Update on the NDIA Children’s Taskforce

3 people behind a bench that has 'Children's Taskforce' on the front of it.

The NDIA gave an update about their Children’s Taskforce.

2 children and a baby in front of an NDIS document.

The Children’s Taskforce will focus on children aged 0‑14 years old who take part in the NDIS.

And it will support these children during different stages of their life.

An early childhood partner supporting a child. Next to them is a hand pointing to a wristwatch.

Reference Group members shared that there are long wait times for early childhood partners.

This means some families decide to go somewhere else for advice.

A person making a choice between a support worker with a dollar symbol and a support worker with a cross next to them. They are pointing at the worker with the dollar symbol.

Members worry about how many families only want to use services and supports with NDIS funding.

An NDIS plan with a dollar symbol next to it.

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

A worker supporting a child with developmental delay. Above them is an NDIS plan with a cross, and next to them is a make better icon.

Some families choose these services instead of supports outside of the NDIS that might be better for their child.

Members explained that medical advice guides people to make decisions about children with:

A health care worker supporting 2 children with disability.

  • disability

A child with a developmental delay. They have a thought bubble with a question mark in it.

  • developmental delay.

A health care worker having a conversation with a family. The family has a thought bubble with a disability icon in it and a cross next to it.

But medical advice doesn’t support families to understand disability.

A parent thinking with 2 thought bubbles. The first thought bubble has a disability icon in it, and the second thought bubble has a baby with a question mark next to it.

The NDIS Early Supports program is important to help parents understand more about:

  • disability
  • developmental delay.

A mop with a bucket, a rolling pin and a whisk, and a screwdriver and a wrench.

It is also important to help parents build their skills to support their child.

A person supporting a participant to manage their plan.

Members shared that participants need more support when they manage their own plan.

A person writing on a clipboard.

Some families don’t know that it is a lot of work to manage your own plan.

A group of people working together on a document in a meeting.

Members also shared that the NDIA should use co‑design to understand how they should give information to families.

A group of people working together on a board. One person is pointing to a document on the board.

Co-design is when people work together to plan something new.

3 people behind a bench that has 'Children's Taskforce' on the front of it. Next to them is a thumbs up.

Members are happy with the co-design work the Children’s Taskforce has done.

A teacher supporting a young child using a digital tablet.

This includes their work to make resources for early childhood teachers.

2 teachers supporting a young child in a classroom.

These resources aim to support teachers who work with children with:

  • disability
  • developmental delay.

A class of students with disability and developmental delay learning with an abacus from a teacher. The teacher has a thought bubble with a tick in it.

The resources can help them to understand and include these children.