AAPi is disappointed by the New South Wales Government's (the Government) response to the Parliamentary Inquiry into Foundational and Disability Supports Available for Children and Young People in New South Wales (the Inquiry).
The Inquiry was established in 2024 to examine the significant gaps in support available to children and young people with disability, developmental concerns, and additional support needs. Over many months, the Select Committee received extensive evidence from families, disability advocates, allied health professionals, educators, peak bodies (including AAPi), researchers, and service providers. Public hearings were held, submissions were prepared, and considerable public resources were invested in the process.
Unfortunately, the Government's response fails to match either the scale of the issues identified, or the strength of the Committee's recommendations.
While this response broadly acknowledges the multiple challenges facing children and families, of 17 recommendations, only 2 were supported (develop a framework & mapping), 3 not supported (transition arrangements to ensure no interruption; uphold children’s rights; and embed whole-of-family wellbeing), 8 supported in-principle without firm commitments, & 4 noted (funding, digital infrastructure, and place-based). So, the main accountability-related ones have been ignored.
This is particularly concerning, given the growing reliance on proposed "foundational supports" as governments seek to reform the NDIS, and redirect many children with developmental delays and disability support needs into mainstream and community-based systems. Across Australia, governments have repeatedly stated that foundational supports will be critical to ensuring children do not fall through the cracks. Yet inquiries, reviews, and advocacy efforts continue to highlight the same issue: these supports do not currently exist at the scale required. From a psychological perspective, the Government’s response represents a missed opportunity to address the key issues, and fails to deliver on what is required.
Many psychologists will be familiar with the experiences described throughout the Inquiry:
- Children waiting months or years for assessment and intervention.
- Families struggling to navigate complex systems.
- Schools increasingly expected to manage significant developmental and behavioural needs without adequate resources.
- Community services lacking the workforce capacity to meet demand.
- Children missing critical windows for early intervention.
These are not new issues. They were clearly articulated throughout the Inquiry process and supported by substantial evidence from stakeholders.
AAPi shares the frustration expressed by many stakeholders regarding the Government's response, which raises a legitimate question: what is the purpose of undertaking a major parliamentary inquiry, at significant cost in time, effort, and public resources, if the resulting recommendations are not meaningfully acted upon?
AAPi is currently working alongside relevant allied health, disability, and community sector organisations to advocate for genuine investment into foundational supports – including, but not limited to - Thriving Kids; improved access to early intervention services; and stronger recognition of the role that psychologists play in supporting children and young people.
As governments continue to redesign disability and developmental support systems across Australia, we will continue to push for practical, funded solutions, rather than aspirational statements which effectively kick the can down the road.
Children, families, and the psychologists supporting them, deserve better.
Further information can be found here.