Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021–2031 Outcomes Framework: First annual report

The NDIS supports people with disability caused by a permanent impairment, which may be intellectual, cognitive, neurological, sensory, physical or psychosocial (NDIS 2022). The NDIS provides funding for people with disability to receive a package of flexible supports that meet their needs.

NDIS participants choice and control

Access to disability supports through the NDIS helps people with disability pursue their goals and aspirations and exercise choice and control over their own lives (Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021–2031).

Data for this measure are collected from the NDIS Short Form questionnaire. They refer to participants who have been in the scheme for at least 2 years and responded to the question ‘Has the NDIS helped you have more choice and control over your life?’.

The desired key system outcome for this measure is that NDIS participants receive the support they need.

Results at baseline: 2021–22 Q2

• In 2021–22 Q2 (baseline quarter), 75% of NDIS participants aged 15–64 responded that the NDIS has helped them to have more choice and control over their life after 2 years in the scheme. This was 3 percentage points higher than in 2018–19 Q1 (72%).
• The overall trend for the period 2018–19 Q1 to 2021–22 Q2 was favourable, generally trending upward with some fluctuation in the earlier quarters (Figure 5.3). Fitting a regression model to the data, there was a modelled increase of 0.36 of a percentage point per quarter and a modelled increase of 6.6% over the reference period.
• In 2021–22 Q2, a slightly greater proportion of female than male NDIS participants reported having more choice and control over their life (77% and 74%, respectively).
• By age group, a higher proportion of participants aged 25–64 reported having more choice and control over their life than participants aged 15–24 (78% and 69%, respectively).

Latest results: 2021–22 Q4

• In 2021–22 Q4, just over three-quarters (76%) of NDIS participants aged 15–64 responded that the NDIS had helped them to have more choice and control over their life after 2 years in the scheme. This was higher than at baseline (2021–22 Q2) (75%), indicating progress since the Strategy began.
• Increases for this measure occurred in both 2021–22 Q3 (0.3 of a percentage point) and 2021–22 Q4 (0.2 of a percentage point) based on unrounded values.
• The observed increases for both quarters were slightly lower than the modelled quarterly increase (0.4 of a percentage point) over the entire period (2018–19 Q2 to 2021–22 Q4).
• The observed increases in 2021–22 Q3 and Q4 are within the range of the quarter-to-quarter changes seen in the historical data. They were smaller than the quarter-to-quarter increases seen for 2021–22 Q1 (0.4 of a percentage point) and 2021–22 Q2 (0.6 of a percentage point).

Things to consider when interpreting results

• Time series analysis for the NDIS data presented here provides a series of data points each representing a snapshot of NDIS participants at a given point in time. This is different from the longitudinal approach taken in NDIS reporting.

For the latest data and breakdowns of the data, see Australia’s Disability Strategy Outcomes Framework | NDIS participants choice and control.

References

Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021–2031 (2021), Department of Social Services, Australian Government, accessed 2 August 2022.

NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme) (2022) Am I eligible, NDIS website, Australian Government, accessed 21 September 2022.