The Hon Stuart Robert MP, Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), announced today that the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) will significantly reduce the time for children between 0 and 6 with disability or significant developmental delay to access the scheme and get the supports they need at the time they need them.

“Through our contacts with parents seeking early intervention services and supports under the NDIS, we are very much aware of the distress which arises when families are unable to get the interventions needed to optimise the developmental needs of their children at a time when they will be most effective,” said Ara Cresswell, CEO of Carers Australia.

“Getting access to high quality allied health services and, in some cases, specialist equipment at the right time can help address developmental delays in ways which can improve outcomes for these children throughout their lives.

“Under the revised arrangements announced by the Minister, children who have been eligible for the NDIS but have been waiting to get a support plan for more than 50 days, will get access to a six-month interim plan which must be replaced by a full NDIS plan no later than six months after the interim plan has been issued.

“This is an important improvement on the 127 days on average children with disability are now waiting to receive an NDIS plan, and sometimes that wait is much longer.

“The willingness of the Government and the Agency to address NDIS pain points such as this one is very welcome.”