Anonymous
Which of the following statements best describes you?
- I am employed by government (Australian, state, territory or local government)
Question 1:
What matters most to measure and report on as we seek to achieve inclusive and accessible communities for people with disability?
People with mobility impairments and people with disability should be able to move and travel independently in the community without fear of becoming stranded by access barriers.
The design of community facilities, public spaces, community services and businesses is based on principles of universal design by facilitating physical access for all abilities. Community, social and cultural services and facilities are central and accessible to the communities they intend to serve.
People with disability will have ease of access to public spaces, facilities, services and information regardless of cultural background, gender, sexual orientation, age, or socioeconomic status.
Proposed indicators:
– No. of public buildings, spaces and private businesses built to accessible standards for adequate access to primary entrances and circulation for people using mobility aids
– No. of accessibility upgrades to public and private premises
– No. of accessibility works to public domain to improve the movement of people with disabilities in the built environment including tactile ground surface indicators
– Communication methods include braille, hearing loops, translations, icons and colour indicators, universal signage/symbols
– No. of websites accessible to international web accessibility standards
– No. of private and public transport facilities and providers making accessibility improvements to enable independent travel
– No. of complaints to HEREOC
Question 2:
What is most important to measure and report on as we seek to achieve economic security for people with disability?
It is important to measure commitment and efforts of government, services and stakeholders responsible for providing economic security for all Australians.
In addition, how they consider the special needs of people with disability when planning and implementing economic programs, such as new jobs schemes, training programs to assist with pathways to employment to ensure that people with disability have an adequate income for living expenses and have suitable accessible accommodation.
Proposed indicators:
– No. of people with disability in the workforce that are unemployed
– No. of people who are underemployed
– No. of people accessing training programs
– No. of businesses training people with disability
– No. of people with disability employed within government departments and major companies and annual report on % increased
– No. of people employed in small-medium sized businesses
– % of social housing and formal affordable housing dwellings that are accessible for people with disability
– No. and % of people with disability living below the poverty line
– No. and % of people with disability in insecure housing
– No. and % of people in housing stress
Question 3:
What is most important to measure and report on as we seek to achieve health and wellbeing outcomes for people with disability?
People with disability should be able to access GP, hospital and other health care providers easily. They should also have confidence that health professionals understand the needs of people with different types of disabilities and are able to make appropriate referrals for support for a person with disability and their families.
Ongoing professional development opportunities should be provided to health professionals with professional registers / associations established to track completion of training.
Mainstream health and recreational facilities demonstrate they are inclusive and accessible to people with disability.
Proposed indicators:
– No. of professional development courses available on disability
– Professional development registers/associations established to track professionals’ completion of regular professional development
– No. of training in general practice or specialisations
– % of people with disability satisfaction with inclusive, accessible and appropriate health and well-being support from service providers
– % of mainstream health and recreational facilities, including gyms, pools, leisure centres are accessible e.g. equipment to assist less mobile people to access pools
– % of mainstream health and recreational facilities provide inclusive programs for people with disability such as swimming programs
– % of playgrounds are inclusive and accessible for children of different ages and abilities
– Amount of funding annually through State and Commonwealth funding programs to deliver inclusive play facilities (new or upgrade existing)
Question 4:
What is most important to measure and report on as we seek to achieve rights, protection, justice and legislation outcomes for people with disability?
People with disability have equal rights to be treated the same as people without disability. They understand what their rights are and know how to exercise them freely and without prejudice.
People with disability are encouraged to participate in local, state and national democratic processes and their perspectives are respected and acknowledged.
Proposed indicators:
– No. of complaints to government agencies through internal ombudsman or complaints/grievance processes
– No. of complaints to HREOC
– No. of agencies providing safeguard and control measures that make people with disability feel safe and protected when using their services
– Appropriate mechanism that provides people with disability and families avenues to report abuse or neglect without fear of retaliation
– % of local, state and national agencies using multiple engagement methods to accommodate people with disability
– No. and % of people with disability participating in local, state and national democratic processes
Question 5:
What is most important to measure and report on as we seek to achieve learning and skills outcomes for people with disability?
People with disability are encouraged to participate in mainstream formal and informal education and educational environments are accessible and inclusive.
Education providers should be equipped (with appropriate physical facilities and training) to work with people with disability to cater to their needs.
People with disability should feel supported to reach their full potential and are assisted through their transition from early childhood education to school to further education, vocational education or employment.
Proposed indicators:
– No. of students with disability enrolled in schools
– School attendance rates
– No. of students who have completed high school
– No. of students who have graduated from university
– Strategies and services and adaptive technology offered by job agencies, schools, universities and libraries
– No. of professional development opportunities for education professionals to upskill to understand needs of people with disability and how to teach / engage them. Adapt to different learning styles.
– No. of training programs provided specifically for people with disability
– % of people with disability participating in mainstream training programs
Question 6:
What is most important to measure and report on as we seek to achieve personal and community support outcomes for people with disability?
People with disability will have access to specialised disability services, including NDIS for eligible participants. Mainstream community-based services are accessible and can adapt to the needs of people with disability and support their families and carers. Support will be provided irrespective of income, physical location or cultural background.
There are service directories produced in accessible formats with information about available support services offering choices to people with disability about the type of support and care they would like.
Community infrastructure delivered using an integrated community service model (community hubs) and that is well served by public transport will offer an accessible, and efficient approach to delivering wrap around support for people with disability, particularly those not eligible for NDIS. Collaboration and coordination between disability supports and other services are more effective.
Businesses are encouraged to adapt their operations to accommodate people with disability such as large supermarkets offering shopping hours for people with Autism.
Proposed indicators:
– No. of people with disability are aware of available support services
– No. of people with disability accessing community services
– No. of disability support services co-located with other services to provide wrap around support
– % of people not eligible for NDIS funding that are satisfied with the level of support provided by mainstream services
– No. and % of businesses adapting operations to accommodate people with disability
Question 7:
How often would you like to see progress against the outcomes for people with disability in the National Disability Strategy and the National Disability Insurance Scheme reported?
Progress reports should be presented annually and provide a snapshot of outcomes from the perspective of services, business, providers and people with disability.
Question 8:
Is there anything else that you think should be considered when we are monitoring and measuring the impact of activities on people with disability?
To accurately monitor and measure impacts of activities in people with disability, there needs to be mechanisms in place that will differentiate between different types of disability, different needs and different responses.
We believe that measuring outcomes of people with disability not eligible for the NDIS within the framework will be difficult as many people have fallen through gaps in services and connections since the inception of the NDIS. It is estimated that over 400,000 of the 4.4 million people with disability will be able to receive NDIS support and do not have much needed case management support that help them find out the right services they may need.
At present, there is no consistent support and assistance program or service to access mainstream services for people with disability not eligible for NDIS. This makes it difficult for services to collect data or measure outcomes of services provided or if any is available. This is particularly true for ethnic services or mainstream services to CALD communities, which have been decimated with a number of reforms to the social sector. We believe the that there is a need to add a more explicit Access and Equity element to the framework, particularly in view of services and agencies having to take additional measures and obtain additional resources to provide equal access to people with disability and carers from diverse backgrounds. People with disability and their carers from CALD background should have access to information and services, and should be able to participate in programs and activities that are language specific or access interpreters and translations when appropriate.