Monash University unveils a new disability wellbeing index.
For years, disability services have been judged by the systems that deliver them rather than by what people experience. That is starting to shift. Researchers at Monash University’s Centre for Health Economics, supported by the NDIA, have created the Disability Wellbeing Index (DWI). It is designed to measure what really matters in the lives of people with disability, not just what is easy to count.
Shaped by lived experience
The index is the result of four years of research and community input. More than 3,500 Australians with disability, their families, carers and support networks shared their perspectives. From this, the research team built a tool that reflects ten critical areas of life, such as mental health, relationships, feeling safe, finances, personal care, meaningful activities, learning, living situation and support.
The DWI brings these factors together into a 14-item index. Each score reflects not only how someone is doing, but also how much weight they place on different aspects of their life.
More than numbers
Nearly 2,000 NDIS participants helped test and value the index. Their input created a scoring system that highlights what people think is most important.
Project lead Professor Gang Chen says the index will give government agencies and providers a clearer picture of what works and for whom.
“Measuring wellbeing over time means we can see which supports truly make a difference,” he explained.
His colleague Professor Dennis Petrie believes the tool is unique.
“It captures what really matters to participants, not just what systems think should matter,” he said.
Professor Anthony Harris added that the DWI can help highlight which providers are delivering real value and guide investment towards services that improve lives.
Designed for inclusion
Accessibility was built into the project from the start. An Easy English version of the index was developed in partnership with the Victorian Advocacy League for Individuals with Disability (VALID). VALID CEO Fionn Skiotis welcomed the approach:
“This ensures people with diverse communication needs can use the tool, express what matters to them, and be counted.”
Looking ahead
The Disability Wellbeing Index is designed to align with Australia’s Disability Strategy and the NDIS Outcomes Framework. The research team hopes it will become a regular way to measure the success of disability supports and policies.
Resources, including the standard and Easy English versions of the tool, are available at dwi.org.au.