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The 2021/22 Annual Report was launched at the Annual Public Forum on 25 November.
The report highlights the outputs of the research, government relations, policy and lived experience teams, whose work serves as a springboard for all our major projects and programs.
As 2022 draws to a close, we are excited to look forward and share some of the major projects that will keep us busy in the first half of 2023.
Earlier this year, we met Tobias. He has recently become an NDIS participant and has been working with us to highlight the strengths and challenges of the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
I am 42 years old, and work doing business strategy and planning for lawyers. I was an avid hiker, doing 25km hikes in a day, until I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2021. Since then I have experienced a significant decline in my physical abilities.
Meet Elizabeth, she lives with Cerebral Palsy. She writes about her experience and explains why International Day of People with Disability is important.
Anna recently met Bill Shorten in her new SDA apartment. She writes about her housing journey and why she shares her experience.
Hi I’m Anna, I have Muscular Dystrophy.
I’ve lived in SDA housing for just over 3 months now. Living with my mum in a house that wasn’t very accessible, was very difficult in many ways, and mum getting older created different issues altogether.
This opportunity I’m extremely grateful for, you have no idea how important this is to someone like me. I value and enjoy my freedom, the best accessibility, wonderful support staff, the location is incredible; shops, restaurants, transport, family, everything I need is close by and easily accessible.
When I first researched SDA housing, I wasn’t sure if I was eligible. When I found out I was, I applied but gosh I wasn’t prepared for the long, extremely difficult battle ahead of me.
I was initially given High Physical Support 2 person share residence SDA approval. That is, I could only have accessible housing that met my needs if I shared my home with somebody else, a stranger. This housing option also doesn’t exist in Victoria. This was my main reason for fighting this decision. It didn’t exist, they knew it didn’t exist, but made me fight all the way to the AAT. It took 20 months from start to finish of SDA process. I’m very fortunate to have had a great team of people.
It was an extremely slow and long process. Delay after constant delay. That’s why I encourage people to fight, if they truly believe the decision/decisions that have been given to them is unfair and unjust.
Awareness is my main reason for advocacy. I don’t want others to go through what I went through.
Hopefully others can benefit from my story.
After my meeting with Minister Bill Shorten hopefully it was a little step forward in helping others get their SDA home and start a new life for themselves.
You can visit the Housing Hub website to find out more about Specialist Disability Accommodation.
Want to share your experience? Email peersupport@summerfoundation.org.au
Source: Disability Support Guide – Alex Jacobs
Younger people with disability are still living in residential aged care facilities as updates reveal key targets to move them into community settings with National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) support have not been met.
Source: The Australian – Sarah Ison
Waiting times for specialist disability accommodation would be slashed from the average of 125 days to just 10, under proposed NDIS reforms.
Source: The Conversation – Mark Brown & Di Winkler
Last week’s budget revealed the rapidly escalating costs of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and rekindled fears among people with disability about its sustainability.
The Albanese government is unequivocal in its support for the NDIS, but has also warned more needs to be done to bring down costs.
Source: Probono Australia – Danielle Kutchel
Participants say the NDIS is not delivering on its key purpose, but the government’s review provides an opportunity to go back to the drawing board.
NDIS Minister Bill Shorten must listen to the voices of people with disability if he truly intends to return the NDIS to its original intent.
Source: The Australian – Sarah Ison
More than 3000 properties for Australians with disabilities are sitting empty while NDIS participants languish in hospitals, group homes or aged care centres awaiting tick-offs from the agency.
Online Webinar – Zoom
DATE: Wednesday 30 November 2022
TIME: 11:00am – 12:30pm AEDT
People with disability who display behaviours of concern challenge us greatly. Often the response is restrictive practices to ensure the safety of the person and others around them. While often necessary, restrictive practices are a restriction on the person’s autonomy. So how do we support choice and control and improve a person’s quality of life when they have behaviours of concern? What can support coordinators and allied health professionals do to assist with safety and safeguarding AND choice and control?
After attending this workshop you will have a better understanding of working with people who have behaviours of concern and how you can demonstrate leadership in supporting rights, choice and control and supported decision-making.
The webinar is the 4th in our Supported Decision-making series and takes a rights-based approach to positive behaviour support and support for decision-making, with a focus on home and living situations.
Donna has been working at the NDIS Commission for over four years in a range of behaviour support positions and commenced in the National Director Behaviour Support role in June 2021. Donna has worked in the disability sector for over 30 years and prior to commencing with the NDIS Commission worked in a Statewide Behaviour Intervention Service in NSW.
Donna is a certified practicing speech pathologist and has extensive experience supporting people with disability who have complex communication, behavioural, forensic, trauma and health-related support needs. Donna has a Bachelor of Applied Science (Speech Pathology), Master of Arts (Communication Disorders) and a Graduate Certificate in Developmental Trauma. Donna is a published editor and author, and has presented at national and international conferences on issues related to clinical practice, intellectual disability, positive behaviour support and mental health.
My name is Paul Jay, I am an independent person living in Fremantle. I am a music buff that enjoys live music, and a cafe connoisseur. I am also currently working on my own microenterprise that hopes to assist people like me to build the support network that is right for them.
Debbie is a specialist behaviour practitioner and is known across the disability sector for her leadership roles in supporting organisations and families to understand the underlying needs and experiences of people with disability, particularly in relation to complex behaviour or communication needs. Debbie is regularly sought for her knowledge and experience in developing behaviour support models of practice and for her gentle supportive approach to partnering with people to go on a journey of discovery and support development.
Sally does research with children, young people and adults with disability about what helps them feel safe, well and happy at difficult times in their lives. Most of her work is done in teams that include people with disability as researchers as well as asking them for their views. She also works with governments and organisations about how to listen to the things that matter to people with disability.
If you would like to know more about this webinar or UpSkill training, click here, or email: upskill@summerfoundation.org.au
Online Webinar – Zoom (FREE)
DATE: Monday 5 December 2022
TIME: 11:00am – 12:00pm AEDT
This free 60-minute webinar will start to unpack how to facilitate well-timed discharges from hospital for NDIS participants. We will look at some of the key challenges within the NDIS and health interface that cause delays and discuss strategies to facilitate a sound hospital discharge.
We know that navigating the NDIS and health interface can be complex and change over time, so we want to hear the real time issues from YOU. We will discuss the most common barriers as identified by you and ways to manage these challenges.
After attending this webinar, you will be able to identify key barriers to discharge early in admission and work towards facilitating discharges that are coordinated, timely and keep the person with disability at the core.
This session includes Q+A.
Hospital clinicians supporting NDIS participants stuck in hospital
Support coordinators and NDIS allied health professionals supporting NDIS participants stuck in hospital are also welcome to attend
If you would like to know more about this workshop or UpSkill training, click here, or email: upskill@summerfoundation.org.au
In late 2021 Lu and Gina met Ned, his housemates and his family to capture their experience living in an ‘individualised living option’ (ILO) homeshare arrangement. Lu caught up with Ned recently.
VIDEO PODCAST: 11 October 2022
In this episode of Reasonable and Necessary, Dr. George speaks with NDIS Commissioner Tracy Mackey about what you can do if you are unhappy with your NDIS services, including how to deal with unregistered providers, and how you can make a complaint to the commissioner.
You can download and listen to the audio version on SoundCloud, iTunes (Apple Podcasts) or Spotify.
Our Annual Public Forum on Friday 25 November will look at a reimagined NDIS and what it means for participants. As the Labor Government settles in, it is the ideal time to explore how a reimagined NDIS could truly serve the people it was designed for.
The Summer Foundation, in partnership with People With Disability Australia, recently conducted a survey to capture people’s lived experience with the NDIS. The study was also seeking to understand what people thought a reimagined NDIS would look like.
The Summer Foundation’s 2022 Annual Public Forum will be held on Friday 25 November.
A reimagined NDIS: What this means for my housing and supports will discuss the issues and opportunities around SDA and housing needs more broadly for NDIS participants.
The Summer Foundation and the key objectives of our Down to 10 Days campaign were in the media spotlight in August.
In his first interview with Dr George Taleporos since becoming the NDIS Minister, Bill Shorten has promised to fast track decisions, sack the lawyers and put people with disability in charge.
Building ministers from around Australia came together in August and adopted changes to the National Construction Code that will require all new homes to be built to new mandatory accessibility standards.
In July the Summer Foundation made a submission to the Disability Royal Commission.
It said immediate action is needed to improve outcomes for people with disability.
We know there are around 1,430 people with disability stuck in hospitals around Australia who no longer have a medical need to be there. These people wait an average of 160 days to be discharged from hospital and to resume their lives.
The research partnership between the Summer Foundation and La Trobe University’s Living with Disability Research Centre continued throughout 2021/22. The partnership uses research to improve the lives of people with disability and understand the issue of young people in aged care and the associated systems and pathways.
