Disabled people deserve to know, from our school days, that we’re not just cases, diagnoses, or “not really disabled”; we’re part of a community with its own histories and triumphs. So to help you (and twelve-year-old me) gain a better understanding of disability than “just ignore it,” here are ten disabled women whose names you … Continued
GEELONG’S own Chris Van Ingen is set to star in the fourth and final episode of ABC’s hit new television series Barracuda. The television series, based on Christos Tsiolkas’s novel, is directed by Robert Connolly and focuses on the obsession that Australia has with sporting heroes, as well as class and culture clashes within the … Continued
A deaf man who has two degrees claims he is unable to get a job, despite ‘thousands’ of job applications. He also has a mild case of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and profound hearing loss, and attributes his misfortune to employers thinking that communication would be a ‘problem’ for him.
On the first of this month a quiet revolution took place as the National Disability Insurance Scheme began its nationwide roll-out. The moment is no less monumental for the lack of fanfare surrounding it. The NDIS will make a world of difference for the more than 460,000 Australians with disability, and for their families and … Continued
The United Nations has been asked to investigate dozens of incidents involving assault against children with a disability in Australian schools. The request was made by a group of disability organisations acting on behalf of 55 families, who sent the request to the UN’s Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities
The closure of Bendigo’s institution for people with severe disabilities is almost complete, but there is continued uncertainty about how the former residents will be cared for once the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is rolled out. The Sandhurst Centre in North Bendigo is being closed and its 30 residents are being moved into five … Continued
Children with disabilities could face new risks under the $22 billion National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), a national inquiry has been told. Gail Furness, SC, counsel assisting the royal commission into institutional responses to child sex abuse, said greater choice and control under the NDIS, which is being rolled out across the nation, means “the … Continued
The Federal Government’s welfare-to-work reforms are pushing thousands of people off the disability pension and into financial hardship. Welfare rights organisations say their work is increasingly taken up with these cases.
The mother of an intellectually disabled girl tells an inquiry she is angry the people who abused her daughter were not adequately investigated. The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse is examining several cases at two New South Wales institutions – the Mater Dei School in Camden and The Disability Trust and … Continued
Family violence survivor Emma Gierschick has called for more help for women who have special needs children and are fleeing abusers.
Choice and control are the fundamental principles of the NDIS, which represents a break from previous welfare approaches. The scheme aims to empower consumers with a disability to use funds given to them to purchase services that reflect their lifestyle and aspirations.
In the case of infants and young children diagnosed with a disability, the scheme will provide funding for early intervention, therapy and respite services, as required and chosen by their parents.
Entrepreneurship might seem an unlikely pursuit for Australians with disability. But greater focus on self-employment can transform disability into ability, boost income security and social inclusion, and increase labour market participation.
However, many people eligible for the NDIS are likely to miss out on its benefits. These people fall into particular groups, such as those who may not think of themselves as having a disability, or people who may not know what the NDIS is or how to access it.
The world’s most comprehensive network of braille and tactile signs to help visually impaired pedestrians has been rolled out across Sydney.