This session was introduced by a video where people with disability told about what an ordinary life meant to them.
This discussion was focused particularly on the rollout of the National Disability Insurance Scheme and featured very different perspectives on fundamental issues from its panel.
One of the main issues was how the NDIS can truly offer choice and control and the risks that it ends up just offering superficial choices while asserting bureaucratic control.
That was made powerfully clear by long-term disability advocate Frank Hall-Bent who was in the audience and gave a graphic account of the confused, disappointing process of NDIS planning he had just experienced. “What’s happened to my choice and control?” he asked.
It’s ridiculous that #NDIS thought they could get away with such poor customer service #SDAC16 #howembarassing
— George Taleporos (@drgeorgethecrip) September 2, 2016
NDIA’s Louisa Glanville spoke about the massive reform that the NDIS entails, particularly as it begins its national rollout, and the fundamental shift it embodies. She talked about one mother with an adult son with a disability who described how hard it was to even consider choices after having learnt for years to just accept what supports were available.
Daniel Leighton, noting that he represented one of the few service delivery organisations in the room, outlined Inclusion Melbourne’s partnership with RMIT to look at choice and choice-making. It identified three significant areas of choice – basic, lifestyle and everyday choices – and the risk that service providers get caught up in everyday choices.
“I think what happens is service providers get caught up in everyday choices – the chocolate bar or the biscuit – and say ‘we’re offering choice’ and don’t look at whether the person even wants to be in the room’. He said the other major lesson from the research was that “choice needs to be taught and is a skill that’s acquired.”
But Christina Ryan challenged this. In her experience, people with disabilities know what they want, their trouble may be in articulating it, or being heard and taken seriously. Rejecting the term ‘person-centred service delivery’ as “able-ist”, “passive” and “yuk”, she said the real challenge is to realise self-determination. She asked the room: “How many of you as organisations have a majority of people with disability on your board, or on your staff or even as your members? The sector that supports us should also be by and for us. Otherwise it’s just more language.”
Equality is the thing – my presentation for #SDAC16 on delivering rights based #disability services & #advocacy https://t.co/OGCamd8z24
— Christina Ryan (@HChristinaR) September 6, 2016
Leonie Dillon gave insights about the Barwon trial process and how advocates need to build relationships across education, health, public transport, jobs agencies and more to make the NDIS plans work. “there has to be a true working relationship and a true change of attitude,” she said.
It’s not about ppl w disabilities not knowing what we want, it’s about not being provided actual choice as promised!! #SDAC16
— Jax Brown (they/them) ♿️🏳️🌈 (@mxjaxbrown) September 2, 2016
Further information on topics relevant to the discussions in this session include:
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DARU is auspiced by DAV and VCOSS with funding from the Victorian Government Office for Disability
