Welcome to our new-look bi-monthly newsletter – Summer Foundation Focus.

While we may have a new name for our newsletter, our focus very much remains the same. We exist to get young people with disability out of aged care and into appropriate homes.

We exist to help people like Daniel, whose journey from aged care into his own SDA features in this edition of the newsletter.

And to help people like Xavier, who has been in hospital for more than a year. With our support, Xavier has recently been promised a house in his regional area that can be modified to suit his needs.

But unfortunately, there are still far too many people with disability stuck in hospital and young people with disability living in aged care, and more move in each month.

In this edition you can read about how governments across the country acknowledged the failure to reach the Federal Government’s YPIRAC targets. And shockingly, about the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare report that found more than 10,000 young people died in aged care between 2009 and 2020. You can also read more about our Aged Care Engagement project here.

Our focus at the Summer Foundation has always been not simply shedding light on these issues though, but to come up with real solutions.

We value your support in that.

Di Winkler,
CEO and Founder

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AIHW release shocking new data

More than 10,000 younger people died in residential aged care over the past decade, new data shows.

Xavier Edwards and his father, Jase, in the Royal Children’s Hospital

Xavier Edwards gets verbal offer of suitable housing

Fourteen-year-old Xavier Edwards became a quadriplegic when he was involved in a bike accident in April 2022.

RAC Engagement Project ramps up

Over the past six months the Summer Foundation has been focused on engaging with residential aged care (RAC) providers to assist them to support NDIS participants in their care.

Daniel’s journey to living in SDA

We first met Daniel almost a decade ago, when he lived in a nursing home. Last year, Daniel moved into his own SDA apartment.

Government YPIRAC targets not achieved

In February, the Disability Reform Ministerial Council acknowledged the failure to achieve the first 2 targets in the Federal Government’s Younger People in Residential Aged Care strategy.

SA Government agree to implement accessibility standards

The South Australian Government recently announced that they will meet their obligations under the National Construction Code.

UpSkill continues to expand

Our UpSkill initiative, offering NDIS training and resources for professionals assisting people with complex support needs, continues to expand.

Research grant success

The Summer Foundation secured 2 significant research grants in February. A La Trobe University/Summer Foundation team received an Australian Research Council (ARC) grant for a 3-year project investigating the lived experience of people with a disability moving into specialist housing.

Summer Foundation Focus – April