Responsibility: Australian Government
Response: Accept in principle
Status: In progress
What has been achieved to date
The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission (NDIS Commission’s) NDIS Practice Standards and Quality Indicators include independence and informed choice as core components of quality service provision. The NDIS Commission is undertaking a review of Commissioner-made NDIS Rules and NDIS Practice Standards, which have not undergone a comprehensive review since their introduction. This review will be informed by Disability Royal Commission recommendations to improve choice and control over NDIS supports and services.
The NDIS Commission has also funded Flinders University $748,395 to undertake development of a toolkit, ‘Deciding with Support – Holistic-Supported Decision Making’ designed for people with disability, supporters, practitioners, and service providers.’ The free toolkit is now publicly available online.
What the Disability Royal Commission said in the final report
The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commissioner should amend the National Disability Insurance Scheme (Quality Indicators for NDIS Practice Standards) Guidelines 2018 (Cth) to reflect that each participant:
- is entitled to support to make everyday life decisions including what services they receive, in what way and from whom
- has opportunities to make decisions about their goals and aspirations
- is supported to develop their decision-making skills
- is supported to communicate their will and preferences
- has the right to choose their own supporter.
Amendments should be completed by 30 June 2025.
Australian Government Response July 2024
The Australian Government agrees that NDIS participants accessing disability services should have access to the supports they may require to make decisions about those services.
The NDIS Commission’s NDIS Practice Standards and Quality Indicators include independence and informed choice, and support planning as core components of quality service provision The NDIS Commission commissioned Flinders University, the Council on Intellectual Disability, and the University of NSW to develop Deciding with Support, a new toolkit of co-designed resources for everyone involved in positive behaviour support.
The NDIS Commission will continue to work with the NDIA, First Nations community controlled organisations, and build connections with advocacy groups and other parties to design resources that provide guidance to providers in supported decision making where appropriate.
More recommendations
View progress on other recommendations made by the Royal Commission.