SWAN: Submission on Foundational Supports

By bobb |
SWAN: South West Autism Network logo

Executive Summary 

The South West Autism Network (SWAN) supports the introduction of General Foundational Supports but expresses significant concerns about the proposed rollout's practicality, pace, and potential risks. This submission highlights the importance of a co-designed, inclusive, and equitable approach that places people with disability and their families at the centre of all planning and implementation. 

Key concerns include: 

Autism and the “social model” of disability

By bobb |

Many in the disability sector argue that a social model of disability should replace the medical model.

A social model of disability might be illustrated through considering a room full of people who all communicate primarily using AUSLAN.  Being deaf or hearing-impaired is not a deficit in this context. But when a new person who knows no AUSLAN enters the room, that person has a communication disability in this setting: their disability is due to the social context. Some aspects of disability generally depend on social context and interpretation.

no confidence in DSS and Foundational Supports

By convenor |

The letter below says there are 134K autistic children getting CA(child) and 148.5K autistic NDIS participants in the relevant age group. In 2022, the ABS SDAC estimates there are 161K autistic Australians most of whom would be eligible for CA(child). At 9% growth per years, the ABS estimate would be around 191K in 2024. These data suggest that it is likely that in 2024 around 30% of eligible autistic children did not get CA(child). A4 suspects that those missing out are likely to be children who most need this Foundational Support.

NDIS early intervention supports are not evidence-based for autistic children

By bobb |

Recently, the Australian Parliament made substantial changes to how the NDIS works. One of the changes, section 10 of the revised NDIS Act, required that the NDIS develop lists of:

  • NDIS supports, and
  • not NDIS supports.

The NDIS created these lists: they are available from the NDIS webpage

NDIS providers struggling to remain viable amid funding issues as people with disability lose access to support and employment

By convenor |
Peter Thorn and his father John standing side-by-side and smiling. Peter looks like he's ready to go swimming. John's top says "Special Olympics Australia, Greater Canberra".

For the past seven years, Peter Thorn has thrived under his National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) plan.

As someone who is non-verbal with autism, the support he receives allows him to live alone, volunteer regularly, go to the gym and be part of a Special Olympic swimming squad.

He has also been receiving overnight support — a time where he is most vulnerable.

But 10 months ago, he was told there was an "error" in his plan, turning his seven days of overnight support per week into seven days a year, without explanation.

NDIS data show declining autism diagnoses in young Australians

By convenor |
NDIS logo

The proportion of young children (age 0 to 6 years) diagnosed with autism in the NDIS has declined significantly since the full roll-out of the NDIS. The number of autistic NDIS participants aged 0-6 years old in the NDIS decreased 32% in the 2 years from 30/9/2022 to 30/9/2024.

The following chart shows the number of children in the NDIS with different types of "primary disability" according to data published by the NDIS on their website. 

Updated data ... Dec 2024

Subscribe to Australia