Submission to the Department of Social Services consultation on Foundational Supports – General Supports
5 December 2024
Governments are working together to design and deliver additional supports in the community.
Foundational supports are specific supports that would be available outside the ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) to help people with disability, and their families and carers.
PWDA provided the below submission to the government as part of consultations that were open to the public from 20 September 2024 – 5 December 2024.
Approaching Foundational Supports
In order to be successful and applicable to people with disability, General Supports need to be developed in a way that involves genuine and ongoing codesign and leadership by people with disability, at all stages of the consultation and development process.
These supports must be developed and implemented in such a way that demonstrates Australia’s commitment to compliance with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), recognising the real barriers we face in enacting and fully promoting the rights of all Australians with disability.
The submission looks at how foundational supports development requires:
- Genuine Co-design is crucial
- Further clarity is needed on Foundational Supports
Implementing Foundational Supports
Through PWDA’s engagement on Foundational Supports there were specific calls for disability centric and inclusive services that cater to diverse needs, particularly multiply marginalised cohorts including First Nations, LGBTQIA+, CaLD, as well as regionally and remote located people of all age groups with disability.
It is recognised that these cohorts face additional barriers to accessing support and that the supports that currently exist are not equitable in terms of access, with many regions having little to no supports available.
Our submission also looked at;
- Accessibility of services and supports within Foundational Supports
- Improving existing (and future) disability supports within Foundational Supports
- What should General Supports look like?
- The need to rebuild trust – concerns about Foundational Supports
- Consultation Concerns
Impact and Systemic Considerations
PWDA stresses the importance of developing Foundational Supports through comprehensive co-design and co-development with people with disability and their representative organisations.
- Reduction of Impacts during Implementation
- Maintaining the integrity and essence of the NDIS
