Community consultation on Foundational Supports ends today, yet a troubling new survey reveals most people still do not know what they are.
Children and Young People with Disability Australia (CYDA) surveyed more than 250 disabled young people, parents, and caregivers across Australia in October.
It wanted to know what the disability community thought about Foundational Supports, specific supports the government is developing to be available outside the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
CYDA CEO Skye Kakoschke-Moore said the results were deeply concerning, with nearly all survey respondents (93%) saying they did not have enough information to understand how these supports would impact them.
“The alarm bells should be ringing for governments,” she said.
“What our results show is widespread confusion among those who will be most affected by their proposed changes – disabled children and young people, and their families and caregivers.
“The vast majority of people we heard from did not understand how Foundational Supports would work or how they’ll affect their lives.”
Concerns Foundational Supports will not adequately address peoples’ needs, while increasing their likelihood of being excluded or removed from the NDIS, were also common.
Nearly one in two said they were worried, a figure that rose to 80% for young people with disability under 25.
One young person said: “Foundational Supports are being used as a reason why funding is being cut or certain supports are no longer NDIS support, but it doesn’t seem like Foundational Supports will replace these at all.”
Many also voiced skepticism about the government’s willingness and ability to create practical and useful supports, especially following recent rushed and flawed changes to the NDIS.
“The rush to move to Foundational Supports has created a lot of unnecessary fear and uncertainty for a community already reeling,” said Ms Kakoschke-Moore.
“Governments need to be clearer in their communications about these supports, especially what they are and when they will be available.
“We need to turn this around.”
The NDIA is currently carrying out 1200 NDIS eligibility reassessments each week, with half being removed from the Scheme. Most of these are children under nine.
Ms Kakoschke-Moore warned Foundational Supports are far from ready to address the gap between mainstream or community services and NDIS supports as intended.
“Right now, children are being pushed from the oasis that is the NDIS,” she said.
“They’re being left to fend for themselves in the desert because that vital broader ecosystem of disability supports just doesn’t exist yet.”
For more information or further comment, please contact CYDA:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (03) 9417 1025
