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NDIS

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)

NDIS Project Team:

If your query is about WorkStart packages or the WorkStart Assessment tool please contact the NDIA office:

The NDIS and school education

Under the NDIS mainstream education systems continue to be responsible for assisting students with their educational attainment, including through teaching and educational resources. ACT Education and Training will therefore continue to provide support to students with disability in mainstream and specialist schools to ensure students with disability can access and participate in education on the same basis as other students.

The NDIS funds additional supports for students required as a result of their disability. This includes:

Although student transport and personal care are funded by the NDIS, the Education Directorate is continuing to provide these services in the same way they have previously been provided. This is part of the ACT Government' s contribution to funding the Scheme. If a student is eligible to participate in the NDIS and accesses the special needs transport program and/or personal care assistance at school, the cost of these services will appear in the student's NDIS package. This is a notional billing arrangement only. That is, no money changes hands between the NDIA and ACT Education and Training.

The Support at Preschool Program will continue under the NDIS. Schools that are including children with significant developmental delays or disabilities are able to make an application for additional resources to support the adjustments required to support this inclusion. If you would like further information on how the Support at Preschool team can assist, please contact Jean Walker – Disability Education Partner – Support at Preschool at jean.walker@act.gov.au or on 6205 8472.

Supporting the transition of students to the NDIS

Supporting the transition of public school students to the NDIS is a key commitment under the Education and Training 2015 Action Plan. Because the introduction of the NDIS is such a big change, rollout in the ACT is staged. High school students were scheduled to transition to the NDIS between January and March 2015, followed by primary school students between April and September 2015. Please note students may still apply to participate in the Scheme after their scheduled phasing period.

As part of the agreement between the ACT and Commonwealth Governments, the Education Directorate provided contact details to the NDIA in 2014 for all children and students accessing disability education programs. The NDIA is using this information to send access request packs to students in the lead up to their scheduled phasing period.If a family does not have an access request pack, they can contact the ACT NDIS office on 6146 8200 to request one be sent.

The Directorate is communicating directly with families of children with disabilities in ACT public schools through targeted correspondence and school information sessions. Some families may require additional support to complete the paperwork. The NDIA access team is happy to assist families with this process. You can contact the ETD NDIS Project Team on 6205 8472 to facilitate requests for this support.

Local organisation, Gugan-Gulwan, has an outreach worker who can support the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community to connect with the NDIS and is happy to work with schools. Brendan Richards can be contacted on 6296 8900 or 0403 335 425.