Over the last few months, we have noticed a worrying trend with a high number of our young students receiving much less NDIS funding for early intervention than in previous times - often not enough for even six months of therapy.

When families request a review, many find they are automatically rejected, and this leaves the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) as their only course of action.

For most families, who have spent years advocating for their children, the appeals process is overwhelming, confusing and emotionally draining. Over 50% of our families are from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and wouldn’t consider taking their case through the legal pathway. If families do find the energy to take the AAT path it can be 6-12 months before their case is heard.

Either way, the end result is either a pause in service for their child, which creates significant setbacks, or the child is unable to complete their individual program which has an even greater impact on their long-term outcomes and need for future supports.

The NDIS was created with the intention of ensuring that all individuals with disabilities receive access to the necessary care and services they need. It’s disheartening to think that families are now finding it increasingly difficult to obtain funding for proven capacity building.

We are working hard to be a voice for our families to ensure that this mission is not compromised, from lobbying government to seeking social investment in our services.

In the meantime, some of our families are self-funding their child’s therapy, but for many this is not an option, which is why we are reaching out to our community to ask for help to bridge the gap in funding therapy for these amazing kids.