News
Overview
- The Queenslanders with Disability Network (QDN) conducted community forums across Queensland to gather feedback on targeted foundational supports for families with children under nine years old.
- In conjunction with the Queensland Disability Reform Framework
- In response to the Disability Royal Commission (DRC) and NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme) Review.
Forum Details
- Period: 26 May - 13 June 2025
- Total Forums: 10 (8 face-to-face, 2 online)
- Locations: Mt Isa, Longreach, Townsville, Brisbane, Gympie, Hervey Bay, Sunshine Coast, and online
- Registrations: 347
- Attendees: 233 (67% attendance rate)
- Participants: People with disability, families, carers, advocacy organisations, service providers, and government representatives
Key Themes Across All Communities
Most Common Concerns
- Wrap-around family supports - Communities want holistic support for the entire family unit, not just the child
- Workforce shortages - Widespread challenges with recruiting and retaining qualified professionals
- Affordability barriers – High costs for assessments (up to $2,000 per child) prevent families from accessing services
Non-attributed quote- “What if you have multiple children who need assessments? $2000 each is not sustainable”.
Key Issue- Parents on the Sunshine Coast are homeschooling at an increasing rate, not out of choice but because the school system isn’t meeting their needs.
Non-attributed quote- “Even parents who are familiar with the system are struggling”. Capacity-building was challenged, with one attendee saying, “We need to capacity build people who work with people with disabilities”.
Delayed support- Some parents at the forum felt the supports their children need were identified too late and should have been identified earlier at kindergarten or childcare. There was a strong emphasis on parents and carers needing support due to extreme burnout, especially parents with disability.
- Travel costs
- Long waitlists - Extensive delays (up to 18 months) for allied health and specialist appointments
- Ease of access - Desire for a "one stop shop" or local coordinator to help families access information
- Existing infrastructure - Communities want to build on what already works rather than start from scratch
- Parent and carer support - Recognition that carers are experiencing extreme burnout
- NDIS equity issues - Concern that families without NDIS funding are "falling through the cracks"
- Place-based and culturally safe services - Support should be local, accessible, and culturally appropriate
- Early identification - Need for support in natural settings like kindergarten and schools
Regional Insights
Brisbane
Strengths: Strong local connections, child health nurses, Neighbourhood Centres
Challenges: Loss of local connectors, extremely long waitlists, high out-of-pocket costs
Ideas: Single point of access, peer support, embedding allied health in schools and homes
Regional Areas (Gympie, Hervey Bay, Sunshine Coast)
Strengths: Community partnerships, local early intervention networks
Challenges: Infrastructure issues (internet access), workforce shortages, transport barriers, high assessment costs
Ideas: Community champions, embedded supports in pregnancy care and kindergarten, vouchers for free assessments
Hervey Bay has strong informal and community-based supports.
Key Strengths- Youth and family mental health programs, service providers including specialists, allied health professionals and general practitioners with knowledge of disability and strong social networks including peer groups and family activities. Group therapies and early intervention that do not require a diagnosis were also seen as strengths.
Non-attributed quote- One attended noted that “there’s some good stuff here — like group mentoring programs where it’s person-centred and voluntary — not mandated.” Multiple attendees mentioned the community’s inclusive infrastructure like the All- Abilities Park and waterpark and the benefits these bring to families.
Remote Areas (Mt Isa, Longreach)
Strengths: Some allied health access, telehealth, and student placement programs
Challenges: Severe workforce shortages, fly-in-fly-out services, high turnover, travel costs not covered
Ideas: Travel-inclusive funding, mobile multidisciplinary teams, workforce incentives (HECS waivers, accommodation)
Townsville
Strengths: Multiple allied health services, Connected Beginnings program
Challenges: Lack of integration between services, siloed approach, cultural barriers
Ideas: Flexible participant-driven support, liaison roles, team-based assessments in familiar settings
Common Solutions Proposed
- Family navigators or key workers to guide families through the system
- Embedded supports in schools, kindergartens, and other natural settings
- Peer support programs and lived experience mentors
- Free or subsidised assessments through vouchers or Medicare funding
- Training and professional development for educators, GPs, and allied health professionals
- Workforce incentives beyond financial (purpose, satisfaction, recognition)
- Multidisciplinary teams working collaboratively rather than in silos
- Cultural awareness and Indigenous workforce development
- Telehealth combined with local services to address access gaps
- Recognition and support for carers as an untapped workforce
Critical Issues Identified
System Gaps
- Loss of pre-NDIS supports that worked well (roundtable approaches, family-led models)
- Two-tiered system creating inequity between NDIS and non-NDIS families
- Services working in silos without collaboration
- Lack of inclusive daycare and inaccessible classrooms
- Foundational Supports, mainstream services and disability workforce
Financial Barriers
- High assessment costs ($2,000+ per child)
- Travel expenses not covered
- Out-of-pocket specialist fees
- Cost of living pressures
Workforce Crisis
- Not enough GPs, paediatricians, therapists, and specialists
- High turnover requires families to repeatedly tell their stories
- Insufficient training on disability for educators and health professionals
- Fly-in-fly-out services are creating instability
Information and Navigation
- Families relying on Facebook and unreliable online sources
- GPs lacking knowledge of NDIS and support pathways
- No clear entry point or coordination
- Overwhelming and contradictory information