'Set up to fail': Canberra's NDIS drop out rate soars as calls grow for overhaul

By bobb |

Sherryn Groch

Canberrans are leaving the National Disability Insurance Scheme at the highest rate in the country, as services and advocates in the ACT call for an overhaul of the scheme's internal bureaucracy.

Between September and December 2017, 139 people joined the scheme in the ACT but 101 others left. Figures provided by the National Disability Insurance Agency, which runs the scheme, confirmed 381 Canberrans had exited the NDIS since 2013.

Autism surge triggers rationing of NDIS services

By bobb |

Rick Morton

The early-intervention strategy for children with autism in the $22 billion NDIS is in disarray, and ­rationing has been introduced for services worth $300 million a year after 30,000 kids were granted ­access.

Worldwide best practice for autism intervention in young children, known as Applied Behaviour Analysis, requires a minimum of 20 hours of one-on-one therapy a week, but under the ­National Disability Insurance Scheme most of the youngest children receive about half of that, with packages between $10,000 and $15,000 a year.

Girls with autism flying under the radar but new guidelines could help doctors with diagnosis

By bobb |

Emma Taylor spent her whole life believing that something was wrong with her.

"I've always been called weird or a little bit strange. One of the regulars at work calls me Fruit Loop. It was just something I was used to," the 27-year-old said.

Outsourcing NDIS contact centres to Serco 'an accident waiting to happen'

By bobb |

Disability rights campaigners say company’s poor history abroad and lack of experience in disability should have precluded it from role

Disability rights groups, Labor and the Greens have slammed a decision to hire the multinational outsourcing giant Serco in a key role administering the national disability insurance scheme.

The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) announced on Friday afternoon that Serco, a company with a chequered corporate history, would help run its contact centres under a two-year contract.

Graduates with autism recognised for unique skill set, given new opportunities in public sector

By bobb |

A group of graduates from a specialised autism training program have left the dole queue and secured their first jobs inside the department responsible for handing out their disability benefits.

Key points:

  • Graduates of Dandelion Program land full-time jobs in public sector
  • Julie Anderson says program is "best thing that's ever happened" for her son Jack
  • Minister Michael Keenan says program "a win-win"

Employable Me has struck a chord but will it change employers' attitudes to disability?

By bobb |

Katie Sutherland, Western Sydney University

“I’m glad you can make use of my weapons grade autism”, laughs Jonathon in the ABC TV series Employable Me. He has landed a competitive paid internship, channelling his passion for accountancy. As well as a love of numbers, he has a wicked sense of humour and a way with words. And his sentiment is in line with the theme of the series, which promotes harnessing the strengths of its participants, rather than focusing on what they cannot do.

ANZ and DXC Technology form autism research partnership

By bobb |

Julia Gabel

DXC Technology has joined ANZ Banking Group’s Autism@Work partnership with La Trobe University.

The partnership supports research into helping autistic people succeed at work.

DXC Technology Australia & New Zealand managing director Seelan Nayagam says the research is aimed at helping people on the spectrum to obtain long-term sustainable employment and to build thriving careers.