NDIS Quarterly Report April to June 2021

Participants by primary disability (top 5).

1. Autism 32%
2. Intellectual disability 20%
3. Psychosocial disability 10%
4. Developmental delay 8%
5. Hearing impairment 5%.

Participant outcomes.

The NDIA asks questions at Plan Reviews to obtain insights which are reported each quarter based on age group.

For children up to school age

• 95% of parents and carers thought the NDIS improved their child’s development and access to specialist services.

 For children starting school to 14 years

• 70% of parents and carers felt their child had become more independent by their second Plan Review.

For young adults from 15 to 24 years

• 48% felt the NDIS had improved their health and wellbeing at their second Plan Review compared with 64% at their first review.

For adults aged 25+

• 82% said the NDIS had helped them with daily living activities.

Addressing challenges.

Affordability: The cost of the scheme is growing more rapidly than anticipated. The NDIA says it will work with the disability community to make the scheme affordable over the long term.

Choice and control: The percentage of participants who report they would like more choice and control has increased from 77% to 87%.

Access and planning: The NDIA says it is committed to making access and planning decisions more consistent, noting people in high income areas get more NDIS funds on average than people in low income areas.

The NDIS says it will implement a new model of engagement with the disability sector to build trust and work through the challenges.

Employment.

Employment rates for NDIS participants tend to be stable overall but there are concerning signs in the 25+ age group which experienced a 2% decrease in employment in the last quarter.

Participants with a paid job:

• 21% for ages 15-24 (9% increase)
• 23% for ages 25+ (2% decrease)
• 22% for ages 15+ (no change)

The NDIA has revised its employment priorities due to the impact of COVID-19.

There are six focus areas over the next 18 months:

1. Stimulating innovative employment supports
2. Strengthening the link between education and employment for young people
3. Building partnerships that lead to jobs
4. Promoting disability employment through the Agency’s purchasing power
5. Equipping participants to navigate employment
6. Ensuring the right employment goals and supports are in participants’ plans.

Diversity and the NDIS.

• 9.3% of new participants are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander
• 10.8% identify as Culturally and Linguistically Diverse
• 2.1% were from remote or very remote regions.

The NDIA is undertaking activities to improve engagement with these communities and improve outcomes for participants living remotely.

COVID-19 supports.

Initiatives introduced to support participants through the pandemic continue where appropriate, particularly in areas impacted by lockdowns.

These include:

• Regular check-ins
• The ability to access low cost assistive technology to support continuing services
• Supporting the vaccine rollout.

See Latest advice from the NDIS for updated COVID-19 information.

Children in the NDIS.

Approximately 72,000 children aged 0 to 6 years have an NDIS Plan, or 16% of participants. The proportion of new participants in this age group continues to increase.

Late last year, the NDIA reviewed the Early Childhood Early Intervention approach which has changed for children younger than 7.

• It is now called the “Early Childhood Approach”
• New operational guidelines explain how it works
• Developmental delay criteria are more clearly defined.

The NDIA will soon release new guidance and information on interventions for children on the autism spectrum. It’s also developing new Short Term Early Intervention programs for eligible young children and families.