In March 2013, legislation was passed in Australia to establish the NDIS, which aims to provide Australians with a permanent disability the “reasonable and necessary supports they need to live an ordinary life.” In Victoria, the NDIS was rolled out to different regions in stages, beginning in 2013 and ending in 2019.
The scheme involves a new way of funding disability services with funding being provided directly to people with a disability (NDIS participants) rather than disability support providers. Participants select who will provide their supports and services and can negotiate how these are delivered. This gives people with a disability more choice and control of their disability supports.
The NDIS has meant a big change for participants and also for people working in the disability sector. There continues to be a need for significant growth of the disability workforce to meet the increased demand for support. The NDIS also demands new skills and ways of working and it may affect the structure of the workforce and employment arrangements.
While some research about the workforce experiences of the NDIS has occurred in pockets of the sector, there was a need for broader research across Victoria on how the workforce in all disability settings and regions experienced the rollout over time. Improving the understanding of these issues means that the Victorian Government, the National Disability Insurance Agency, and disability service providers can support the workforce during this time of unprecedented change. It will also help the Victorian Government build a workforce that is skilled, diverse and delivers high-quality, innovative support to achieve the best possible outcomes for people with disability.
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