The planner should read my file before commencing a meeting and ask me questions. I am the plan nominee for my child who has very limited communication (non verbal). At each meeting I am given the third degree and made to feel like I am rorting the system (yet it is the speech therapist and OT that add on 15-30 minutes at every meeting we have). After each planning meeting I am left in tears and feel extremely stressed. The planners are generally rude, lack empathy and have limited (if any) understanding of disability.
Please employ people with lived experience of disability. Please adequately train staff.
Provide clear guidelines that are available and accessible to staff and NDIS participants. Yes, there is confusion amongst participants and parents/caregivers BUT the majority of the confusion seems to lie with staff. Staff cannot explain "reasonable" and "necessary" to me. I have been given contradictory answers about whether things are reasonable or necessary. Two NDIA staff members have told me that it will depend on the staff member and their interpretation of these terms. THIS IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH!
Listen to PWD. Support services should be run and lead by PWD.
There are too many services and service providers out to make money only. They do not care about their client. I can give you numerous examples of overcharging and providers who have their own agenda. We need practicioners who are capable and prioritise the needs of their client. These services should not be privately funded. They should be government run (guided by PWD). They should not be for profit.
There are very limited options for PWD who want to live independently from family. Government should provide supported accommodation that is government funded not outsourced to private companies (or individuals) who are out to make profit.
Please do not rush this review. Please read all the evidence and accounts from PWD. This is such an important issue.