New guidelines aim to standardise the diagnosis of Autism in Australia

The NDIS portal, also known as the participant portal, is officially called myplace. Myplace is a secure website where NDIS participants, their family or carer can access their services. Your information is protected and cannot be accessed without a login. Some of the services that participants can access through the NDIS portal include viewing their NDIS plan, managing services with providers and even requesting payments. (For a full list of services available, see the list below.)

Autism Spectrum Australia helped Coles to develop the Coles Quiet Hour program. It is designed to create a shopping environment that is more suitable for people on the autism spectrum. It aims to achieve this by providing a low-sensory shopping experience that is autism-friendly. The participating stores make changes such as dimming the lights as well as reducing in-store noise and distractions.

The Victorian Government has named five not-for-profit Disability accommodation providers that will take over the delivery of government-operated disability and respite accommodation, respectively, known as Supported Independent Living and Short Term Accommodation and Assistance. The transfer of services, to start in February 2019, is part of Victoria’s transition to the NDIS. It will consequently ensure that the NDIS operates in the best interest of people with a disability.

The Department of Social Services recently released some alarming data. The report shows six people with a disability are assaulted or neglected each week in Australia. Figures from the National Disability Abuse and Neglect Hotline also show an increase in the number of reports this year. There were 198 reports of neglect, abuse and sexual assault received in the first six months of this year. This is up from 180 for the six months prior.

NDIS Supported Disability Accommodation (SDA) should meet the needs of thousands of Australians living with high physical and/or complex behaviour disabilities. However, many have found it difficult or impossible to find suitable affordable accommodation in the past.

Keeley is 13 years old. Recently diagnosed with autism and intellectual disability, she requires an iPad to complete schoolwork. However, her school couldn’t support these needs on a full-time basis. Her parents also couldn’t get funding for an iPad. They, therefore, decided to homeschool her.

The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) is responsible for implementing the NDIS. The agency will better support people with autism as a result of the recent establishment of the Autism Advisory Group. The group will also provide fact-based advice and feedback to the NDIA. It reflects the National Disability Insurance Agency’s commitment to working with key stakeholders as well as experts who support people with autism.

The Australian Achiever Awards measures, recognises and rewards the success of customer service delivery. Established in 1998, the Australian Achiever Awards has been surveying businesses and their customers across Australia. They go directly to the customers and ask for confidential input and feedback. The awards are based on customer feedback.

One of the most overused words in the corporate world is innovation. It’s a rare case when a business can genuinely say that they are truly innovative. Innovation is a new method, idea or product. Unless it’s new, it’s not innovative. Before ONCALL was founded, Anna Fleming started a company called MSSA in 1993. MSSA was the first disability and welfare labour hire agency in Australia. That was an innovation. Anna Fleming went on to create ONCALL in 2005 with the same passion to innovate and improve how disability services were provided.

On January 15 2018, the Client Incident Management Systems (CIMS) went live for all registered DHHS and Victorian registered NDIS providers. The department has developed a new client incident management system that focuses on the safety and wellbeing of clients and applies to all department-funded organisations and Victorian-registered NDIS providers of disability and psychosocial supports.

The DHHS has recently changed the minimum requirements for workers in residential and out-of-home care.

From 1 January 2018, all residential care workers must hold, or be undertaking:

Many people have asked us, what is the NDIS? According to the NDIS website, the National Disability Insurance Scheme is the new way of providing support to Australians living with a disability, their families and carers. This is the biggest change in the disability sector we’ve ever seen.