Current Consultations on National Antenatal Guidelines

The Department of Health is currently conducting consultations on the National Antenatal Guidelines. These guidelines include recommendations around prenatal screening and information provided to women about Down syndrome during their pregnancy.

Down Syndrome Australia believes that prenatal screening must be accompanied by appropriate information to support families in making informed decisions – both about the screening and how to respond to the results.

Currently many families do not get the information and support they need to make informed decisions.

Down Syndrome Australia will be developing a submission to the new Guidelines and would welcome any input to our submission by email (info@downsyndrome.org.au) before 15 June.

Down Syndrome Australia Quarterly Newsletter, June 2017

Government response to calls for Royal Commission

"We know best". A Royal Commission into institutional abuse of people with disability has again been rejected by the Australian government
Catia Malaquias, Starting with Julius, 27 May 2017

... the Social Services Minister Christian Porter ... says that “we take the view that engaging in real and immediate and very substantial reform — which is precisely what we’re doing — is a much better response than yet another inquiry.” He was referring to the new NDIS Safety and Quality Commission which won’t apply to people with disability outside the NDIS and will only hear complaints as to the future from when it is established.

But a Royal Commission is not just “another inquiry”. It is a real inquiry with real powers, appropriate protections and greater capacity to be accessible for people with disability, particularly in institutional settings ...

Down Syndrome Australia welcomes the Disability Support Pension Review Recommendations

Down Syndrome Australia

11 May 2017

Down Syndrome Australia welcomes the final report of the Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit Inquiry into Qualifying for the Disability Support Pension which has been tabled today in the House of Representatives.

In recent years, people with Down syndrome have been subjected to unnecessary, time consuming and stressful medical reviews to prove that they continue to be eligible for the DSP. Down Syndrome Australia has been strongly advocating for a change to the review process for the Disability Support Pension.

In the report tabled today, the Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit has recommended 

“the Department of Social Services review the List 1 of conditions that provide eligibility for manifest grants of the Disability Support Pension. The Committee recommends particular attention is given to the merits of including chromosomal disorders, such as Down syndrome, on List 1.”

Down Syndrome Australia CEO, Ellen Skladzien said “We are very pleased that the Committee has listened and responded to the concerns we raised in our submission. These unnecessary reviews not only put needless burden on families but also are an inefficient approach and a waste of limited resources. The inquiry has clearly revealed the need for a more targeted approach to reviews and ensuring that appropriate safeguards are put in place to avoid unnecessary burdens on people with a disability and their families.”

Down Syndrome Australia also welcomes the recommendation for the Department of Human Services and the Department of Social Services to conduct an end-to-end review of the administration of the Disability Support Program, including consultation with stakeholders as well as a recommendation to provide people with more time to provide medical evidence to the Department.

• Final report of the Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit Inquiry into Qualifying for the Disability Support Pension
• Joint Committee's media release, 10 May 2017

Feedback invited on NDIS Code of Conduct

From the Department of Social Services:

A new National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Quality and Safeguarding Framework (the Framework) has been developed to ensure that all NDIS participants can access high quality and safe supports. The Framework was developed in consultation across governments and with people with disability, carers and providers and is available on the Department of Social Services website.

One aspect of the new NDIS Quality and Safeguarding Framework is a new NDIS Code of Conduct.

A code of conduct is important to:

• empower people with disability in relation to their rights;
• outline expectations for providers and individual workers,
• shape the behaviour and culture of organisations; and
• provide a mechanism to enforce consequences if workers and providers do not meet expectations.

The final Code of Conduct will be enforceable by law and will include sanctions for breaches of the Code. The Code will come into effect once the NDIS is at full-scheme.

We welcome your ideas and feedback on the content of the Code of Conduct. We invite you to read the Discussion Paper, which is also available in an Easy English version. You are encouraged to complete the quick survey on this website, or upload a submission if you have more detailed feedback to contribute to the discussion. Your input, along with others who contribute to the consultation, will be considered as we finalise the Code of Conduct.

The closing date for completing surveys and uploading submissions is 5pm (AEST), 21 June 2017.

Priorities for action: Human Rights Commission

Shaping our future: discussion on disability rights
Human Rights Commission, 6 April 2017

Between October 2016 and March 2017 Disability Discrimination Commissioner, Alastair McEwin conducted a national consultation to help guide his priorities and seek input from the disability community on how he can most effectively work to advance the rights of people with a disability ... The Disability Discrimination Commissioner has identified the following priorities for his term:

• Employment
• Education
• Housing
• The criminal justice system
• Implementation of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)
• Violence

A series of text transcripts, videos and infographics summarising what the Disability Discrimination Commissioner heard during his national consultations about each of these priorities is now available on the Human Rights Commission's website. A more detailed roadmap outlining actions for the Disability Discrimination Commissioner's term will be released later this year.

National Disability Strategy 2010-2020 to build inclusive and accessible communities: submissions invited

The Senate Community Affairs References Committee is currently conducting an inquiry into
The delivery of outcomes under the National Disability Strategy 2010-2020 to build inclusive and accessible communities

(one of six priorities identified in the strategy)

The terms of reference are:

• the planning, design, management, and regulation of:
• the built and natural environment, including commercial premises, housing, public spaces and amenities,
• transport services and infrastructure, and
• communication and information systems, including Australian electronic media and the emerging Internet of things;
• potential barriers to progress or innovation and how these might be addressed;
• the impact of restricted access for people with disability on inclusion and participation in economic, cultural, social, civil and political life; and
• any other related matters.

Details of how to make a submission are here.

Submissions should be received by 17 March 2017. The reporting date is 13 September 2017.

• National Disability Strategy 2010 - 2020

National Disability and Carers Advisory Council Communiqué

The National Disability and Carers Advisory Council (NDCAC) held its inaugural meeting on Wednesday 14 December 2016 in Canberra.

At its first meeting the Council discussed and agreed on the Terms of Reference and the role of Council in a number of key policy areas:

• National Disability Strategy (NDS) Reinvigoration
• National Disability Insurance Scheme – Transition 
• Disability Employment Services Reform
• Carer Reform and the Integrated Plan for Carer Support Services
• Regulatory Reform
• Working Groups

• Read the full text of the National Disability and Carers Advisory Council Communiqué  here.

Art Gallery of NSW: Disability Inclusion Action Plan Survey

The Art Gallery of New South Wales is working with Accessible Arts to develop an exciting new disability inclusion action plan for 2017 – 2019.

The gallery is seeking your feedback to develop a plan that reflects the community’s needs and experiences.

One of the ways the gallery is collecting feedback is an online survey. This survey will take 5 – 10 minutes to fill out and your input is really valuable to shape the plan for the Art Gallery. The survey is for anyone who has visited the Gallery or would like to visit the Gallery. Please fill out the survey by Friday 23 December.

Click here to complete the survey online - or here for links to contact the Gallery if you need assistance.

Siblings Australia: Adult Sibling Survey

Please help to spread the word about this survey from Siblings Australia:

Are you a sibling of someone with disability? *

Siblings Australia would love to hear from you!

Or do you have an interest in people with disability? We hope you will spread this information amongst your networks so we can reach as many adult siblings as possible.

This survey is part of Siblings Australia’s new project - Creating Capacity: Support for Adult Siblings. The survey will help us make decisions about the project and let us know what you want.

It also gives you an opportunity to get involved in the project.

The project is about adult siblings of people with disability. Adult siblings are brothers or sisters of people with disability who are 18 years of age or older.

The project will develop online resources for adult siblings about the NDIS and the different roles that siblings might play in supporting their brother or sister with disability. It will also develop opportunities for peer support and mentoring between adult siblings.

Siblings Australia is a national organisation that is committed to improving the support available for siblings of children and adults with disability, chronic illness and mental health issues.

Please click on this link which will take you directly to the survey.

We hope to have all responses by early December 2016, and we would appreciate you completing the survey as soon as possible. Please pass on the survey to any sibling of a person with disability who you think will be interested in taking part

We will shortly be sending out information about volunteering to be a Peer Support Group leader. If you are interested in this, please click the link in the comments below to join the Siblings Australia email alert and we will keep you informed.

If you would like more information, please contact Kate Strohm, Director Siblings Australia on kate@siblingsaustralia.org.au

*In this context, the word disability includes people with disability, chronic illness and mental health issues.

Two media releases from the Assistant Minister for Disability Services, on aspects of carer support

Have your say on a new integrated carer support service system

Jane Prentice MP, Assistant Minister for Social Services and Disability Services, 6 November 2016

The Coalition Government is calling for submissions on the draft Service Delivery Model for services to support and sustain the work of unpaid carers ... Assistant Minister for Social Services and Disability Services, Jane Prentice said the draft Service Delivery Model sets out a new integrated carer support system and outlines the types of services and how they are proposed to be delivered in the future ...

As part of the 2015-16 Budget, the Coalition Government announced the development of an Integrated Plan for Carer Support Services (the Plan) ... The second phase of the Plan involves developing a new integrated carer support service system through a co-design process.

Mrs Prentice said continued public consultation is important in ensuring the community has their say on the best way to deliver carer services and support ...

Feedback on the draft Service Delivery Model can be provided by participation in an online survey, or through making a written submission. The survey and submission process will be open from 6 November 2016 at 9am and will close on 15 December at 5pm.

• To have your say, please visit DSS Engage at www.engage.dss.gov.au

National Disability and Carers Advisory Council announced

Jane Prentice MP, Assistant Minister for Social Services and Disability Services, 7 November 2016

The Coalition Government today announced the establishment of the National Disability and Carers Advisory Council.

The new Council brings together leaders from business and the disability and carer sectors, to provide advice on proposed policies and legislation affecting people with disability, carers and the sector that serves them.

Assistant Minister for Social Services and Disability Services, Jane Prentice said the Council will provide advice on issues of strategic importance at a time of major reform in the disability and carer sectors.

“The Council will play an important role in helping to drive the implementation of the overarching National Disability Strategy 2010-20,” she said.

“It will also look at reforms in disability employment and carer support, and the full roll-out of the National Disability Insurance Scheme, including the interfaces with mainstream services.”

“Members represent every state and territory as well as business and the disability and carer sector, and advocates.

“I will co-chair the Council with Ms Keran Howe, who is well respected as a strong advocate in the sector and who has lived experience,” she said.

The Council will meet formally at least twice a year and establish working groups and community consultations as needed.

• The National Disability and Carers Advisory Council members are listed here.

Disability Employment Services Reform

People with disabilities, including intellectual disabilities was to work - here's an opportunity to have some input into one aspect of how employment support can be informed:

Australia Social Services Minister Christian Porter announced the latest stage of the current review of the Disability Employment Services (DES) system this week.

The Australian Government wants to assist more people with disability into jobs so they can enjoy the social and economic benefits that work brings. 

The Disability Employment Services (DES) program plays an important role in supporting people with disability to gain employment in the open labour market. Current contracts with non-government organisations for the provision of DES cease in 2018. This presents an opportunity to consider possible changes to improve the program’s performance and achieve better employment outcomes for people with disability. 

The Australian Government commissioned the Disability Employment Taskforce in 2015 to review the disability employment framework and seek feedback from the disability sector to inform possible changes to DES to come into effect in 2018. 

Building on the work of the Taskforce, the discussion paper New Disability Employment Services from 2018outlines specific options for what a new model of DES could look like.

To find out more about this important issue and how you can have your say visit this page on the Dept Social services website.

Two opportunities to have a say

Disability Discrimination Commissioner National Consultations 2016-2017:

"Shaping our future: discussions on disability rights"

Disability Discrimination Commissioner, Alastair McEwin will be conducting a national consultation which will help guide the development of his priorities and seek input from the disability community on how he can most effectively work to advance the rights of people with a disability. These consultations aim to engage with the disability community and gather information and knowledge on the extent and nature of disability discrimination and the human rights of people with disability in Australia.

• Further information, video, and links to discussion papers and hearing dates and venues are on the Australian Human Rights Cmmission website, here. Consultations begin 21 October, in Adelaide.
• Consultations will be held in each capital city and some regional centres between October 2016 - March 2017. Further consultation details will be held will be updated on this page and via the Commissioner's Facebook page.

Feedback on voting at Federal election is invited
People with Disability Australia posted on Facebook on 10 October 2016:

Did you vote at the recent federal election? Could you not vote? We want to hear from you either way. 

The Australian Parliament's Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters is conducting an inquiry into the recent federal election. 

We would like to provide them with feedback on your experience. Please share with your networks. 

If you could fill out this survey then we can have a better idea of what worked and what didn't, we will let the government know what they need to improve and what they should continue to do.

The survey will be open for 2 weeks until Monday 24 October.

Youth with Disability Network NSW

Another opportunity to give your input to a new initiative from People with Disability Australia:

Are you a young person with disability in NSW? PWDA is looking for input about creating a Youth with Disability Network NSW and we want to hear from you!

Can you spare five minutes to complete the following survey that will help us identify the most important issues for young people with disability?

Please share with your networks.

• Click here to complete the survey

UN questionnaire: individual and organisational submissions invited

Note that submissions are invited from private individuals, as well as international and national organisations, to this United Nations survey:

Questionnaire on the “provision of support to persons with disabilities” - Call for submissions

The Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities, Ms. Catalina Devandas-Aguilar, is currently preparing a study, to be presented at the 34th session of the Human Rights Council in March 2017, on the provision of support to persons with disabilities. 

The Special Rapporteur welcomes inputs, in accessible formats (Word), in English, French, Russian or Spanish, from Member States, international and regional organizations, UN agencies, funds and programmes, organizations of and for persons with disabilities, civil society, national human rights institutions and other national independent mechanisms designated or established to monitor the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, disability or equality Ombudspersons, scholars, research institutions and policy think tanks, private sector businesses and networks, community movements, and private individuals, to provide information on the provision of support to persons with disabilities. 

Submissions should be sent by e-mail to the address sr.disability@ohchr.org no later than 21 October 2016. Concise responses are encouraged, inclusive of relevant attachments where available.

Australia Council for the Arts - Disability Action Plan

Thanks to RUCKUS  for the link - and we agree, if you are interested in the arts, let The Australia Council know what you think of the Disability Action Plan!

Disability Action Plan Survey

The Australia Council for the Arts is evaluating our 2014-2016 Disability Action Plan and our Arts and Disability Funding program. We would welcome your feedback on the impacts and challenges to date, and your thoughts on future priorities.

The survey is open to individuals and organisations. We encourage artists with and without disability, arts organisations of all sizes (including but not limited to disability-led organisations), disability service and advocacy organisations, and other interested individuals (such as carers and audience members) to let us know what you think.

The survey should take about 10 minutes to complete. Your responses are confidential and anonymous. The survey is open until 25th September 2016.

Once you start the survey, you can pause and come back using the 'Save and Continue later' button at the top of each page.

NSW inquiry into the provision of education to students with a disability or special needs

Students with disability or special needs in New South Wales schools

This inquiry was established on 24 August 2016 to inquire into and report on the provision of education to students with a disability or special needs in government and non-government schools in New South Wales.

Terms of reference:

That General Purpose Standing Committee No. 3 inquire into and report on the provision of education to students with a disability or special needs in government and non-government schools in New South Wales, and in particular:

(a) equitable access to resources for students with a disability or special needs in regional and metropolitan areas

(b) the impact of the Government’s ‘Every Student Every School’ policy on the provision of education to students with a disability or special needs in New South Wales public schools

(c) developments since the 2010 Upper House inquiry into the provision of education to students with a disability or special needs and the implementation of its recommendations

(d) complaint and review mechanisms within the school systems in New South Wales for parents and carers, and

(e) any other related matters.

Please note that the committee will commence its inquiry and begin accepting submissions in due course. No dates for hearings or closure of submission have been published yet.

National survey of carers' respite needs

Carers NSW is conducting a survey to understand carers' respite needs and experiences to inform the advocacy work of all Carer Associations.

Please take 10 or 15 minutes to complete this anonymous survey by 23rd September.

• Link to survey

Survey on communication barriers

From the Conexu Foundation:

What are your communication barriers? 

At work, at school, out and about? Do they stop you from getting involved? Do they stop you from reaching your potential? How can technology help? 

Take a few minutes to complete our national survey. Together we can break down communication barriers.

• See more here 

About the Conexu Foundation:

Conexu Foundation is the go-to national not for profit organisation in technology-based communication access for Deaf, hard of hearing and speech impaired Australians ...

... We ensure people with diverse communication needs are supported and inspired to embrace new technology and provide training to show individuals and their families how to get the most from technologies for their situation.

Our research programs focus on areas that make the biggest difference in peoples lives. Once we identify these needs, we have relationships with organisations both in Australia and globally, that allow us to understand what technology is available as it develops anywhere in the world. Where solutions exist, we trial these in Australia.

Review of NSW Guardianship Act

NSW Council on intellectual Disability eNews, August 2016:

The NSW Law Reform Commission is currently reviewing the NSW Guardianship Act and are looking for submissions. The Terms of reference for the review include models of decision making that should be employed for persons who cannot make decisions for themselves. 

The commission has produced background papers, a video and easy read guides and have an easy-to-answer Survey. Click here for more information.

Short notice: survey on publishing student data

From Down Syndrome Australia, via Facebook today (Note the survey closes on Thursday 30th June):

The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) have asked our members if they can participate in an important survey to examine the feasibility of publishing Students with Disability data on the My School website. 

We would like to urge as many people as possible to participate in this survey which closes on 30 June.