Bleak Xmas: Disability Peaks Forced to Close Doors on People with Disability

By convenor |

For Immediate Release, 23 December 2014

‘Disability Peaks Forced to Close Doors on People with Disability’ said Matthew Wright, Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Federation of Disability Organisations and spokesperson for the disability peaks Ten peak organisations run by people with disability will be left with no choice but to either close their doors or reduce services, with seven organisations subject to drastic funding cuts by outgoing Minister for Social Services, Kevin Andrews.

Understanding the challenges of disability care

By bobb |

Wendy and Henry Ponsen with their son Jonathan.

By Robert Virtue (with Diane McCracken)

For 32 years, Wendy and Henry Ponsen have been dealing with the challenges of caring for a child with a disability.

The Ponsen family of Newcastle are up-front about the difficulties in raising a child with a disability.

Wendy and Henry have been caring for their six-foot tall, 32 year-old son Jonathan for all his life.

There've been ups and downs and a myriad of challenges along the way.

unacceptable political games over early intervention for children with disability

By bobb |

Federal and state Ministers are playing politics to delay reasonable and necessary early intervention services for children with disability.

The NDIA was advised from the outset that their estimates of the number of people with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) was seriously wrong (see /node/425 and the footnote on /node/695). 

NDIS funding model ‘fails autistic children’

By bobb |

Sarah Martin, Political Reporter

Jedd (3) with behaviour therapist Stephanie Miller at the AEIOU Foundation, Huntfield Heights Centre

Jedd (3) with behaviour therapist Stephanie Miller at the AEIOU Foundation, Huntfield Heights Centre.Source: News Corp Australia

SEVERELY autistic children are receiving less funding in trials of the National Disability Insurance Scheme than they were under previous funding arrangements.

Early intervention service provider the AEIOU Foundation, which set up in South Australia to test its viability under trials of the new national disability funding model, says it cannot operate effectively under the scheme.

AEIOU chief executive Alan Smith said it was able to provide only five days a fortnight of intensive therapy under the NDIS, compared with 10 days where the scheme was not yet in effect, in Queensland.

Programs for the 0.1 per cent of children with autism disorder require about $45,000 for each child, but the NDIS has set a benchmark payment of $16,000.

market forces on the loose in the disability sector - economic ideology clashing with morality

By bobb |

Private colleges signing intellectually disabled students despite capacity to repay debts

ELIZABETH JACKSON: Private colleges are signing up vulnerable people with intellectual disabilities for expensive government training loans.

Their high needs also mean that they're unlikely to finish and earn enough money to re-pay the debt.

It comes after the ABC reported last week that some recruiters and colleges had been going door-to-door in public housing areas to boost enrolments.

Claire Aird reports.

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