Responsibility: Australian Government
Response: Accept
Status: In progress
What has been achieved to date
A revised Participant Employment Strategy 2024-2026 (the Strategy) was released by the Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) in March 2024. The Strategy describes 16 priority actions across four focus areas (Quality Planning, Efficient and Effective Employment Supports, Supporting More Employers to Employ NDIS participants, an Integrated Eco-system of Employment Support) to improve participant employment outcomes.
The Strategy includes a focus on supporting participants into open and integrated employment settings through quality planning and efficient and effective employment supports.
The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) has introduced earlier intervention for participants reaching working age to encourage planning and support for future employment aspirations. All information, materials and training for participants, providers, Agency staff, education sector and local area coordinators emphasises the importance of open employment as a first option for participants.
The NDIA is encouraging providers to work with employers to enable inclusive employment opportunities through the use of customised employment approaches which tailor employment opportunities to the unique skills, strengths and support needs of individuals.
What the Disability Royal Commission said in the final report
Following the conclusion of the NDIS Participant Employment Strategy in 2023, the NDIS should adopt an ‘open employment first’ approach in the next iteration of the strategy. The strategy should:
- ensure the development of employment goals in participants’ NDIS plans considers employment in open and integrated employment settings as a first option
- provide training for Local Area Coordinators, National Disability Insurance Agency planners and support coordinators to build knowledge, resources and capacity to encourage participants to –
- develop employment goals in open and integrated employment settings as a first option
- identify appropriate supports available to achieve open employment goals
- establish a target to increase the proportion of participants in open and integrated employment settings
- build the knowledge and capacity of NDIS employment support providers to assist participants to
- transition from Australian Disability Enterprises to open and integrated employment settings
- provide ongoing support in open and integrated employment settings.
Australian Government Response July 2024
The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) released the next iteration of the NDIS Participant Employment Strategy 2024-2026(Opens external website) (Strategy) on 20 March 2024.
The Strategy was developed in consultation with Disability Representative Organisations, providers and participants and outlines the NDIA’s commitment to deliver quality planning for employment and provide support to employers engaging with NDIS participants.
Through the Strategy’s Action Plan, in 2024 the NDIA has:
- developed and implemented best practice guidance for Local Area Coordinators (LAC) and NDIA staff on planning for employment across life stages, with a focus on supporting participants into open and integrated employment settings
- refreshed staff training, guidance, and resources and will establish further capability and quality measures for LAC and planning staff around employment conversations, planning decisions and support for plan implementation
- supported reform of disability enterprises by fostering a more comprehensive service offering that promotes inclusive employment outcomes, for example transitioning to open employment or development of innovative and inclusive social enterprise models, and
- provided targeted information for employers on customised employment, how to tap into the NDIS talent pool and what support NDIS participants can use at work.
More recommendations
View progress on other recommendations made by the Royal Commission.