The NDIA has released the results of one of the largest surveys of people with disability, their families and carers in Australian history – showing the NDIS has significantly improved people’s day-to-day lives.
Acting CEO of the NDIA, Vicki Rundle, said the survey – NDIS Participant Outcomes (30 June 2018) – is the first annual report on the outcomes NDIS participants are experiencing as a result of the Scheme.
Initial results provide an unprecedented insight into the impact of the NDIS - spanning a range of rich topics like choice and control, daily activities, relationships, home, health and wellbeing, lifelong learning, work, and social, civic and community participation.
Early results show improvements across key areas for children - after just one year in the NDIS, 91 per cent of parents and carers said the NDIS had helped their child develop. Other improvements include:
- 80 per cent of parents say their child is able to tell them what they want – an increase of 9 per cent,
- More children are making friends with people outside the family, with an increase of 6 per cent to 67 per cent, and
- The percentage of children who have friends that they enjoy playing with has increased by almost 11 per cent, from 47 per cent to 57 per cent.
In the older age groups surveyed, results show that:
- 71 per cent of adults aged 25 and over reported the NDIS had improved their capacity to complete daily activities,
- Almost 70 per cent of adults aged 25 and over thought that the NDIS had helped them have more choice and control over their life, and
- 38 per cent of young adults aged 15 to 24 have taken part in community activities in the last 12 months, compared to 31 per cent on entering the Scheme.
“The Participant Outcomes Data – one of the largest surveys of its kind – shows the NDIS is having a significant and positive effect on the lives of people with disability and their families,” Ms Rundle said.
“The results demonstrate that NDIS participants are experiencing improvements across multiple areas of their lives – thanks to their individualised NDIS plan with tailored supports and funding.”
While many NDIS participants are seeing positive benefits of accessing the Scheme, Ms Rundle said there was much more work to be done by everyone, including the NDIA to ensure participants are able to feel included and supported in the wider community.
“While some of the outcomes for NDIS participants will improve relatively quickly, others will be much more long-term in nature as participants benefit from the Scheme which has been progressively rolled out across Australia over the past three years.
“The results of the survey provide us with valuable data to make sure participants and their families and carers are getting the very best out of the NDIS, and are given every opportunity to achieve their goals, and reach their social and economic potential,” Ms Rundle said.
Background
The survey findings are contained in NDIS Participant Outcomes, the NDIA’s first annual report on outcomes for NDIS participants. The data is being released through the NDIS website, making it available for anyone to search.
The survey baseline is made-up of 140,000 NDIS participants and 77,000 family members and carers with a subsequent 57,000 NDIS participants and family members and carers to date participating in the survey after being in the NDIS a year. The NDIA will continue to release future survey results in addition to the reports issued quarterly outlining the NDIS progress.
Further information is available in the Data and insights section .