Welcome to our May newsletter.

While new legislation is urgently needed to get the NDIS back on track, these changes are also creating uncertainty for people with disability and families.

The Summer Foundation is working to make sure that NDIS 2.0 works for people with disability who need access to 24/7 support. Our latest article in The Conversation addresses concerns regarding choice and control related to housing and the NDIS Review recommendation that on average support in disability housing be funded at a 1:3 ratio i.e. 1 support worker supporting 3 people with disability. Read more here.

Dr George continues to help us all make sense of proposed disability reform by interviewing a range of experts and asking great questions. The latest episode of Reasonable & Necessary helps demystify the draft NDIS legislation.

ABC News and ABC Radio’s The World Today reported last week on the Summer Foundation’s latest research, which explores the views of building and design sector professionals when integrating accessible design standards into new housing. The research supports the Building Better Homes campaign in advocating for all Australian states to sign up to the mandatory construction code that specifies 7 accessible standards for all new homes.

You can also read about our latest published research here.

For me, the highlight of this newsletter is the article by Katy Skene sharing her story and her experience of working with our Co-design team.

I hope you enjoy reading about our ongoing work.

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Latest Summer Foundation research

The research team has had several papers published in peer-reviewed journals this year.

A young man with disability waters his garden.

Conversation article about proposed reform to housing and support

Summer Foundation CEO Dr Di Winkler and La Trobe University’s Professor Jacinta Douglas explore questions around the NDIS Review recommendations in their latest article for The Conversation.

ABC News features our research supporting Building Better Homes

ABC News has reported on the Summer Foundation’s latest research that explores the views of building and design sector professionals when integrating accessible design standards into new housing.

Disability Royal Commission final report focuses on inclusive housing

The Summer Foundation welcomes the Disability Royal Commission’s focus on inclusive housing in its final report. As we continue to focus our work on people with disability with high and complex needs we welcome the 11 recommendations around housing in the report.

Reasonable & Necessary – making sense of disability reform

With the release of the NDIS Review recommendations in late 2023, Dr George has been busy looking closely at them and what they might mean for people with disability.

Number of young people going into aged care is dropping

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare has released new data about the numbers of young people living in residential aged care (RAC).

Connecting with aged care providers

Our Aged Care to Home service had a stall at the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission’s national provider conference in April in Adelaide.

Perspective of support coordinators working with YPIRAC needed

La Trobe University and the Summer Foundation are undertaking research to find out about the impact of the NDIS on the lives of young people living in aged care.