Right, more than 40,000 Australians with disability have high support needs. Most of these people live in group homes, where they have very little control over where they live and who supports them.
The Disability Royal Commission revealed just how unsafe these settings can be, recommending they be phased out.
We are approaching a crisis point. The cost of group homes has exploded by 28% over the past five years, placing unsustainable pressure on the NDIS. At the same time, people with disability simply don’t want to live this way, and providers are struggling to fill vacancies.
There is a better way. Our new report shows that Individualised Living Arrangements (ILAs) are more empowering, and they’re also more cost-effective. ILAs offer people with disability greater choice, stronger relationships, and a real sense of home. And if scaled, they could save the government $260 million over a five-year period.
We’re calling on the government to fix outdated pricing and regulation, support providers, and ensure people with disability have the support to explore ILAs. ILAs have huge promise and are already working well for hundreds of people. Now we need to grow them across the country.
Read the report and help us shift the system, because everyone deserves to choose how they live and who supports them.