Around 9500 people in southern Sydney including Bayside and Georges River council areas, Sutherland Shire and Randwick, with a disability intellectual, physical, sensory and psychosocial disabilities will be eligible for the NDIS which is being rolled out in stages.

NDIS stakeholder engagement director Stephen Brecht said residents would be better off under the new Federal Government funding model.

“Funding is no longer block funded and funding is individualised to meet the participant’s goals through reasonable and necessary supports they need to live an ordinary life,” he said.

“The NDIS is one of those key things for all Australians, a new way to provide support for people with disabilities, their families and carers.

“We will look at the lifetime approach and investing in people with a disability including early childhood early intervention (ECEI) for children and babies from zero to six years old.

“It will provide appropriate support for each child based on their individual needs.

“Early intervention is for a child with a developmental delay or disability in their early years is critical to achieving the best outcomes.”

Mr Brecht said providing quality intervention early into a child’s life reduced the possibility of the need for longer term intervention while building the capacity of families to support their children was critical.

Source: The Daily Telegraph