The estimated cost to governments of meeting unmet demand for
disability support services in Australia is $294 million, according
to a report released today by the Australian Institute of Health
and Welfare.
Institute Director Dr Richard Madden said that this compared
with around $1.5 billion spent by governments in 1995-96 under the
Commonwealth/State Disability Agreement.
Dr Madden said that the unmet demand figures were conservative:
??Employment services for people with a disability are not
included. Neither are children aged under 5, because information on
severity of handicap of children this young is not available.
'Also, groups were excluded if there was any doubt about the
demand in a subgroup of that group. For instance, some people said
that they had not obtained a formal service because they didn't
know the services existed - some of this group could well be
considered to have unmet demand, but they were not included in the
estimates because they had not asked for the service.'
The report, Demand for Disability Support Services in
Australia: Size Cost and Growth, was commissioned by the
Commonwealth and the States and Territories to provide information
on services funded under the Commonwealth/State Disability
Agreement. The information is intended to help ongoing negotiations
surrounding renewal of this Agreement.
The study reports that in 1996 there were an estimated 368,300
Australians (5-64 years) needing ongoing assistance with self-care,
mobility or verbal communication.
Of these, 13,400 had an unmet demand for accommodation, support
or respite services. Services of this kind reached around 66,700
people in 1995-96.
An additional 12,000 places in day programs were also estimated
to be needed. About 65,000 people used day program places in
1995-96.
Dr Madden said that while both figures were of high importance,
the day programs demand figure was the more surprising.
'We suspect that this is partly a reflection of the demands
placed on families when children with disabilities leave school and
are at home full-time because employment may not be a realistic
option. Then there are older people with disabilities who are not
able to find employment or who are not in the labour force, and so
need a daytime activity.'
The report foreshadows a 9.9% increase over the next six years
in the number of people aged 5-64 years with disabilities and
ongoing support needs. This will increase pressure on services and
carers.
23 December 1997
Further information: Dr Richard Madden, ph. 02
6244 1001 or 04 1920 8152 (mobile).
For media copies of the report: Michelle Wells, ph. 02
6244 1032.
Availability: Check the AIHW Publications Catalogue
for details.