Increased employment for NDIS participants and their families

Key points:

• The NDIA released information on Friday, February 16, 2024, regarding the positive trend of NDIS participants and their families gaining paid employment

• Fifty percent of all NDIS participants’ parents and carers are now reporting paid employment

• NDIA CEO Rebecca Falkingham understands how much of an impact the NDIS is having on people with disability and their families

On Friday, February 16, 2024, the NDIA released information that highlighted the positive impact of the NDIS on people with disability, their families and carers. 

Statistics from the newest quarterly report showcase the improvement of the NDIS by serving more communities and people with disability. 

The target of half of all parents and carers reporting paid employment has been attained for 2023–24, which has seen an increase of 10% of parents working compared to previous data. 

Twenty-two percent of people with disability aged between 15 – 24 are now involved in some form of work, a figure which has doubled since the last report.

NDIA CEO Rebecca Falkingham understands how the NDIS scheme is helping people improve their lives, but there are still ways that it could be further developed. 

“Measuring participant outcomes is vitally important to gauge how the Scheme is doing, and this quarter illustrates fantastic improvements in key areas such as employment for participants and family members and increased participation in our community,” Ms Falkingham said.

“However, there is much work to be done to continue to improve the Scheme for people with disability while ensuring it is enduring following the release of the NDIS Review and Disability Royal Commission last year.” 

The NDIS Review was released in the last few months, with some significant changes having been suggested. The final report from the NDIS Review contains 26 recommendations and 139 integrated actions to make the system more sustainable.

The Review sought to address four key areas:

• A unified system of support for people with disability

The final report from the NDIS Review recommended a focus on housing, foundational supports and support to empower people with disability to live autonomously through inclusive mainstream services that are coordinated with the NDIS.

• Markets and support systems that empower people with disability

The report stated that an ongoing monitoring system, in addition to restructuring payment frameworks to incentivise the delivery of quality supports, should be a priority of the government.

• Stewardship of the unified ecosystem

The NDIS Review also concluded that clear accountability for administration was needed, in addition to the sustainability of the whole disability eco-system.

• A five-year transition

The report stated that reforms should be implemented as a package, staged over a five-year transition period, with participants given at least two years to transition to new arrangements.

“Together with [the] government, the NDIA is also carefully considering all NDIS Review recommendations with reforms to be guided by good plans for implementation – developed in partnership with people with disability and the disability community,” said Ms Falkingham.

However, the data from the most recent quarterly report indicates that it’s not just people who are gaining employment that are seeing positive results in their lives as a result of the NDIS. 

An increase in engagement in social activities and other community aspects was found for 41 percent of participants, a number that is almost 20 percent higher than when it was last reported. 

Participating and socialising in the community create other benefits that participants may not otherwise experience if they are also unable to engage in work. Having a greater sense of control and choice in one’s life was reported by over 75 percent of all participants over the age of 15 years, which was also a target set and achieved for 2023–24.

“The NDIA will continue to work with the disability community over the coming months as we collaborate with them to make the NDIS stronger for participants and their families,” said Ms Falkingham.

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