Topics Incluide:
Revised High Intensity Support Skills Descriptors,effective Dec 2022
- The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission has revised its skill descriptors for high intensity supports.
- Reflecting contemporary practice and expert advice, the new descriptors are supplementary guidance for providers and workers who support participants with high intensity daily personal activities (HIDPA).
- The descriptors for each area of support outline the skills and knowledge needed to prepare and deliver the support and to carry out the support plan.
- They provide specific guidance on training and keeping training and practice current.
- The descriptors came into effect on 1 February.
Jan will present on the above
Own Motion Inquiry conducted by the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission into Supported Living (SIL) Outcomes
In August 2021, the NDIS Commission initiated our first Own Motion Inquiry into aspects of supported accommodation in the NDIS (the Inquiry). The Inquiry examined reportable incidents and complaints made to the NDIS Commission in connection with the supported accommodation services (specifically group homes).
The Inquiry’s purpose was to enable the NDIS Commissioner to identify trends in issues occurring in supported accommodation, what is causing those issues, models of best practice to eliminate or address these issues, and how the NDIS Commission can use its powers to support the delivery of higher standards of support in these settings.
The Inquiry was completed in December 2022.
Jan will discuss components of the report
New DES Quality Framework
The introduction of the DES Quality Framework is a significant milestone in the efforts to enhance disability employment services in Australia. Prospert deeply understands the practices that contribute to high-quality service delivery and outcomes. Providers need to prepare for Quality Assessment Ratings and Quality Scorecards, ensuring they are equipped to meet the Framework’s standards.
The Quality Framework will assess DES providers against four elements: Participant Rights, Understanding Quality, Provider Capability, and Compliance. These elements have been prioritised as critical to the foundation of effective service delivery and driving positive change in the DES landscape. Prospert notes that two key themes are emphasised across all four elements – ongoing training and development of staff and ensuring participants’ voices are heard and used for continuous improvement.
We will discuss what good practice looks like for each element along with specific examples in the context of holistic employer engagement.
The new DES Quality Framework presents an unprecedented opportunity for DES providers to elevate their service quality and positively impact the lives of people with disability and, by inference, the employers who hire them. By implementing the elements of good practice within each quality element, providers can ensure participant rights are respected, individual needs are met, and continuous improvement becomes a cornerstone of their service delivery.
We will also take a close look at indicators and measurement tools for the new Framework.
Support workers in the NDIS: Is there a problem of misclassification?
There is a wide diversity of roles undertaken by support workers in the NDIS and considerable diversity, and also inconsistency, in service providers’ classifications of their employees.
This presentation examines the disability support worker role and requirements of disability support work and considers the implications for support workers’ employment classification.
While there is some ambiguity in industrial arrangements, quality and safeguarding guidelines contain clear expectations and requirements of workers’ skills, knowledge and judgement. These requirements have implications for all support workers’ employment classifications and for NDIS workforce and market development.
Anticipating and addressing the impending shortage of skilled disability support workers
In this presentation, Paul Bryan, a renowned NDIS business coach, delves into the critical issue of the impending shortage of skilled disability support workers. Drawing from his extensive experience in the disability services sector, Paul explores three key factors contributing to the shortage:
1. The Impact of Small Providers: Paul highlights the challenges arising from the increasing number of small providers starting up without an established client base. This situation has created a highly competitive landscape in the industry, affecting the availability of skilled workers.
2. Dealing with a Transient Workforce: The current workforce trend shows a significant number of support workers holding multiple casual jobs, leading to staff turnover and leaving providers understaffed. Paul examines the implications of this transient workforce and offers insights on effective retention strategies.
3. Navigating the Complex Award System: Paul sheds light on the complexities and misunderstandings surrounding the award system in the disability services sector. He addresses the difficulties providers face due to the lack of accurate information and an abundance of misinformation, impacting their ability to attract and retain skilled workers.
Some questions to be raised here are, how do we incentivise workforce participation? Is skilled immigration as the government is suggesting a possible solution and what does the future hold for the regulation of small businesses in the sector. Paul emphasizes the role of immigration providers in assisting disability service providers in acquiring a committed and qualified workforce.
Attendees can expect to gain a comprehensive understanding of the impending skilled worker shortage and practical strategies to proactively address the challenges.
Through real-life examples and actionable insights, Paul equips providers with the knowledge and tools to build a sustainable and skilled workforce, ensuring continued excellence in disability support services.
Future of the Disability Employment Services (DES) program
Employment services providers are grappling with uncertainty and ambiguity about the future of the Disability Employment Services (DES) program. With various options being discussed, it’s important to stay informed and keep an eye on any developments or policy changes that could potentially impact DES. Being proactive and preparing for different scenarios can help you navigate ambiguity and make informed decisions for the future.
What we know so far is the Australian Government is working on a potential new model for disability employment. The aim is to ensure that ‘people with disability are not left behind’ and employers can access an ‘untapped workforce’.
While the current DES program has been extended until 30 June 2025, the Government has already made immediate adjustments to boost its quality and outcomes for people with disabilities. With 52 DES providers no longer providing some services and eight providers having all their services discontinued due to poor performance, the stage is set for a fresh approach to disability employment services.
The new specialist disability employment services model will be informed by various concurrent bodies of work, including the Australian Disability Strategy, Employ My Ability – the Disability Employment Strategy, the Disability Royal Commission, and the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) participant employment strategy. A new Quality Framework will also be established to ensure that participants’ rights, quality of service, provider capability and governance, feedback and complaints, and formal assurance are prioritised.
We will discuss the likely timeframe of events between now and June 2025 and identify how providers and their NDIS partners can position themselves for the Future of DES.
