NDS welcomes the NDIA’s release of a series of data resources as part of a first forward plan to publicly release more and better data. The resources will assist service providers to plan, make better assessments of the volume of funded supports by geographical areas and client groups, and give a more accurate picture of opportunities to offer services and supports.
For other key stakeholders, the resources are valuable for observing the progress of NDIS implementation. For example, a detailed report on employment outcomes for NDIS Participants, though not new (data is from a 2018 Participant Outcomes report), indicates that the proportion of participants in paid employment has remained steady from 2016 to 2018 (at 22 per cent), while 31 per cent of working-age participants have a work-related goal in their plan. These figures identify the challenges involved in improving the employment outcomes for NDIS participants. Other areas of focus include Specialist Accommodation and Supported Independent Living.