What's the one guarantee in life? No, not death and taxes (although they are definitely a thing) No, it's change! The one constant we can always be assured of, things never remain the same. Anyway, I won't get onto that, this is about holidays, not a philosophy lecture. And if you are in any way in the orbit of the NDIS you will have noticed some fairly radical changes in the last year.
In my role as Director of All Access Holidays, I speak with many people in the NDIS. Support Coordinators, Plan Managers, recipients of NDIS plans, parents, SIL providers etc. The feedback that I am receiving is that NDIS funds are being cut, things that used to be waived through by Plan Managers are now being contested and that providers of services are waiting longer and longer for payments. So why the change?
Since its inception the NDIS has done some incredible things. It's opened up opportunities to people with disabilities that had previously never existed. It has also created a dynamic and flexible approach from providers through the pressure of market forces. Whereas previously many providers did exactly the same thing, for example, group community access to ten pin bowling, now providers were popping up offering new and innovative products, competing with each other to offer the best products/experiences. Not just the one size fits all approach (which didn't really fit many) that was on offer previously
And I think that overall the NDIS has been a success. Yes, there were teething problems at the beginning, and like with any large scale government scheme, fraud has been an issue. However, I believe that the main impetus for the change has been the unforeseen costs of the scheme. And with the precarious economic climate, an ever-increasing tax burden and governments eager to cut costs, something had to give. Unfortunately, the NDIS is not exempt.
So what does this all have to do with holidays, I hear you ask? Good question, I was just getting to that. And the answer is? Well, it's complicated, sort of. Short Term Accommodation (STA) has for all intents and purposes been eliminated from NDIS plans. The NDIS in their infinite wisdom have decided that "group respite" homes are the way forward. Not only does this policy go against the "choice and control" mantra that the NDIS were always keen to trumpet (although less so recently) but it will arguably end up costing more in the long run.
Holidays, per se, have never been funded by the NDIS. And if you have a provider telling you otherwise, run away! The NDIS have only ever paid the support a person requires when they are on holiday. And that is determined by the persons support requirements. For example, if I take John Smith on a four day trip, just him and I, he will be charged at a 1:1 rate for those hours. This would be covered by the NDIS. John would pay for the accommodation, entertainment, entrance fees, activities, food and drink. It is really quite a simple equation. If John and Jerry came on the same holiday with me, for the same duration, they would be charged at a 1:2 rate (one carer, 2 clients) and the costs of accommodation, entrance fees, entertainment, activities and food and drink will be split between John and Jerry.
When you go to a provider for a holiday you should ask for the following information. What is the cost of the care that will be provided? And what is the personal contribution that covers the components that the NDIS won't? If you are happy to proceed the provider will then provide you with a Service Agreement that will give you a breakdown of the costs, one for the NDIA component, the other for the personal contribution.
Anyway, I hope that this helps. There is a lot of confusion with the NDIS, especially with holidays. And as I mentioned at the beginning of the blog, change is a constant! So we will update as and when those changes occur. In the meantime, if you have any questions or queries, please feel free to email info@allaccessholidays.com or give us a call on 1300 585 876.
Share: