Children, Young People and Families Reference Group meeting bulletin, 3-4 June 2025
The Independent Advisory Council (IAC) Children, Young People and Families Reference Group (Reference Group) met online on 3-4 June 2025. They discussed:
what they have heard in their communities
the latest updates on the IAC Work Plan 2025-26
an update on the Children’s Taskforce
Ms Leah van Poppel, IAC Principal Member and IAC member and Reference Group Co-Chair, Dr Sharon Boyce, led the meeting.
What members have heard in their communities
Members shared community concerns around changes to budget plans and the ‘in and out lists’. With items such as compression garments and electrolytes now removed from the lists, families are finding it financially challenging to keep up with the changes.
Members expressed community confusion and concerns over the recently announced changes to funding periods. Members reported some participants weren’t aware of the change before it took effect. They questioned if it was appropriate for families with small children. The NDIA clarified that decisions made about funding periods should be informed by discussions with participants and adapted to meet their needs.
Members shared community concerns about changes to participant plans and eligibility reassessments. Participants, their families and carers are feeling uncertain and are concerned that Agency staff are not reading or considering their reports and want better explanations about decisions that are made.The NDIA said it was working with the community to help build a better experience.
Members noted participants were experiencing several delays and backlogs accessing early childhood supports. Long waitlists are causing issues, with participants noting the most vulnerable in the community were experiencing the biggest impact on Scheme access and outcomes.
Members asked for more detailed and timely communications from the NDIA. The NDIA noted the importance of improving how it communicates change, not just within the Agency, but also through the NDIS website, the IAC’s and its Reference Groups, and the broader disability sector.
Children’s Taskforce update
The NDIA updated Members on the various activities of the Children’s Strategy and Services Division.
They shared an update on their design and consultation work on the new early intervention pathway for children younger than 9. Work is in progress to create an engagement group for young people, and to hear from parents in First Nations communities who have children living with a disability.
The NDIA is working through eligibility reassessments for children over 6 who met the early intervention requirements under developmental delay access criteria. The NDIA is working towards meeting the NDIS Participant Service Guarantee timeframes for children aged 0-8 years. Members shared their appreciation of the update and the work that is occurring.
IAC Work Plan 2025-26
The IAC’s Independent Advisors provided an update on the draft IAC Work Plan, which will guide the IAC’s work from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026. The Advisors told Members how their specialist expertise and lived experience can inform the Work Plan outcomes. Members discussed what they would like to see in a sub-reference group workplan.
More information on the Reference Group
The Children, Young People and Families Reference Group will next meet on Wednesday 10 September 2025. Find out more about IAC and Reference Group meetings and bulletins at the IAC website.
The IAC publishes an Easy Read version of this bulletin. This is part of its commitment to accessibility.