Compliance with criminal laws
  • Qualifications, experience and capacity to provide supports for which they wish to be registered

The level of qualification, experience and capacity will be considered in relation to the type and level of risk associated with the support to be provided.

In accordance with the Bilateral Agreements, the existing safeguards and quality assurance systems of host jurisdictions in the launch sites will be utilised. These systems recognise the National Quality Framework and the revised National Standards for Disability Services which are currently being finalised.

Payments to providers

When the Agency is managing the funding of supports, providers deliver the supports in the plan and make claims for payments online. Claims can be made as frequently as the provider chooses. Valid claims submitted electronically will be paid within 2 working days. Paper invoices will be processed and paid within 30 days. It is expected the majority of providers will choose to claim online. Plan Management If seeking to be registered for managing the funding of supports, , it is intended that the Plan Management Provider be assessed as suitable to manage funding if they meet the following criteria: - qualifications relevant to the management of a participant’s funding; and - experience and capacity to manage the funding of supports. Participants will be able to choose to engage a provider that delivers both supports and manages the funding for their supports. However when the provider seeks to be registered to provide supports and manage funds on behalf of a participant, they also need to demonstrate they have mechanisms in place for dealing with the (perceived) conflict of interest. Revoking registration Under the Rules, the CEO may revoke a provider’s registration, subject to the natural justice provisions in the Bill, if the provider: - fails to continue to meet applicable criteria as above; - contravenes Agency’s Terms of Business;

• fails to notify the Agency of complaints or actions against the provider by responsible authorities.

Attachment G

Engagement and Communication

Overview of NDIS Launch Transition Agency engagement activity

Over the past six months the Agency has initiated or been involved in close to 300 separate presentations, engagement and consultation sessions and meetings across the country, with most activity being concentrated in the four launch sites that are to commence operating in July 2013 (SA, Tasmania, NSW, Victoria). See tables below on engagement activity specific to launch sites. It does not include national forums.

Engagements have taken different formats including public forums, industry presentations, targeted engagements, and collaborative design (co-design) workshops and meetings and have involved people with disability, their carers and families, service providers, industry groups and representative organisations including peak bodies.

The focus of these engagements has been on informing attendees about the NDIS and progress towards launch, and preparing stakeholders in launch sites for the commencement of and transition to the scheme. Targeted sessions such as co-design with potential participants have been used to help develop and validate aspects of the design of the Agency’s operational systems and processes.

Phase 1 engagement from September to December 2012 aimed to identify stakeholders and gather information about engagement activity preferences in the period up to launch by:

• Encouraging participation and engagement through Agency led presentations and forums, first of round co-design workshops;
• Finding out about the types of engagement activities desired and the language the communities use; and,
• Establishing participant, service provider and host jurisdiction priorities for engagement activities up to launch in July 2013. Feedback received from participants and providers during phase one has guided Agency development and refinement of:
• Agency shopfront look, feel, location and amenity
• Agency workforce needs, including recruitment practices, skills and attributes, and training programs
• Provided direction for phase 2 engagement activity.

Phase 2 engagement between January and March 2013 is intended to provide progress updates to stakeholders and more detail on a range of topics. Activity in this phase will:

• Provide more detail on what each site will deliver by developing nationally consistent materials for state and territory based Agency offices;
• Manage community expectations by explaining how and when the local community might access the scheme, noting the tension with legislation and further bilateral negotiations;
• Publish content, including schedule of publicly available engagement activities, on the NDIS website;
• Promote better practice in local individualised support by building interest and encourage readiness;

• Encourage participation and engagement through participant and provider co-design workshops, public forums, Agency led presentations and publication of supporting communications material;
  • Promote job opportunities in the Agency and related scheme roles.

Phase 3 engagement between April and July 2013 will be more frequent and intensive. The Agency will:

- Continue to manage expectations on launch by providing greater clarity based on
     fully resolved legislation and bilateral agreements;
- Engage more closely with the NGO sector;
- Providing further detailed information about time frames for each launch site by
   developing nationally consistent materials for state and territory based Agency
    offices;
- Publishing content on the Agency website;
- Communicating what people with disability/their family/carers need to do, and what
   they need to start thinking about in preparation for their conversation with the
  Agency;
- Communicate detailed processes to disability service providers through Agency state
  and territory based offices;
- Continue to promote better practice in service provider forums and by sharing
   outputs from the Practical Design Fund program; and
- Conduct launch events in each launch site and manage related press and
   stakeholder interface.

The scope of launch focussed engagement will ensure that community expectations are managed and that the Agency’s operational policy is ‘fit for purpose’ and that its processes and systems are shaped to take account of the needs and preferences of people with disability, their families and carers.

Co-design insights to date Valuable design insight has been gathered by the Agency into how to optimise systems, services, and processes so as to realise high quality outcomes for both the Agency and for scheme participants. Understanding of complex workforce development and sustainment issues, including job role definition, employee skills requirements and training needs; have been distilled and translated into tangible requirements. These requirements are informing the development of operational procedures, governance mechanisms and policies ahead of Agency launch in July 2013. Awareness has been raised within the Agency of how scheme participants define ‘choice and control’, and expect these principles to be embodied in all dimensions of the NDIS, not just in the sourcing of services and supports. Significantly, insights into the balance that must be struck between the pursuit of Agency outcomes, and the realisation of outcomes for people with disability have been gathered. There is a need to ensure that we aren’t asking participants to “constantly measure and evaluate their lives”.

Table 1. Victorian Engagement

                                       Stakeholder Group

Activity Providers Government Clients All Total Geelong Meeting with 24 10 - - 23 Presentation at 1 - 3 - 4 Workshop with - - 3 - 3 Public Forum - 2 - - 2 4 One on one conversation with - - - - - Total 27 10 6 2 34 Melbourne Meeting with 5 7 - - 12 Presentation at - 1 3 2 6 Workshop with 2 - - 1 3 Public Forum - - - - - - One on one conversation with - - - - - Total 7 8 3 3 21 Other Victoria Meeting with 5 1 - - 6 Presentation at 1 - - 1 2 Workshop with - - - - - Public Forum - - - - - - One on one conversation with - - - - - Total 6 1 0 1 8 Grand Totals 40 19 9 6 74

Table 2. South Australian Engagement

                                      Stakeholder Group

Activity Providers Government Clients All Total Adelaide Meeting with 44 12 2 - 58 Presentation at 5 1 1 - 7 Workshop with 4 - 1 - 5 Public Forum - 1 - 1 1 3 One on one conversation with - - - - - Total 54 13 5 1 73 Other South Australia Meeting with 6 2 - - 8 Presentation at - - - - - Workshop with 2 - 1 - 3 Public Forum - - - - 1 1 One on one conversation with - - - - - Total 8 2 1 1 12 Grand Totals 62 15 6 2 85

Table 3. Tasmanian Engagements

| Grand Totals | 29 | 11 | 10 | 2 | 52 |

Table 4. New South Wales Engagement

| Grand Totals | 11 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 23 |

Table 5. Queensland Engagement

                                     Stakeholder Group

Activity Providers Government Clients All Total Queensland Meeting with - - - - - Presentation at - - - - - Workshop with 1 - - - 1 Public Forum - - - - 1 1 One on one conversation with - - - - - Total 1 0 0 1 2

Table 6. Australian Capital Territory Engagement

                                      Stakeholder Group

Activity Providers Government Clients All Total Canberra Meeting with 1 2 - - 3 Presentation at 2 4 - - 6 Workshop with 2 - 1 1 4 Public Forum - - - - - - One on one conversation with - - - - - Total 5 6 1 1 13

Table 7. Western Australian Engagement

                                     Stakeholder Group

Activity Providers Government Clients All Total Perth Meeting with 3 4 - - 7 Presentation at - - - 1 1 Workshop with 1 - - - 1 Public Forum - 1 - - - 1 One on one conversation with - - - - - Total 5 4 0 1 10 Other Western Australia Meeting with - 1 - - 1 Presentation at - - - - - Workshop with - - - - - Puublic Forum - - - - - - One on one conversation with - - - - - Total 0 1 0 0 1 Grand Totals 5 5 0 1 11 24 of 25

ATTACHMENT H

Copies of fact sheets:

• SA Launch

• Tasmanian Launch

• Indigenous Australians

• Safeguards for the NDIS

• Choice and Control within the NDIS

• Early Intervention within the NDIS

• Service Providers- Access to NDIS IT System

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About the First Stage of the NDIS

This means that children who are eligible will have individually tailored support from a young age, providing them with the right services to meet their individual needs.

The First Stage of a National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)

The first stage of a National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) will launch in South Australia on 1 July 2013.

In South Australia, the launch will be rolled out over three years for about 5,000 children up to 14 years of age, including children who are already receiving support.

The NDIS will improve the delivery of support services and care across South Australia, including regional and remote areas, to help improve family life and community participation.

The First Year of the Launch

The first year of the launch will focus on children from birth to five years of age who have permanent and significant disability or who would benefit from early intervention, regardless of where they live in the state.

From July 2014, the NDIS will be available to children with disability from birth to 13 years of age and by July 2015 all children with disability up to 14 years of age will be included.

Why a Focus on Children?

A priority for the launch in South Australia is to provide children with the best possible start in life and to assist families to provide the best possible support for their children.

Early Intervention

Early intervention is a key feature of the launch there is nothing you need to do right now.

Early intervention aims to give each child the best start in life by providing support as early as possible.

For children currently receiving disability services, the NDIS personal planning process will start with infants from mid-2013, with preschool-aged children starting in early 2014.

For infants and young children with disability or developmental delay, early intervention improves development and the ability to participate in their family and community.

Families will be able to choose to manage their child’s plan or have help to find and connect with local support services.

The latest research will inform the type of early intervention that will be available. For children, the focus will be on interventions with the greatest potential for making a difference throughout the child’s life.

The NDIS will also work with local communities to develop ideas into options to help meet the needs of children with disability.

More Information

The NDIS Local Area Coordinators will assist people with disability transition to the NDIS, building support systems that connect families with local and community based supports such as health and education.

You can also register your details on the NDIS website to receive regular updates.

What happens next?

From the middle of 2013, families with children from birth to five years of age will be able to apply to participate in the NDIS. They will then work with the NDIS Launch Transition Agency to develop a personal plan which will include the right supports provided by the NDIS.

If you are a parent of a child aged birth to five years who is likely to be eligible for the first year

The first stage of a National Disability Insurance

The NDIS in Tasmania will:

• support young people in their journey as they transition from leaving secondary education and move on to further education, vocational training or employment;

• work with young people and theirand improve the range of supports that need to be families to plan and arrange thein place for young people with disability to ensure supports needed that will help them ina smooth transition between school and work or their everyday life. This planning willhigher education. recognise that each individual, including their family, and eachWhy focus on young people? community is unique in terms of theirA priority for the launch of the NDIS in eeds and priorities;Tasmania is to provide young people with disability the opportunity to improve the way they receive and choose support services to meet their individual needs.

This means that young people will have individually tailored supports, which will help them to live independently, participate more in the community, and make their own choices about the supports they need to achieve their goals.

Support for this age group is essential as young people are at a transitional stage in their lives where they’re growing, learning and thinking about moving on to new and exciting things.

NDIS Local Area Coordinators will also help build and support informal support systems and connect people with mainstream services, including local and community based supports. They will also help to create natural support networks for people with disability

What happens next?\n\nTasmanian Gateway Services\nand the NDIS\n\nFrom mid-2013 young people will be able to undertake an assessment and planning process.\n\nAbout Gateway Services\nFollowing this process, young people will be able Some people in Tasmania may already be\nto choose whether they want to administer their working through Gateway Services (Mission\nfunding package, or they can choose help to find Australia or Baptcare). The aim of Gateway\nan d connect with supports and mainstream Services is to provide a single access point for\nservices, such as health and education. individuals, agencies, services, and other\n professionals such as teachers, community\nage nt agencies and general practitioners to refer\nclients for services and to obtain information\nand advice in relation to disability services in\neach area.\n\nWill the NDIS change the way Gateway\nServices operate in my area?\nYou and your family or carers may have been in\ncontact with Tasmania’s Gateway Services.\n\nIf the Tasmanian Gateway Services are aware of\nyour needs, and you have been added to a\nNeeds Register for support, then the NDIS\nAgency will be in contact with you at some time\nafter 1 July 2013.\n\nThe NDIS and the Tasmanian Gateway Services\nwill work together and with you, your family\nand/or carer after 1 July 2013, so you won’t have\nto provide the same information twice.\n\nFor more information\n\nFor more information go to www.ndis.gov.au or\ncall the NDIS Hotline on 1800 800 110.\n\nMake sure you have Your Say and tell us your\nthoughts on an NDIS – go to www.ndis.gov.au/

INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS

As part of the development of the National For some Indigenous people, remoteness of Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), Australian communities is a significant constraint to getting Governments are working to ensure the scheme the support they need. meets the needs of Indigenous Australians.

                                         The introduction of the NDIS should be an

This factsheet shows some of the first thinking on opportunity to improve the access of Indigenous the best ways the NDIS can make sure Australians to disability supports and improve their Indigenous people with disability get the supports lives. they need. The purpose of the fact sheet is to The NDIS should make it easier for all people with update people with disability, their families and disability to get the supports they need and to carers, and the community, about the design of improve their lives. Indigenous Australians with the NDIS. disability, their families and carers will be able to choose what supports they need and to control INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS where, when and how they get the supports. AND DISABILITY

Why is it important to ensure that the What will be done to make sure that NDIS meets the needs of Indigenous the NDIS meets the needs of Australians? Indigenous Australians?

Across Australia but particularly in remote parts of The following steps will be taken to ensure the the country there are a number of differences in NDIS meets the needs of Indigenous Australians, in the way Indigenous Australians view disability. including:

According to the First Peoples Disability Network 1. The NDIS will check to make sure that many Indigenous people with disability do not Indigenous people with disability get the identify as having a disability. This may partly be supports they need from the scheme. due to reluctance to take on additional labels of 2. The NDIS will work with Indigenous people with disadvantage, as well as a markedly different disability to make sure they know about the approach to disability historically among NDIS. Indigenous peoples of Australia 3. The NDIS will talk with Indigenous families and Indigenous Australians have a significantly higher communities about how the NDIS can help rate of disability compared to non-indigenous them get the support they need. persons and many currently experience difficulties 4. The NDIS will ensure that Indigenous peopleand barriers to accessing the supports they need have a chance get jobs and work in the NDIS.because many mainstream services are not perceived as culturally appropriate or accessible.

           Produced by the Australian, State and Territory Governments

What is being done to prepare the

NDIS launch sites to meet the needs of Indigenous Australians with disability?

NEXT STEPS

All Australian governments are carefully considering how to make sure that Indigenous Australians share in the benefits of the NDS.

The first stage of the NDIS will be launched in South Australia, Tasmania, the ACT, the Hunter in NSW and the Barwon area of Victoria.

The Australian Government has set up an Advisory Group to provide specialist advice on The NDIS Launch Transition Agency has started work to prepare launch sites to make sure they meet the needs of Indigenous people with disability.

The NDIS Advisory Group will consider these ideas as part of what they tell the governmentsthat the NDIS.

The NDIS Launch Transition Agency is doing this by:

• working with local communities to understand the best ways that Indigenous people with disability can get the supports that they need
• building bridges into Indigenous communities through trusted intermediaries
• training Local Area Coordinators (LACs) and planners in the best ways to work with Indigenous people with disability, their families and carers and Indigenous communities
• ensuring that Indigenous people with disability and their families, carers and communities are aware of the NDIS and the supports available under a scheme
• looking at ways to make sure the supports that an Indigenous person with a disability receives make a difference to their life
• gathering information about how supports assist a person to help the scheme to work properly.

HAVE YOUR SAY

Over the next few months workshops will be held in each of the launch locations to look at how the first stage of the NDS should work. Indigenous people with disability, their families and carers and members of their communities will be asked to take part in these workshops.

For further information on the NDIS you are encouraged to visit www.ndis.gov.au and subscribe to regular updates, as well as share your views on the ‘Your Say’ online forum.

Understanding Safeguards

As part of the work to develop the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), Australian governments are considering how the scheme should support people with disability through safeguards.

Why Are Safeguards Necessary?

Safeguards are important to help a person minimise risk and provide avenues for people to have decisions reviewed or reconsidered, and make complaints. Safeguards are also important at a broader level to help improve the services organisations provide.

Many people with disability will not need to use formal safeguards. However, some people may benefit from these extra protections.

What Are Safeguards?

Safeguards aim to balance the need to protect the rights of people to be safe from the risk of harm, abuse and neglect, while maximising the choice and control they have over their lives.

For most people the most effective safeguards are natural safeguards, such as personal relationships and community connections.

In addition to natural safeguards, a range of formal safeguards exist in the current disability system.

Safeguards Under The NDIS

What principles should underpin the safeguards?The following principles have been proposed to guide how safeguards might support people under the NDIS:

• Choice and control: the NDIS should maximise opportunities for people with disability to make decisions about their support and the management of their funding arrangements.

One example is the National Standards for Disability Services. These set out how supports are to be provided to meet people’s needs, respect their rights and ensure that they are safe and receive quality services. The National

• Risk-based and person-centred approach: Individual level safeguards safeguards under the NDIS should relate to People with disability should be able to consider the actual level of risk a person faces, based a range of safeguards and support mechanisms on their functional capacity, natural support when developing their plans, determining their network and the services available to them. support requirements and implementing these arrangements.
• Presumption of capacity: the NDIS should presume that people with disability have the The NDIS will seek to help people with disability capacity to exercise choice and control, and to strengthen or develop their natural networks of provide the support a person requires to support. Access to relevant information and develop and exercise this capacity. education is also important.
• National consistency: safeguards should, over time, apply across Australia with Individual level safeguards would include risk comparable coverage to make sure people assessment, serious incident reporting and rules have access to the same protections for restrictive practices. regardless of where they live. Service level safeguards What types of safeguards might All good businesses and service organisations have internal systems that protect their clientsoperate under the NDIS? Disability The development of a person’s natural service providers should be subject to the same safeguards, such as personal relationships and expectations. community connections, will be an important part of the NDIS. Service level safeguards could include quality frameworks, complaints mechanisms and The NDIS will help people build supportive workforce requirements including qualifications networks and empower them to participate in and screening. their community. System level safeguardsThe NDIS should also have formal safeguards The NDIS should build on existing system levelthat minimise the risk of harm to vulnerable safeguards and include specific internal andpeople. external processes for making complaints and having decisions reviewed. It should include anBelow is an outline of early thinking on the broad directions for how safeguards might be available to people with disability under the NDIS. This will ensure that people can seek a review of decisions made about their eligibility, plans and Produced by the Australian, State and Territory Governments

Safeguards To Support People Under The Ndis

Community Based Safeguards

The ndis will use, and operate in the context of, existing safeguards that are not formally a part of the ndis. these include advocacy organisations, public advocates or guardians, ombudsman and commissioners. these will ensure that people with disability have external protections and the ndis has independent oversight. people with disability can also use a range of guarantees available to all members of the community including anti-discrimination, human rights and consumer protection legislation. These will ensure that people with disability have the same protections as everyone else in our community.

Have Your Say

An essential part of designing the ndis is the advice of people with lived experience of disability. This includes people with disability, their families and carers, disability care workers, as well as service providers, representative organisations and advocates. For further information about the ndis, you are encouraged to visit www.ndis.gov.au and subscribe to regular updates, as well as share your views on the ‘your say’ online forum.

CHOICE AND CONTROL WITHIN THE NATIONAL DISABILITY INSURANCE SCHEME

As part of the foundation reform work for the WHY CHOICE AND CONTROL? National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), There is good evidence to suggest that when work has been undertaken on a proposed policy people with disability are given greater choice and framework for giving NDIS participants choice and control over their services they achieve better life control. outcomes.

This paper outlines our initial thinking about what Greater choice and control can also lead to more decision making under the NDIS. It is a starting point to update efficient and effective delivery from disability people with disability, their families and carers, service providers. CHOICE AND CONTROL UNDERand the community about the design of the NDIS. THE NDIS UNDERSTANDING CHOICE AND WHAT PRINCIPLES SHOULD UNDERPIN CONTROL CHOICE AND CONTROL? WHAT IS CHOICE AND CONTROL? We propose eight key principles to guide how people should be able to make decisions as partChoice and control is about people with disability, of the NDIS.their families and carers having control over the course of their lives, including the flexibility to These are: make decisions about the disability services and 1. Choice: the NDIS should maximise supports they use. opportunities for people with disability to plan and design their support arrangements. Under the NDIS this means decisions around
tings like: 2. Control: each person should be able to  the type of supports and services they use choose how much control they want over their funding, supports and service providers, and  who provides them be able to change this control over time.  how they are designed and provided 3. Presumption of capacity: the NDIS should  how resources are able to be used presume that people with disability, with the  how their funding is managed. right support, have the capacity to exercise choice and control.

                                                          4. Design: each part of the system should be

designed to ensure people with disability have designed to ensure people with disability have maximum choice and control. maximum choice and control.

           Produced by the Australian, State and Territory Governments

Minimum intervention

The design of the NDIS should seek to intervene in people’s lives in the least intrusive way.

Minimum restrictions

Any restrictions on choice and control should be minimal and evidence-based. Clear information should be provided to people with disability, their families and carers so that these are transparent and easily understood.

Inclusion and flexibility

Decisions about supports and how they are managed should be as inclusive and flexible as a person requires. Decisions should be directed by the person with disability and include anyone else they wish. Decisions should be revised as a person’s needs change.

HOW SHOULD PEOPLE BE SUPPORTED TO EXERCISE CHOICE AND CONTROL?

8. Dignity in risk: people with disability should be allowed to determine their own best interests, make mistakes and learn from those mistakes, so long as the person, or others around them, or their support arrangements are not put at significant risk and public resources are not wasted.

We believe this might include:

• Information about service and support options, potential providers, and information and advice from Local Area Coordinators.
• Building capacity to exercise control and choice, including working with a person to think broadly about their support needs and building capacity to self-manage their funding if that is one of their goals.
• Enabling and recognising the role of the trusted advisor nominated by the person with disability to help them exercise their rights.
• Options to support people who take up self-managed funding and do not wish to manage their funds alone. This includes assistance for a person to monitor and be accountable for their use of funding, along with support to help a person arrange and manage their plan.
• Local Area Coordination to support people by developing community based networks of referral.

HOW SHOULD CHOICE AND CONTROL OPERATE?

We propose that choice and control should be incorporated into all stages of the NDIS, including:

• How and when a person accesses the scheme: there should be a range of ways a person can access the NDIS, including online, face-to-face, over the telephone or through a referral.
• The assessment process: A person should be able to tell the NDIS about their support needs and any existing assessments. Additional assessment by the NDIS should only be undertaken where necessary.
• The planning process: The NDIS should work with a person to develop a plan centred on the support they need for daily life and to progress their goals and aspirations.

NEXT STEPS

HOW WILL CHOICE AND CONTROL BE PROTECTED? All Australian governments are carefully considering how NDIS participants can exercise choice and control as we work together on the design of the NDIS. The challenge facing the NDS is maximising choice and control while ensuring individuals receive safe and effective services that provide good outcomes for people with disability.

The NDIS Advisory Group and Expert Group on Choice and Control will consider these ideas as part of their advice to governments on the NDIS. WHAT SHOULD CHOICE AND CONTROL MEAN FOR THE DISABILITY SECTOR? The Australian Government to provide specialist advice on the development and design of the NDIS, and will work with people with disability, their families and carers, and the disability sector to get their views. The introduction of individualised and self-directed on the development and design of the NDIS, and funding will require a major shift for many service providers. This reform builds on longstanding reforms for the sector. Some assistance may be required to help service providers transition to the new system. Over the next few months, co-design workshops innew system. each of the launch locations will explore WHAT ABOUT RURAL AND REMOTE AREAS? operational aspects of the first stage of the NDIS with the involvement of people with disability, their families and carers. To exercise choice and control people need access to a supply of support and service options, which may not be the case in rural and remote areas. The NDS will need to consider options to increase choice by encouraging services and developing the sector.

           Produced by the Australian, State and Territory Governments

When should early intervention occur?

Early intervention can be useful at a range of points across a person’s life, including:

• in early childhood
• following diagnosis or at the onset of disability
• when a person’s condition changes
• when something else changes in a person’s life
• at key life transition points.

EARLY INTERVENTION UNDER

THE NDS

It is also important, where possible and appropriate, to work closely with families to support children and their families in a child’s ‘natural environment’ rather than in disability- specific settings.

Why should early intervention be included as part of the NDIS?

Early intervention involves an investment for a person to create better outcomes for their future, while at the same time minimising their reliance on formal support.

What should early intervention look like under the NDIS?

Where appropriate, early intervention will be a key part of the supports provided to people under the NDIS, and could be considered at different stages, including:

• The planning process: people will be able to work with the NDIS to plan the things they can do now to reduce the impact of their disability over time and choose the interventions right for them.
• When managing support options: people will be able to access early intervention in addition to any ongoing support they are eligible to receive from the NDIS.
• Review and reassessment of a person’s plan: early intervention will mean different things to different people. The NDIS will While early intervention will be important for many adults, children with disability will be a particular focus for early intervention. This will be where the scheme could make major contributions to improving outcomes and reducing lifetime costs.

Who will be eligible for early intervention under the NDS?

The NDIS will look to invest in the capability of all people with disability who have support needs arising from the impact of an impairment on their life. The NDIS legislation will ensure that a person will be eligible for support if early intervention is likely to be effective in mitigating, alleviating or preventing the deterioration of a person’s functional capacity. This includes children aged 0-6 with developmental delay.

Children and the NDIS

Children and the NDIS While early intervention will be important for many adults, children with disability will be a particular focus for early intervention. This will be where the scheme could make major contributions to improving outcomes and reducing lifetime costs.

How should the NDIS help people access early intervention?

The type of early intervention needed varies with different disability types. Both generalist and specialist early interventions report success in improving children’s development and, in the long term, improving social and workforce participation outcomes for children later in life.

What Types Of Early Intervention Could Be Provided Under The NDIS?

Information About Possible Early Intervention Services And How It Might Lessen The Impact Of A Person’s Disability On Their Life.

• People can receive early intervention in a range of settings depending on their requirements, including a person’s home.

Working With Community And Other Services To Coordinate The Provision Of Early Intervention Supports.

How should the NDIS decide what early intervention to provide? The timing and duration of early intervention and the nature of intervention should be informed by local area coordination to link people to early intervention services and supports, including new or innovative interventions that might be appropriate.

The timing and duration of early intervention and the nature of intervention should be informed by • Local Area Coordination to link people to early intervention services and supports, including new or innovative interventions that might be appropriate.

The timing and duration of early intervention and the nature of intervention should be informed by• Local Area Coordination to link people to early intervention services and supports, including new or innovative interventions that might be appropriate.

The timing and duration of early intervention and the nature of intervention should be informed by the available evidence and depend on a range of factors including the person’s goals, their disability, the type of intervention and the person’s particular circumstances.

Capacity Building To Increase The Confidence And Capability Of People To Take Up Early Intervention Including Working With A Person To Think Broadly About Their Goals And Aspirations And How These Might Be Supported. This Could Include Working With A Person’s Parents And Carers To Build Their Capacity.

While an emphasis on interventions that are effective and beneficial for the participant is appropriate, it is also important to recognise that existing evidence is often limited.

Therefore the NDIS will also support potentially promising interventions which are likely to be beneficial, based on current good practice. The NDIS will develop guidelines around when innovative interventions would be funded.

Over time, this will allow the scheme to build a knowledge base for safe, effective and efficient early intervention, while continuing to encourage innovation.

What types of early intervention could be provided under the NDIS? Early intervention is not necessarily clinical services. Early intervention under the NDIS will encompass a full range of disability supports and services including:

• specific therapies
• aids and equipment
• behaviour and specialist interventions
• support coordination
• home and transport modifications.

NEXT STEPS All Australian governments are carefully considering how early intervention will work under the scheme, as we work together on the design of the NDIS. The NDIS Advisory Group was established by the Australian Government to provide specialist advice on the development and design of the

Produced By The Australian, State And Territory Governments

Have Your Say

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), and is working with people with disability, their families and carers, as well as the disability sector to get their views.

HAVE YOUR SAY

An essential part of designing the NDIS is the advice of people with lived experience of disability. This includes people with disability, thier families and carers, disability care workers, as well as service providers, representative organisations and advocates.

For further information about the NDIS, you are encouraged to visit www.ndis.gov.au and subscribe to regular updates, as well as share your views on the ‘Your Say’ online forum.

Service Providers

NDIS IT System Access

The NDIS Launch Transition Agency is developing an information technology (IT) system to support its business operations.

Service Providers will be invited to apply to become a registered provider of supports to NDIS participants through a registration form to be made available from the NDIS Launch Transition Agency website in June 2013. Further details on the registration process will be made available in the near future.

Service Providers will identify the types of services they provide as part of the registration process and following approval as a registered provider be supplied with a login identification and password to the NDIS Provider Portal. Access to the NDIS system will be enabled via this online portal (via the internet).

No special software is required to access the Service Provider portal and a link to the portal will be available from the new NDIS Launch Transition Agency website (due to be launched in June) and related websites such as NDIS.gov.au.

Participants will give the providers they have chosen the required details to enable the provider to see the relevant supports in the participant’s plan online. Providers will be able to claim online for supports provided to NDIS participants and online claims will be paid within 2 working days. Paper invoices will be paid within 30 days.

Participants who chose to self-manage their supports may select from the list of NDIS registered providers and will then pay their providers directly.

Self-managing participants may also choose providers who are not on the Regsiter. In those instances where a participant wishes the Agency to pay a provider on their behalf and the provider’s details do not appear on the Register, the participant can advise the Agency of the necessary information.

Relevant client information will pre-populate online claims screens to reduce data entry requirements.

NDIS IT system information sessions for providers in launch sites are currently planned from mid-April 2013.