The Reference Group connected with the community to find out about issues that affect them.

The Reference Group members shared these issues with the NDIA.

Reference Group members shared that NDIS plans are not always the same for children with the same disability.

They want to make sure the NDIA makes decisions about plans the same way each time.

Members explained there needs to be more information about having one main early childhood worker.

And how this can be good for children.

Members also explained there is not enough funding for young adults with disability.

Funding is the money from your plan that pays for the supports and services you need.

This includes young adults with intellectual disability.

An intellectual disability can affect how you:

• learn new things
• solve problems
• communicate
• do some things on your own.

When young adults don’t have enough funding, it can affect how they take part in their community.

This includes how they build skills to take part.

Members shared that the NDIA should make sure children and young people get the right supports.

This includes supports that focus on:

• what they are good at

• what their families need.

Reference Group members shared that the NDIA are teaching the community about Justice Liaison Officers (JLOs).

JLOs support prisons to understand how the NDIS can support people with disability in prisons.

Members explained that many people worry about single parents of children and young people with disability.

They worry about how caring for a child by themselves affects:

• how they support their children

• their mental health.

Members shared that the NDIA should offer better support to:

• parents

• families.

This includes families:

• with children who need more support

• from different backgrounds.

And it includes better support for male parents.

Members shared that the NDIA should support peer support programs for:

• children and young people with disability
• their families.

Peer support is when people use experiences they share to:

• feel connected
• help each other.

Members explained that the NDIA should provide funding for training for:

• families
• the community.

This will mean more people in a child’s life can learn how to best support them.

Members shared that it makes it harder for families and children when a support changes too often.

For example, when the person delivering the support keeps changing.

This also affects:

• how a child develops

• a child’s choice and control.

Members also shared that people should get paid when they support young people to learn:

• new skills
• how to do things for themselves.

Reference Group members shared that organisations must make sure their websites work well for people with disability.

This includes:

• providers – who support people with disability by delivering a service

• community organisations

• government services.

Members explained that people worry if supports for young people with disability are:

• good
• safe.

This includes young people who use support workers from both:

• registered providers
• providers who are not registered.

Registered providers:

• can offer supports and services to people who take part in the NDIS
• are on a list the NDIA looks after.

Members explained that some people with disability have challenges with disability support workers.

And some people with disability shared that providers who aren’t registered will do complex tasks with no training.

This risks their safety.

Members shared that state and territory governments should better support parents and children.

This includes when they have contact with schools.

For example, having school reports that focus more on what children are doing well.

Reference Group members explained there are a lot more people with autism who take part in the NDIS.

Autism affects how you:

• think
• feel
• communicate
• connect and deal with others.

People worry about how this will affect other people with disability.

This includes their supports and funding.

Members shared that the NDIA Board should speak up for carers of people with disability.

The NDIA Board is a group of people who make decisions about all parts of the NDIA.

Members also shared that some people worry about the Australian Government’s plan for how much funding they will give the NDIS.