CDA E-NEWS APRIL 2014CDA has been very busy working on the upcoming edition of our national publication, Listen Up! This will be posted to all members shortly. CDA would like to thank everyone who has contributed. Only members receive Listen Up! so it is a great reason to officially take up CDA membership. Membership is free for young people with disability and families of children with disability. You can join at http://www.cda.org.au/membership or by contacting the CDA office by phone or email (details at bottom of page).
CDA STRATEGIC PLAN
The CDA Board and staff recently met to develop the next strategic plan for 2015-2018. A number of new issues emerged as important for the growth and development of CDA over the next few years. Shortly, CDA will be consulting members through a survey on the priority areas for CDA's work heading into the future. Your input is highly valued and we encourage all members to participate.
NATIONAL DISABILITY INSURANCE SCHEME (NDIS)
The roll out of NDIS commenced in several trail sites in July last year. In order to evaluate the National Disability Insurance Agency's (NDIA) management of the Scheme, the Board commissioned an independent review of the capabilities of the NDIA. The aim of the review was to assess the ability of the NDIA to meet future objectives and challenges.
The strengths that reviewers noted were the high level of public support for the Scheme, staff motivation and the performance of the CEO. However, a number of weaknesses were identified. These include problems associated with time constraints and establishing the new NDIA headquarters in Geelong. The reviewers also raised concerns that the NDIA will be insufficiently prepared for the next stage of the roll out of the Scheme, due to commence in July this year, and that long-term planning had been neglected.
The review is available at http://www.ndis.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/capability_review_2014_3.pdf
CDA will continue to monitor the roll out of the scheme and we encourage members to give us feedback about their experiences in the launch sites. It is critical that CDA provides constructive feedback as the scheme progresses to ensure that the NDIS develops to be effective and sustainable. Comments can be provided by email or over the phone.
EDUCATION
The Senate Select Committee on School Funding was established to inquire into and report on the development and implementation of the national school funding arrangements and school reform. The focus of the committee is on:
• The implementation of a needs-based funding arrangements
• How funding will meet the needs of all schools and individual students, including students with disability, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, students with limited English, students with economically disadvantaged backgrounds and small and remote schools
The Committee's final report will be released in May. More information about the Committee is available at http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/
School_Funding/Role_of_the_Committee
CDA has recently made a submission to the Committee, informing of the barriers faced by students with disability due to funding inequalities. In this submission, CDA highlighted four key requirements for effective reform:
• Recognition of the importance of inclusive education
• Adequate funding to implement a needs based support system at the school level for students with disability
• Improvements to training for school leaders and teachers
• Development of interface arrangements with the NDIS
CDA's submission is available at http://www.cda.org.au/cdasubmissions
ROYAL COMMISSION INTO INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSES TO CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE
In January 2013, a Royal Commission was established to investigate Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. The Royal Commission is inquiring into how institutions with a responsibility for children have managed and responded to allegations and instances of child sexual abuse. It will investigate where systems have failed to protect children, and make recommendations on how to improve laws, policies and practices to prevent and better respond to child sexual abuse in institutions. The Commissioners can look at any private, public or non-government organisation that is, or was in the past, involved with children, including government agencies, schools, sporting clubs, orphanages, foster care, and religious organisations.
CDA has been provided with funding to provide information and support regarding the work of the Royal Commission. Further details will be released shortly regarding the work CDA will complete under this 3 year project
More information and updates on the work of the Royal Commission is available at http://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/ For general inquiries the Royal Commission can be contacted by phone at 1800 099 340.
Information can also be obtained about the Royal Commission through Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/CARoyalComm or Twitter @CARoyalComm
You can read Justice Peter McClellan AO, Chair of the Royal Commission's oration to the 2014 Child Aware Approaches Conference at http://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/2014-families-australia-oration/
INDEFINITE DETENTION OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITY
The detention of Rosanne Fulton in a Western Australian prison for 18 months without charge has brought the issue of the indefinite detention of people with disability to public attention. The issue of indefinite detention of people with disability raises significant issues relating to human rights protection, discrimination and barriers to accessing legal supports.
See the links below for some of the media coverage and comment on this issue:
Mick Gooda and Graeme Innes, 'Jailed without conviction: Send Rosie Anne Fulton home,' The Guardian, 14/3/14,
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/mar/14/jailed-without-conviction-send-rosie-anne-fulton-home
Michael Safi, 'Roseanne Fulton to leave WA jail and return home to Alice Springs,' The Guardian, 19/4/14, http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/19/roseanne-fulton-to-leave-wa-jail-and-return-home-to-alice-springs
Damian Griffis, 'Roseanne Fulton and the other Indigenous disabled people Australia has failed,' The Guardian, 20/4/14, http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/mar/20/roseanne-fulton-disability-indigenous-australians
CHANGES TO THE DISABILITY SUPPORT PENSION (DSP)
In January this year, Minister Andrews announced a review into all Australian Government welfare payments. In particular, the Government is looking at pegging increases in the DSP to inflation (in the same way the unemployment allowance is boosted), rather than to wages growth. However, Minister Andrews has signaled that changes are unlikely to be included in the upcoming Federal Budget next month.
FAMILY FUNDAY CELEBRATION
Join CDA, Touched by Olivia and Families Australia for a Families Week event to celebrate the role that families play in building strong communities. The event will include stalls from local businesses, free entertainment, kids' activities and a BYO picnic. Details of the event are:
When Sunday 8 May, 11am-2pm
Where Livvi's Place at Yamble Reserve, Quarry Road, RYDE NSW 2112
Contact CDA for further details
CDA ANNUAL ISSUES PAPER
CDA has recently commissioned the Centre for Children & Young People at Southern Cross University to develop a new issues paper about strengthening the participation of young people with disability in advocating change.
The issues paper will examine what current research says about how young people with disability can have their say and influence change on public policy and social issues. It will identify what changes are needed for young people with disability to be meaningfully represented and participate in advocacy contexts.
The paper will be finalised in July this year. Previous CDA issues papers are available at http://www.cda.org.au/cda-issue-papers
PARTICIPATE AT THE UNITED NATIONS
Grants are now open for emerging young leaders in the disability sector to attend the 7th session of the Conference of States Parties (COSP) to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in New York from 10 – 12 June 2014. This is a unique opportunity. Delegates will be provided with training and mentoring to build their capacity to participate at the UN. These grants will provide an important opportunity for the next generation of young disability rights advocates to represent the Australian disability sector at the UN.
Applicants, preferably between 18-30 years, must be nominated by a Disability Peak Organisation or Disability Advocacy Organisation. Applications close on Wednesday 30 April.
Full details about the application process and acceptance criteria are available at http://www.scribd.com/doc/214351497/AHRC-COSP-Call-Out
Further information can be found at https://www.humanrights.gov.au/disability-international-participation-funding-program-faq
HEAR FOR YOU
Hear For You is a mentoring program for deaf teenagers who use speech and/or Auslan as their method of communication. It's a place where young deaf or hard of hearing teenagers can hang out amongst other peers, have lots of fun and make lots of friends. Hear For You runs programs in four states and in New Zealand for over 100 deaf teenagers provided by over 60 deaf adult mentors.
Workshops are aimed at assisting deaf teenagers to integrate more effectively into the hearing world. Some of the benefits include:
• Improving confidence, teamwork and leadership qualities
• Developing social skills and communication techniques
• Developing a network of friends and support
• Sharing of experiences with others
For more information and to enroll in workshops, visit http://hearforyou.com.au/
NEW RESOURCE – CHANGING PLACES, TRANSFORMING LIVES
Standard accessible toilets do not meet the needs of all people with disability. Many people need extra facilities in order to use the toilet. Without fully accessible toilets, people with disability are often confined to their homes or required to use inadequate public toilets. This lack of accessible Changing Places means many people with disability in Australia are simply not able to access their community. Every day activities such as shopping, recreational and leisure activities are a significant challenge or not possible for the people who need this facility.
To address this issue, a new information kit, Changing Places, Transforming Lives has been developed. The Changing Places information kit provides key people such as architects, councils, developers, designers and facility managers with all the information required to build a Changing Place toilet. The Kit also provides advocates, disability service providers, people with disability and their families with a tool they can use in advocating for the installation of a Changing Places toilet in their local community. Changing Places Victoria is advocating for the installation of Changing Place toilets in all main public buildings in Victoria.
For more information and to download the kit visit http://www.disabilityaccessconsultants.com.au/wp-content/uploads/Changing-Places-information-kit.pdf
CONTRIBUTIONS SOUGHT FOR CURRENT AND UPCOMING INQUIRIES
There are a number of future inquiries that are relevant to children and young people with disability. CDA encourages contributions.
During the course of these inquiries it can be very powerful to hear the direct experiences of young people with disability and families of children with disability. It may be a powerful paragraph or a lengthier contribution.
CDA also welcomes contributions relevant to these upcoming inquiries or any other issues. CDA can be contacted by email or over the phone. Current inquiries and research include:
National Mental Health Commission's Review of Mental Health Services and Programmes. Submissions close on 14 April. Information available at http://www.mentalhealthcommission.gov.au/our-work/review-of-mental-health-services-and-programmes.aspx
Joint research project of the University of Melbourne's Social Equity Institute and the National Mental Health Commission, Reduction of Seclusion and Restraint Project. Information available at http://www.socialequity.unimelb.edu.au/seclusion-and-restraint/project-information/
The CDA website will soon be updated with specific information about current and upcoming inquiries.
If you would like to discuss any of the topics covered in this e-bulletin please do not hesitate to contact CDA via phone or email (details below).
RELATED MEDIA
UNICEF report – The state of the world's children 2014 in numbers: Every child counts http://www.unicef.org/publications/index_71829.html
CDA letter to the Age – 'No choice for some' 4/2/14http://www.theage.com.au/comment/the-age-letters/pm-declares-his-hand-with-his-green-war-20140203-31x9u.html#ixzz2sIdJg6Cr
'People with a disability unequal before the law, HRC report says' 5/2/14 http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-02-04/people-with-a-disability-unequal-before-the-law/5238452
'Police taser teen in second Ballarat incident' 12/2/14 http://www.thecourier.com.au/story/2085062/police-taser-teen-in-second-ballarat-incident/?cs=62
From the USA – 'Report prompts renewed push to limit restraint, seclusion' 13/2/14 http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2014/02/13/report-renewed-restraint/19106/
CDA and Disability Discrimination Legal Service's joint letter to the Age – 'Failing all concerned' 17/2/14 http://www.theage.com.au/comment/the-age-letters/we-owe-it-to-victims-to-fix-broken-system-20140216-32tpy.html#ixzz2tYi0Mok4
From the USA – Survey finds just 1 in 3 with intellectual disabilities employed' 18/2/14 http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2014/02/18/survey-intellectual-employed/19114/
From the USA – 'How 'special education' can help children who don't need it' 18/2/14 http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2014/02/18/how-special-education-can-help-children-who-dont-need-it/
From the USA – 'Making inclusion a reality' 20/2/14 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/william-daroff/making-inclusion-a-realit_b_4823476.html
'National Disability Insurance Scheme slow to enroll participants at Hunter trial site, Charlestown' 24/2/14 http://www.newcastlestar.com.au/story/2109735/national-disability-insurance-scheme-slow-to-enrol-participants-at-hunter-trial-site-charlestown/?cs=1535
'Inexpensive disability aid refused for HSC students' 27/2/14 http://www.theherald.com.au/story/2117786/inexpensive-disability-aid-refused-for-hsc-students/?cs=2373
'Inclusive education must be a priority in the global development framework' 4/3/14 http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/inclusive-education-priority-global-development
Opinion – 'I do not want a fair society' 5/3/14 http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/simon-stevens/disability-equal-society_b_4895051.html
Radio interview – 'Disability Commissioner wants to know number of disabled people detained indefinitely' 13/3/14 http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-03-13/commissioner-wants-to-know-number-of-disabled/5319542?section=wa
From the US – 'Suspension places kids with disability at risk- report finds' 17/3/14 http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2014/03/17/suspensions-risk-report/19196
News report – 'NDIS pilot trial costs blow out' 29/3/14 http://www.skynews.com.au/topstories/article.aspx?id=962315&vId=4388362&cId=Top+Stories
USEFUL LINKS
Australian Council of Social Services (ACOSS) http://www.acoss.org.au/
Department of Education http://education.gov.au/
Department of Social Services http://www.dss.gov.au/
NDIS http://www.ndis.gov.au/
Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse http://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/ |
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