People with disability need access to independent advocacy
In a recent media release Disability Advocacy Network Australia (DANA) has called upon the “Australian Government to ensure that people with disabilities have access to independent advocacy support so that they can speak out when they experience instances of abuse, neglect or discrimination and when they need assistance to negotiate with services and systems to ensure that their basic human needs and rights are met”.
Click here to read the full media release.
Speak Out Reach Out (SORO) Easy Read Response to the Productivity Commission Inquiry into Disability Care and Support
SORO is an advisory group of NSW CID Members, all of whom have an intellectual disability.
SORO has spent the last few months working on their response to the Draft Report.
They are glad that the Draft Report says that people with intellectual disability should be included in a National Disability Insurance Scheme.
Some of the key issues they talk about in their report are:
- Advocacy
- Assessments
- Decision making
- Planning
To read the full report click here .
SORO has done an excellent job in speaking out about what it is important to them.
Congratulations to SORO for their fantastic work.
NSW CID Response to the Productivity Commission Inquiry into Disability Care and Support
NSW CID was also keen to highlight some additional issues in response to the Draft Report.
These relate to the particular complexities that can arise when people with intellectual disability:
- come into contact with the justice system
- engage in risky lifestyles
- have a mental health diagnosis
To read the full report click here .
Productivity Commission Draft Report - Released
February 28, 2011
The Productivity commission has released their Draft Report into disability care and support.
The Commission was asked to consider how a national disability scheme could be designed, administered, financed and implemented.
This report is the result of consultations, submissions and hearings that the Commission has undertaken since April 2010. NSW CID Members were actively engaged in this process.
The report overview states the following:
"The central message of this draft report is that a real system for people with a disability is required - with much more and better-directed money, a national approach, and a shift in decision-making to people with a disability and their carers."
The draft report looks at:
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Why real change is needed?
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Who is the NDIS for?
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What individualised supports will the NDIS provide?
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Assessing care and support needs
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Who has the decision making power?
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Governance of the NDIS
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Deliverying disability services
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Disability within the Indigenous community
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Collecting and using data under the NDIS
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Early Intervention
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Where should the money come from? Funding the NDIS
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Workforce issues
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The cost of the scheme
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Insurance arrangements for injury
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A national injury insurance scheme
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Implementation
NSW CID has commenced analysis of this paper and this will be made available soon.
An easy English version of the draft report is currently in production.
The Productivity Commission welcomes comments on the draft report until the end of April 2011.
A final report will be given to the Government in July 2011.
To see the Productivity Commissions' Media release click here:
www.pc.gov.au/projects/inquiry/disability-support/draft/media-release
To see the Productivity Commissions's Key Points click here:
www.pc.gov.au/projects/inquiry/disability-support/draft/key-points
To see the full report:
www.pc.gov.au/projects/inquiry/disability-support/draft
To read NSW CID's Submission to the report:
Click here
More information and comments on the report will be made available in the next few weeks.
February 2011 - NSW Governments response to the education inquiry
In 2010, the NSW Government's General Purpose Standing Committee No. 2 undertook an inquiry into the provision of education to students with a disability or special needs.
NSW CID, other peaks, parent, educators and other stakeholders made submissions and gave evidence in this important examination of special education in NSW.
The Committee made 31 recommendations to the Government including:
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That the Department of Education and Training require all mainstream NSW Government schools to establish or be resourced by a school learning support team.
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That the Department of Education and Training increase resources for students with identified disabilities in mainstream classes.
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That the NSW Government promote through the national reform agenda that special education be embedded throughout pre-service teacher training.
Click here for the details of the Government response:
http://tiny.cc/scbeb
Click here the the Committee's Report"
http://tiny.cc/ttyqz
Click here for NSW CID's submission
The National Disability Strategy
The National Disability Strategy sets out a ten year national plan for improving life for Australians with disability, their families and carers.
It represents a commitment by all levels of government, industry and the community to a unified, national approach to policy and program development.
The National Disability Strategy details outcomes, policy direction and areas for future action in the following six key domains:
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Inclusive and accessible acommunities
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Rights protection, justice and legislation
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Economic security
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Personal and community support
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Learning and skills
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Health and wellbeing
NSW CID hopes that this strategy will assist in delivery positive long term initiatives for people with intellectual disability.
Click here for the Easy English version of the Strategy:
Click here for the Standard English version of the Stragegy:
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare - Bulletin 83
This bulletin is the first in a series about health of Australians with disability in Australia. It examines how health problems affect health status of people with disability in Australia with a focus on prevalence and age at onset of some significant long term health conditions and relevant health risk factors and behaviours.
To read the whole Bulletin click here
Easy Read Report on ADHC
This is an Easy Read report about the way that the Department of Ageing,
Disability and Home Care manage disability services in NSW.
This report has been put together by the Standing Committee on Social
Issues. This is a group of people who are members of the NSW
Parliament.
 To read the Report click here
NSW Ombudsman and People with Disabilities
This overview is a summary of the NSW Ombudsman's work on issues
concerning people with disabilities during the past year, as reported in
their Annual Report 2009-2010.
Overview
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare - Disability Series
Disability support services 2008-09 reports on data collected as part of the Commonwealth State/Territory Disability Agreement National Minimum Data Set (CSTDA NMDS) between 1 July 2008 and 30 June 2009.
The NMDS provides information on services funded under the Commonwealth State/Territory Disabilty Agreement to 30 December 2009 and its replacement, the National Disability Agreement from 1 January 2009.
This report describes the service outlets and the uses of these services, including their support needs and informal carer arrangements.
To read the whole report click here
SORO Submission to the Productivity Commission Inquiry - August 2010
The Speak Out Reach Out Committee (SORO)recently wrote an Easy Read Submission.
This is for the Productivity Commission's Inquiry into Disability Care and Support.
They are trying to work out if there are better ways for people with disability to have a decent life.
SORO wrote about people with intellectual disability.
SORO said "the right support could really change how your life turns out".
The Commissioner is going to meet with SORO soon to talk about their submission.
To read the whole report click here
Education Inquiry
NSW CID recently made a submission to the NSW Governments Inquiry into the provision of education to students with a disability or special needs.
NSW CID made numerous recommendations to improve the current system, in particular a commitment to developing a more inclusive and responsive system for all students.
NSW CID also presented oral evidence in Parliament to further articulate our views.
The full submission can be viewed at this link:
NSW CID Submission
Futures Alliance Blue Print
The Futures Alliance is a cooperative of community representatives from disability and aged care providers in NSW which includes representation from consumers, academics and peak bodies – such as NSW CID.
The purpose of the Futures Alliance is to remove boundaries and to maximise community resources to deliver improved options for people with a disability who are ageing.
The Futures Alliance, of which NSW CID is an active member has recently responded to a request from Bill Shorten to produce a Blue Print with solutions on how people with disability who are ageing needs can be met.
This has also been submitted to the Senate Inquiry on Ageing with a Disability.
Click on the following links to read:
The Futures Alliance Blue Print
The Futures Alliance Briefing Paper
Enabling Justice is a new report which highlights problems for alleged offendors with intellectual disability in the NSW Local Court System. Opportunities to divert people into support services that will avoid repeat offending are being lost. The result is people with intellectual disability being highly represented in prison where they are vulnerable to abuse.
NSW Ombudsman's Report
The NSW Ombudsman has released a report about people with intellectual disability in the criminal justice system.
In 2002, the NSW Government established a Senior Officer’s Group to work on improving outcomes for people with an intellectual disability in contact with the criminal justice system. The Ombudsman has tabled a report in Parliament which states that the Senior Officer’s Group has not been meeting its objectives.
The Ombudsman said that “People with an intellectual disability are over-represented and face significant disadvantage in all areas of the criminal justice system. While NSW Government agencies have recognised that a comprehensive interagency approach is necessary to meet the needs of these individuals, we have concerns about the progress of this collaborative work.”
To read the report, click on the link below.
NSW Ombudsman's Report
Disability in Australia: trends in prevalence, education, employment and community living
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare has released a new report which provides an overview of disability trends over two decades, including trends in need for, and receipt of , assistance with specific basic activities of daily life. It also examines the trends in three major areas of people with a disability: education, employment and community living.
To read the report, click on the link below.
Disability in Australia AIHW Report
In Control
In Control Australia is a group of individuals and organisations who aim
to bring about systemic policy change in Australia to enable
individuals with disability and their families to self manage their
support. NSW CID is actively involved with In Control.
In Control Australia is a foundation member of In Control International
with close links to In Control UK. Through our partnership with In
Control UK and other In Control groups around the world we can share
information, research, stories, and develop tools to use for
self-directed funding.
In Control Australia regularly hold forums where we aim to discuss the
issue of self managed support and to hear from experts, people with
disability and family members about how self managed models are working
in Australia and overseas. The most recent forum was held on 24 November
2009 at Parliament House, Sydney.
The presentations of the speakers are available by clicking on the respective links below:
Introductory Remarks by Belinda Epstein-Frisch of Family Advocacy
Peter Shergold Chair, Centre for Social Impact, UNSW on the ethical and economic imperative for self directed support
Lisa Minchin Service Reorientation Unit, Community and Individual Support Branch of Victorian Dept of Human Services on new opportunities
Maureen McLeish Direct payment recipient on behalf of her daughter
Jim Burns CEO Melba Support Service on the impact of the transformation on a large non government service
Lara Friedman Person with disability using self managed package
Judy Harwood Director Reform & Development DADHC on initiatives in packaged support in NSW
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