Health and NDIS Minister Mark Butler has announced a series of reforms to the NDIS including changes to who can access the scheme and how supports are provided.
Kiind knows firsthand how worrying this can be for families raising children with disability. We want to make sure you have all the facts and information about these NDIS changes, so you can understand what they will mean for your child.
We’ve summarised the key changes that families need to know about. We encourage you to read through them carefully and reach out to the Kiind team if you have any questions.
NDIS Access and Eligibility
Future NDIS eligibility will not be determined by diagnosis, but rather a standardised functional capacity assessment. This will assess the level of support your child needs in their day-to-day living based on how their disability affects their everyday life. Those who require a high level of support will continue to have access to the NDIS. It is intended that people with lower or moderate support needs will receive support from outside of the NDIS, such as through Thriving Kids, designed for children aged 0-8 years.
This change will apply to current NDIS participants and applicants. The government is still working on these details. However, they are aiming for these eligibility changes to be rolled out from January 2028.
Delays to the New Planning Approach
Last year, it was announced that NDIS supports will be determined by a support needs assessment. This will involve an assessor meeting with you and your child to discuss their daily life and disability-related needs. The assessor will create a report based on this discussion, which will inform what supports your child will receive in their NDIS plan.
This change was meant to start this year. However, it is now being pushed back to April 2027. We will provide more information on this as we learn more.
Plan Reassessments and Roll Overs
New rules regarding unscheduled plan reassessments will be amongst the first changes to take effect. From July 2026, reassessments for change of circumstances will only be supported in exceptional circumstances.
Plan Roll Overs
NDIS Plans will no longer be rolled over. This also means that any unspent funding in your child’s current NDIS Plan won’t be rolled over into their next one.
Social and Community Participation Budget
Starting from October 2026, funding for social and community participation will be reduced overall. It is expected that this will affect all NDIS Participants.
Instead, the government will be directing $200 million towards the Inclusive Communities Fund. This is a new program that will fund mainstream and disability-specific community organisations to run their own inclusive social programs for people with disability. However, this program isn’t scheduled to start until 2028.
Changes to Service Providers
The government will create a list of approved plan managers, support coordinators and Supported Independent Living providers, who will also need to be registered. If you want to use any of these supports, you’ll need to choose a provider from this list.
Activities deemed as ‘high risk’ including personal care and daily living supports will also need to be delivered by registered providers.
Next Steps
We know that this information is a lot to process for families. You may be feeling stressed or even scared about what your child’s future might look like under these changes. The Kiind team is here to support you during this time. We are committed to keeping you updated with the rollout of these changes, along with continuing to to advocate for the needs of carers to be supported through this transition, including at a national level with the Child and Family Disability Alliance.
If you have any questions or want to discuss what these changes mean for your child, we’re here for you. Contact the Kiind team on 6164 9806 or book in a time to speak with a Peer Navigator. You are also welcome to drop in and see us at Perth Children’s Hospital or at a Child and Parent Centre near you.
