Important policy updates

A policy icon.

A policy is:

  • a plan for how we should do things
  • where rules come from.

The NDIA’s supported decision-making policy

A policy icon with a speech bubble on it, showing a tick and a cross.

The NDIA is making a new policy about supported decision-making.

A person supporting someone else. There is a thought bubble above their head with a decision-making icon inside it.

Supported decision-making is when someone helps you make important decisions about your life and how you will live.

A group of people in a meeting. They have speech bubbles, one with a thumbs up and the other with a thumbs down.

The Reference Group members think that the NDIA’s work on the policy is going well.

But they need to test how it works with real participants.

A person pointing at themselves. Above are three icons, a lightbulb, a cog, and a brain.

They said the NDIA should include information about people with intellectual disability when they talk about the policy.

And they should also include:

An icon of a family.

  • their families

A diverse group of people.

  • people from different backgrounds.

A group of people, some with visible disabilities. There is a supports icon above them.

The Reference Group members said the NDIA should think about how the policy works with:

  • community supports
  • other government supports.

Two women looking at a document.

And they should work with other governments to make supported decision-making better.

They said the policy should think about how people with intellectual disability can:

A man thinking with icons for learning next to him.

  • build skills to make their own decisions

A person thinking, with a risk icon above them.

  • decide what risks they want to take.

Two people pointing at themselves. Above is three icons, a lightbulb, a cog, and a brain.

They also said the NDIA should include their staff with intellectual disability when they start using the policy.

The NDIA’s home and living policy

2 women help a man in a wheelchair in a household kitchen.

The NDIA’s home and living policy is about supporting participants:

  • in their home
  • to live how they want.

A group of people, some with visible disabilities.

Participants are people with disability who take part in the NDIS.

A person in a wheelchair sitting next to someone else.

The Reference Group members said people with disability need someone they can trust to support them with home and living supports.

Two people talking about a house, with a laptop open in front of them.

This policy will include new home and living partners.

This policy should make it clear what home and living partners will do.

A person standing in front of a building, holding a clipboard.

Partners are people who help others find and use services.

A hand choosing between options A, B and C.

They said this policy should give participants choice and control.

A person thinking. Above are options A, B and C.

This includes making sure people with intellectual disability have enough time to understand what their choices are.

Australia's Disability Strategy icon, showing a document.

The Reference Group members also said the NDIA should think about how the policy works with Australia’s Disability Strategy.

This is a national plan to support people with disability in all areas of their life.

A person supporting someone else, with a safety icon above.

They also said the NDIA should think about how to keep people with intellectual disability safe.