To inform the new Self-Management Policy , we did research to hear directly from participants and learn about how self-management works in other schemes.
We have summarised what we heard from participants and what our research told us about the benefits and challenges of self-managing funding.
The following report provides a summary of the findings from this research:
- Research for the development of a self-management policy - Summary report (DOCX 660KB)
- Research for the development of a self-management policy - Summary report (PDF 584KB)
Participant engagement in the development of a self management policy
We held 8 focus groups on self-management of NDIS funding.
These were held in September 2021 with 35 NDIS participants, carers, nominees and child representatives.
The feedback gives us a better understanding of the benefits and challenges faced by self-managers.
It also informed our Participant Survey on Self-Management and our Self-management Policy .
The focus groups were made up of:
- People who were currently self-managing.
- People who had self-managed before.
- People who had never self-managed.
A copy of the report is available.
- Participant engagement in the development of a self management policy (DOCX 401KB)
- Participant engagement in the development of a self management policy (PDF 368KB)
Findings
Participants in the focus groups talked about how they made the decision to self-manage.
They told us:
- What information, training and supports they found helpful when making decisions about self-management.
- What further resources on self-management could be helpful.
- The challenges for self-management, including having enough time and the organisational skills required.
- They liked the flexibility to choose the services and items they wanted to buy.
- They also liked the flexibility of both how and when they received services and items.
- They found it hard to know what services or items they could and could not claim in their plan.
- There wasn’t clear and reliable information available to help make these decisions about self-management.
- How we could increase the number of participations self-managing.
- How to make it easier to self-manage.
A narrative review of self-directed disability budget management
We have researched how self-management works in similar schemes around the world.
This research can be found in a narrative review.
- A narrative review of self-directed disability budget management (DOCX 691KB)
- A narrative review of self-directed disability budget management (PDF 978KB)
The insights have informed our Self-management Policy.
Findings
Self-management has been found to lead to beneficial outcomes for the budget holder and their families.
This includes higher satisfaction with access to needs-led supports and improved:
- quality of life
- health
- social and community participation
- choice and control
- empowerment
- independence
- relationship quality.
The review found it is generally recognised that people with any type of disability can self-manage if they have the support of:
- family
- a circle of support
- an independent representative, agency or broker if they have limited capacity.
Self-management is more beneficial when people can use their funding in a creative and flexible way.
It also works better when they have timely access to information, supports and tools to support self-management.
Contact us if you have any questions regarding these reports.
NDIA Research and Evaluation Branch
Email: [email protected]