National Disability Insurance Agency accused of ‘failing’ young children with autism

A committee examining the NDIS has heard senior NDIA executives claimed children were attending the organisation’s services for ‘free childcare’. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

The National Disability Insurance Agency is failing young children severely affected by autism by rejecting their claims for intensive support funding only to do an about-face after families have spent months in a lengthy, expensive tribunal process, a parliamentary committee has heard.

Autism Partnerships Australia (APA) told the joint standing committee on the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) the agency was “getting the planning decisions wrong” for 100% of the autistic children in its early intensive services.