Welcome to our last SF Focus for 2024.

The past couple of months have been momentous for the Summer Foundation as we have relaunched with renewed and refocused purpose.

At the Annual Public Forum in October I was delighted to share our vision of lifting expectations about what a good life can look like for Australians with high support needs.

We heard from a range of people about individualised living arrangements that are changing lives both in Australia and overseas.

One thing that I walked away thinking about was that the solution is relatively straight forward. You need to start with each person, get to know them and what a good life might look like for them and then design the service around each individual. Then you need to keep tweaking the service design as you all learn and needs change over time. The challenge is how you do this at scale.

The disability sector has a long history of designing models of housing and support and then trying to get people to fit in and conform. Unlocking this challenge through policy and systems reform and innovation will be the Summer Foundation’s unwavering focus in the years to come.

People with disability, providers and governments all need to work together to scale alternative options to group homes. While more work needs to be done, there is no better time for reform.

I also hope you like our new brand, which was launched at the Annual Public Forum.

Our advocacy has continued with 2 submissions to government and an appearance at a government inquiry looking at the new Aged Care Act.

The Building Better Homes campaign faces an ongoing challenge to keep the pressure on governments for mandatory accessibility design standards to be fully implemented across the country.

You can read these articles and more Summer Foundation news in this edition.

On behalf of everyone at the Summer Foundation I hope you and your close others have a happy and safe Christmas and New Year.

Di Winkler CEO and Founder

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Summer Foundation is relaunched

Opening our Annual Public Forum, CEO and founder of the Summer Foundation Dr Di Winkler shared the origin story of the organisation, its impact so far and our vision for the future.

Home and Living Outcome Framework study looking for participants

We are excited to share that we have moved into the next phase of the Home and Living Outcome Framework study. With the pilot stage complete, and funding from the Australian Research Council in place, we are now recruiting both participants and specialist disability accommodation (SDA) providers to take part in this important study.

Our latest submissions to government

The Australian Government introduced the Aged Care Bill 2024 to Parliament on 12 September. If passed by the Parliament, the Aged Care Bill 2024 will become the new Aged Care Act and will start on 1 July 2025. The Bill includes changes to the circumstances in which young people can enter residential aged care.

NDIA boss talks to Dr George

In the latest Reasonable & Necessary podcast Dr George secured an exclusive interview with the CEO of the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA), Rebecca Falkingham.

Building Better Homes – in the news

The Building Better Homes campaign featured in the news in both Queensland and NSW recently. Building Better Homes is a coalition of peak bodies and organisations working to ensure the mandatory accessibility standards in the 2022 National Building Code (NCC) are properly implemented in every state and territory.

Profile – Frances Kupke-Smith

I’m Frances Kupke-Smith, and I wear many hats – I’m a wife, a carer, and an individual living with a progressive disability. Professionally, I serve as a director and support coordinator at Peoplecraft, where I dedicate my work to supporting people navigate the complexities of the NDIS and secure the support they need to live authentic lives.

Summer Foundation Focus – November 2024