Family – what the NDIS will fund
Families can play an important part in the lives of participants – both as a critical relationship and as a source of care and support . Some participants and families may need assistance to sustain these relationships , with some participants needing additional supports if their family and caring arrangements change .
Participants and their families will discuss their goals with the NDIA as part of their planning conversation . The participant ' s plan will include the supports the Scheme will fund and any other supports participants and their families may require from the community services system .
Supports funded by the Scheme
The Scheme funds supports that families need as a result of a family member ’ s disability , as well as supports that enable sustainable caring by family members . This includes :
• family support and counselling due to a family member ’ s disability
• building the skills and capacity of other family members to manage the impact of a participant ’ s disability on family life
• supports that increase the participant ’ s independence , as well as supports that enable the participant to enjoy social and community activities independent of their informal carers
• supports aimed at increasing the sustainability of family caring arrangement , including personal care and domestic assistance related to the person ’ s disability
• where a child ’ s caring or living arrangement changes due to a child protection order , the Scheme can continue to fund the child ’ s disability related supports such as aids and equipment , therapies , transport or community access .
Supports funded by the community services system
The community services system continues to have responsibility for broad , population wide programs and statutory services . This includes :
• family support and counselling , parenting skills programs and family relationships services
• all aspects of the statutory child protection system , including assessing and responding to suspected child abuse and neglect
• arranging out of home care for children subject to child protection orders , including making these arrangements sustainable for children with disability
• guardianship arrangements for people under the age of 18 years .
How will a child with disability be supported if they move into out of home care ?
State governments retain responsibility for protecting the wellbeing of children .
This will include arranging out of home care for a child where this is required . State governments also need to ensure this care arrangement is appropriate and sustainable , including training of carers , payments to foster carers , supervised contact and so on .
The Scheme will continue to support the child ’ s disability related needs , such as aids and equipment , supports to access the community and transport .
Generally , entering out of home care would be a significant change in a child ’ s circumstances and as a result a child ’ s individual plan would be reviewed . This discussion would include any changes to a child ’ s nominees , as well as considering whether the child ’ s support needs have changed as a result of their change in caring arrangements .
What happens if the community services system doesn ’ t fund the supports I need ?
If the community services system is responsible for a support , the Scheme cannot fund that support , even if community services system does not provide it . However , the Scheme may still able to provide assistance to participants , for example , a Local Area Coordinator can assist the participant to make contact and discuss their needs with appropriate providers .
Source : www . myplace . ndis . gov . au / ndisstorefront / families-carers / familysupports . html
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