Children and Young People with Disability Australia

Promoting equal opportunity and full inclusion for children and young people with disability (0-25 years) across Australia. 

Mum and pre-teen daughter playing together in a park. Both have long dark hair and are smiling at something the mother is holding. The young girl has Down Syndrome. Behind them is a cherry blossom tree full of pink flowers.

NYDS Summit Zine

Young people with disability came together in 2024 for the National Youth Disability Summit. They talked about identity, community, empowerment and creating change. Many contributed creative artwork and written pieces about their experiences for the Summit zine.

The zine can now be downloaded in PDF or plain text. An Easy Read summary is also available.

Changes to the NDIS

You may have heard that a bill has passed through parliament that changes the way the NDIS works and what you can spend your funds on.

The first changes are in effect from October 3. The NDIA has released new lists describing what you can and can’t buy with NDIS funding. 

Know your rights!

CYDA has been working with the Australian Government to develop a series of resources to help students with disability, their families and caregivers understand their rights in the education system.

The resources were co-designed by young people with disability and their families and are available in Easy Read, Auslan and community languages.

AuDHD advocate, Emily Unity, CYDA Youth Programs Manager, Daniel Munter, and CYDA CEO, Skye Kakoschke-Moore, recently travelled to New York to represent CYDA at CoSP17, the annual UN conference on the rights of people with disability. 

Book Power

Free webinar! Our 2024 Book Power webinar is a fantastic resource for teachers, parents, writers, readers, librarians, advocates, and anyone interested in disability representation in literature.

Presenters spoke about the history of disability representation in the media, the impact of positive representation, how it’s improving, and where we can do better.

A young South Asian woman with curly black hair, wearing a black dress and cream blazer, standing next to a purple sign with the Australian coat of arms and text that reads: "Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of people with disability." The sign has First Nations artwork in the corners.

CYDA and the Disability Royal Commission

The Disability Royal Commission into violence, abuse neglect and exploitation of disabled people has released it’s final report.

CYDA calls for an end to segregated education and employment, and the elimination of all restrictive practices against children and young people with disability.

CYDA and the NDIS Review

CYDA has been working with the NDIS Review to make sure the needs and interests of children and young people with disability are represented in reforms. The full list of recommendations from the NDIS review has now been released!

An important part of the work we do at CYDA is making submissions to government and policy makers. In our submissions, we make recommendations for changes to uphold the rights, and improve the wellbeing, of children and young people with disability.

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The Platform is our newsletter for young people with disability, featuring interviews, opportunities and news on the issues that matter to you!

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Since June 2023, we have ...

delivered

25

co-design sessions with young people with disability

made

11

submissions to government 

welcomed

211

new participants in our projects and programs

partnered with

32

organisations on initiatives that benefit our community