7.1
Building on the evidence captured in the committee’s NDIS Workforce Interim Report (interim report), this chapter examines issues associated with education, training and development of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) workforce.
7.2
This chapter considers:
evidence regarding the education, training, and professional development for the NDIS as discussed in the committee’s interim report
the Australian Government response to the committee’s interim report
relevant measures in the government’s the NDIS National Workforce Plan:
2021–2025; and
new evidence from witnesses and submitters regarding the adequacy of government initiatives to address education, training, professional development issues within the workforce.
Education, training and professional development for the NDIS workforce
Discussion in interim report
7.3
In its interim report, the committee considered evidence regarding the education, training and professional development needs of the NDIS workforce.
the required training, skills and attributes of the disability workforce
the adequacy of existing training programs, including university and Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses
the transition from education to employment—including placements, graduate opportunities and early-career mentoring; and
national registration and accreditation for disability support workers.
7.5
The committee considered that these matters should be captured in the national plan for the NDIS workforce.
National registration and accreditation
7.6
As canvased in the interim report, the committee heard of widespread concern as to a lack of consistent, nationally recognised skills and qualifications within the NDIS—particularly for disability support workers. The committee heard that this may lead to considerable variation in the quality of supports provided for NDIS participants. The committee noted that this is a particular concern for participants with higher or more complex needs, who may require workers with a correspondingly high level of skill and specialised training.
7.7
In addition, the committee considered that a lack of nationally accredited training is increasing costs for providers, who feel obliged to ‘retrain’ support workers to meet their own quality standards. The committee heard that this training is often duplicative—despite being necessary to ensure participants receive safe, quality supports.
7.8
The committee noted widespread support for the development of a national scheme for accreditation, registration and regulation of support workers as a means of ‘professionalising’ the sector; increasing the portability of skills; and providing assurance to participants that services will be delivered by workers with the necessary skills to ensure quality and safety.
7.9
The committee supported the implementation of a national accreditation scheme as a means of enhancing the skills and qualifications of the workforce, and supporting future workforce growth, and considered that the government should explore options to develop a national scheme—noting that a scheme of this nature exists in Victoria.
7.10
The committee agreed with views of a number of submitters and witnesses, that national benchmarks should be developed for the skills needed to support specific cohorts, in recognition that participants have diverse needs, grounded in factors such as their disability type; person circumstances; and the availability of informal supports. The committee considered that these should be developed by appropriate industry associations, and co-designed by people with disability, support workers, their representatives organisations, and other relevant stakeholders.
7.11
For this reason, the committee thought that the use of ‘micro-credentials’ should be explored—as a means of ensuring the workforce possess appropriate skills and qualifications—including to ‘upskill’ the workforce as required.
7.12
The committee was also conscious that obtaining relevant qualifications can be costly, and possibly not within the economic reach of some existing disability support workers, or prospective entrants to the NDIS workforce—particularly under current NDIS price settings. The committee also understood that current prices limit providers’ ability to fund professional qualifications or to deliver in-house training.
7.13
The committee was of the view that any national accreditation scheme should include transitional arrangements, to ensure the existing workforce is not disadvantaged.
Existing education and training programs
7.14
The committee also heard from a number of submitters and witnesses about the skills and qualifications needed to deliver safe, quality supports and services. The committee was of the view that disability support workers require an understanding of disability and its manifestations, grounded in core skills such as communication, rights and ethics, and an appreciation for the social model of disability.
7.15
The committee was concerned to hear that existing VET programs may not adequately teach the competencies needed for effective disability support, and that some view the curriculum as poorly taught and not always reflective of best practice. The committee was also concerned to hear that while university courses in allied health may equip students with clinical competencies, some may lack a specific focus on disability practice.
7.16
Therefore, the committee considered that there would be merit in reviewing and, as appropriate, updating curricula for tertiary courses relating to disability—including relevant certificate-level programs and degree programs for allied health professions. The committee agreed that the appropriate first step would be a thorough analysis of the skills and training needs of the NDIS workforce, support by consultation with relevant sectoral stakeholders, noting that this may form part of the develop of a national accreditation scheme.
7.17
Considering the matters highlighted above, the committee made the following recommendations:
Recommendation 4: that the Australian Government review options to develop a national registration and accreditation scheme for disability support workers, as the product of a co-design process with relevant appropriate people. This should include developing national benchmarks for skills, qualifications and competencies which reflect the diversity of people with disability, and which are co-designed by appropriate industry bodies, people with disability and representative organisations, support workers and unions, and other key stakeholders.
Recommendation 5: that the Australian Government, through the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency and the National Skills Commission, conduct a thorough analysis of the skills and qualifications required in the disability workforce, informed by extensive consultation with people with disability, support workers, representative organisations and tertiary education providers.
Recommendation 6: that—following the needs analysis to which Recommendation 5 refers—the Australian Government facilitate a review of current vocational education and training programs and university courses in disability care and allied health, to ensure that such programs capture the training needs of the National Disability Insurance Scheme workforce and reflect current best practice.
Workforce Plan and Government Response to interim report
Interim report recommendation 4
7.18
In its NDIS National Workforce Plan: 2021—2025 (Workforce Plan; the Plan) the Australian Government does not include measures that directly respond to recommendation 4 of the committee’s interim report—which calls on the government to review options to develop a national registration and accreditation scheme for disability support workers.
7.19
Relevant to this recommendation however, the committee notes priority 2, initiative 6 of the Workforce Plan, in which the government commits to developing micro-credentials and updating nationally recognised training to improve the quality of supports and to enhance career pathways.
7.20
Further, the committee welcomes priority 2, initiative 8 of the Workforce Plan, which notes the government’s commitment to work with the care and support sector to establish a skills passport to allow workers to record training they have undertaken.
7.21
In the government’s formal response to the committee’s interim report, the Commonwealth supported recommendation 4 in principle, noting existing measures including:
the NDIS Practice Standards which specify the quality standards to be met by registered NDIS providers to provide supports and services to participants; and
the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission (NDIS Commission) Workforce Orientation Module ‘Quality, Safety and You’ which aims to assist workers to understand their responsibilities in relation to the NDIS Code of Conduct and support people with disability to achieve the vision of the NDIS.
7.22
The government also highlighted that the NDIS Commission is leading the implementation of the national NDIS Workforce Capability Framework (Capability Framework) to support consistency in practice and delivery of quality disability services across the country. Relevantly, the Capability Framework translates the NDIS Principles, Practice Standards and Code of Conduct into observable behaviours that service providers and workers should demonstrate when delivering services to people with disability.
Interim report recommendation 5
7.23
Priority 2, initiative 6 of the Workforce Plan to ‘develop micro-credentials and update nationally recognised training to improve the quality of supports and enhance career pathways’ is also relevant in relation to recommendation 5 of the committee’s interim report—which calls for the Government to conduct a thorough needs analysis of skills and qualifications needed in the disability workforce through the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency and the National Skills Commission.
7.24
The Government notes that under this initiative, the Department of Education, Skills and Employment will work with Human Services Skills Organisation (HSSO) and relevant Industry Reference Committees (IRCs) to ‘provide support, build engagement and explore the innovative models to advance this initiative’.
7.25
In the government’s formal response, the Commonwealth supported recommendation 5, noting that work to conduct an analysis on the skills and qualifications needed in the disability workforce is already underway. It also reported that the National Skills Commission has undertaken a study of the factors affecting the supply and demand of care and support workers, across disability, aged, veteran and mental health care.
7.26
The government also referenced other existing measures, including:
The NDIS Commission’s implementation of the Capability Framework.
The establishment of a Disability Support IRC to enable the education and training sector to better respond to the increasing demand for disability support workers.
Projects by the HSSO and the Disability Support IRC to update national training package products for the disability support sector.
The National Skills Commission’s study on the factors affecting supply and demand of care and support workers across disability, aged, veteran and mental health care.
A $149.2 million commitment in the 2021-22 Budget to support industry engagement arrangements for the Vocational Education and Training sector to ‘drive collaborations across sectors, address workforce challenges and improve the speed to market of qualifications to meet evolving industry needs’.
Interim report recommendation 6
7.27
In its Workforce Plan, the government does not provide any measures which address recommendation 6 of the interim report—which calls on government to facilitate a review of the current VET programs and university courses in disability care and allied health.
7.28
In its formal response to the interim report, the Government supported this recommendation in principle. Similar to its response to recommendations 4 and 5, the government response to recommendation 6 outlines existing initiatives, such a Disability Support IRC and HSSO project to update the qualifications and relevant units of competency within the following courses:
Certificate III in Individual Support
Certificate IV in Disability
Certificate IV in Ageing Support
Submitter and witness views about the Workforce Plan
7.29
Evidence to the committee continued to emphasise that training, education and professional development are key in retaining and building a workforce that can adapt and meet the changing needs of NDIS participants.
7.30
As canvased below, the committee heard varied evidence from submitters and witnesses on how adequately the Government’s Workforce Plan and other initiatives address these issues.
Consultation and engagement throughout the development and delivery of training initiatives
7.31
The committee received persuasive evidence from submitters and witnesses regarding the importance of appropriately involving and consulting with people with disability, diverse groups and the higher education sector throughout the development and implementation of any training or professional development strategies for the NDIS workforce.
7.32
The Australian Tertiary Education Network on Disability (ATEND) observed that it is unclear from the Workforce Plan, how people with lived experience of disability would be included in the co-design of national training packages and emphasised:
A workforce which can respond to the diverse needs of people with disability is only possible through purposeful consultation with, and inclusion of, people with disability. The Plan needs to specify the measure to be taken to achieve this.
7.33
Other submitters including Purpose at Work and the Australian Services Union (ASU) provided similar reflections. The ASU considered it ’vital’ that people with disability are actively involved in the development and delivery of the accredited micro-credentials initiative and other training measures.
7.34
Further, the committee heard it was important to engage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds in the development of new training initiatives. For example, the Northern Territory Office of the Public Guardian observed that:
The development of these micro-credentials must be done in consultation with Aboriginal people and their representative organisations and likewise with people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and their representative organisations.
7.35
In its submission to the inquiry, the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) advised that ‘the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled RTO [registered training organisation] Sector are best placed to provide accredited and non-accredited training to ensure a well-qualified and expert workforce is built’.
7.36
Ms Patricia Turner, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NACCHO reiterated this point to the committee at a public hearing, stating:
We have a lot of registered training organisations in our sector, and they can easily develop the programs for accredited training of local Aboriginal people from the regions to take part in the training and, therefore, the workforce.
7.37
In relation to engagement of the higher education sector, the committee heard evidence from Professor Christine Bigby, Director of the Living with Disability Research Centre at La Trobe University. Professor Bigby emphasised the importance of consulting with higher and further education institutions when developing training for the NDIS workforce.
7.38
Professor Bigby observed a ‘limited and inconsistent’ recognition of the role of universities, TAFEs and other training organisations as key partners in developing evidence-based training for support workers.
7.39
Professor Bigby reiterated these points at a public hearing, adding that the Workforce Plan seems to ‘miss higher education in may ways’ and tends to have ‘a fairly inconsistent recognition of the role of higher and further education in training and furthering strategies for improving the quality of the workforce’.
Training initiatives including micro-credentials and skills passport
7.40
Some submitters expressed general support for the micro-credential and skills passport initiatives detailed in the Government’s Workforce Plan, however many offered caveats on how proposed approaches could be improved or strengthened.
Funding and resources
7.41
Some submitters and witnesses noted concerns that the Workforce Plan did not include any additional funding for the new training initiatives it outlines. For example, Ms Laurie Leigh, Interim CEO of Australia’s peak body for non-government disability service organisations, National Disability Services (NDS), highlighted to the committee that ‘the plan has been released without any new funding attached to it or some of the initiatives proposed’.
7.42
Adding to this point, NDS further submitted:
Critical to the effective implementation of the Plan will be a commitment to partner with disability providers and the sector and adequately funding for the initiatives proposed.
7.43
Professor Bigby noted that training and micro-credential initiatives can play a ‘commendable’ role in upskilling the NDIS workforce, but pointed out it is ‘not clear where the cost of training development, delivery or participation will lie’ raising concern that micro-credentialling would come at a cost to workers. Professor Bigby added the following at a public hearing:
There needs to be attention to the cost of training. At the moment there is quite a lot of free training out there, but if we're going to start to require staff to develop training then there needs to be assessments and evidence that people haven't just dipped in and out of training but have actually engaged with it and completed assessment tasks. That will involve costs to providers and also to disability support workers.
7.44
The United Worker’s Union (UWU) submission offered similar reflections, highlighting concerns that the Workforce Plan’s skills passport initiative would oblige workers to find and undertake training to add to their passport, potentially in their own time and at their own expense. UWU added that the skills passport measure itself ‘does not address access to training, nor the quality of training’.
7.45
Ms Natalie Lang, a Branch Secretary at the ASU also called on the government to provide additional funding to enable workers to access training:
… it's going to be very important that workers are provided with the cost of the training but also paid time to be able to attend that training. And that can't come out of participants' packages. It really needs to be an additional source of funding…
7.46
NDS welcomed actions in the Workforce Plan to support workers to gain and record their training, but raised concerns regarding the potential costs to providers. NDS cautioned that the cost of paying and backfilling staff to attend training would be significant for providers. NDS indicated that ‘the sector would support an approach that sees a portable training allowance or other measure that acknowledges the cost and reflects the importance of training and professional development,’ and further suggested that there would be merit in considering such costs outside of an NDIS participant’s plan budget.
Stacking qualifications
7.47
Other submitters were of the view that credentials should be ‘stackable’ and contribute towards clear pathways to accreditation or more formalised qualifications. For example, the Australian Services Union (ASU) noted its support of the micro-credential initiative, but added that ‘stackable credentials should have a clear pathway and structure that allows students to enrol in a series of certificate courses, that can lead to a diploma, then a bachelor degree and finally a masters upon sufficient study’.
7.48
The ASU clarified it was not supportive of single, one-off credentials that were non-accredited, and that do not build in terms of ongoing professional development of workers.
7.49
The Health Services Union (HSU) also offered similar, qualified support for the government’s micro-credential initiative, emphasising that these should not come at the expense of full qualifications.
The HSU is supportive of micro-credentials/skill-sets as long as it does not come at the expense of full qualifications. These smaller components of training must be able to operate together to enable the completion of a full qualification…
7.50
A joint submission from Community Mental Health Australia Mental Illness Fellowship of Australia and Mental Health Australia echoed sentiments of other submitters, contending that credentials should be buildable and that workers should have to access paid time to undertake training.
Other concerns and proposed solutions
7.51
In terms of proposed solutions, the committee heard evidence from Professor Bigby that a scheme similar to the Victorian Disability Workers Registration scheme may be worth considering. Professor Bigby contended that such a model would ‘enable annual professional development benchmarks to be established and workers with required minimum experience or qualifications to be easily recognised by potential employers’.
7.52
Referring to the same Victorian initiative, the HSU similarly submitted that ‘a skills passport might be better embedded in the sector through a registration standard for continuing professional development like that proposed by the Victorian Disability Worker Commission’.
7.53
Submitters including Professor Bigby and Purpose at Work also mentioned the important role that the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission’s NDIS Workforce Capability Framework could play, suggesting it provides a strong base or reference point, off which micro-credentials and other training programs could be developed.
7.54
Allied health organisations including Occupational Therapy Australia and Speech Pathology Australia advised the committee that the micro‑credential and skills passport initiatives in the Workforce Plan have limited relevancy to the allied health workforce, given such workers are university level qualified. Contrastingly, Services for Australia Rural and Remote Allied Health (SARRAH), the peak body representing rural and remote allied health professionals expressed great support for the micro-credential and skills passport measures.
Workforce placements and traineeships
7.55
The committee heard a range of feedback regarding the adequacy of measures in the Workforce Plan to increase student placements opportunities within the workforce.
7.56
Ms Leigh told the committee that ‘reviewing the curriculum to support graduates to enter the sector and promoting traineeships and placements in allied health should be plan priorities’.
7.57
NDS’s submission to the inquiry added that cost, time and a lack of appropriate staff to support work placements were all barriers in facilitating placement opportunities, and offered potential solutions as outlined below:
Continued work with the sector to explore how traineeships and student placements can be used by employers to address workforce issues is a priority area. This could include consideration of the resources required to cover the cost of supervising trainees and students on work placement … Further consideration of the role of technology such as immersive virtual reality experiences in supporting placements across a variety of roles would also be useful.
7.58
Mrs Clare Hewat, CEO of Allied Health Professions Australia (AHPA) shared similar concerns with the committee, reflecting on the disability workforce’s lack of ‘pipeline’ and the need for ‘concrete, workable solutions’ to address the lack of coordinated and funded clinical disability placements for students:
It's very difficult to get disability placements … there is no coordinated support for disability placements, there's no pipeline, and there's nowhere to effectively and comprehensively train people to go into the disability workforce … You cannot expect somebody who has had all their placements in an acute hospital to suddenly wander out and just be able to do disability, as if they learn it by osmosis.
7.59
The UWU and the HSU had similar observations and argued that to address issues with student placements and traineeships in the workforce, costs and resourcing would need to be considered.
The United Workers Union submitted that ‘quality traineeships and student placements that benefit the trainee or student can only be provided where organisations are adequately resourced to provide appropriate supervision and on the job training. This is not the case in the disability sector currently’.
7.60
Universities Australia, the country’s peak body for the higher education sector, considered that the Workforce Plan ‘shows promise in that it recognises the pipeline approach to workforce development’.
7.61
However, Universities Australia urged the Commonwealth to take further action, suggesting the implementation of a number of potential approaches it argues have shown effectiveness in other domains. These include:
Introducing a student supervision payment to health practitioners providing disability care, particularly for private allied health providers.
Developing a national database that would include provider capacity and willingness for student supervision.
Developing an NDIS specific clinical placement software system that could support student placements by indicating where there is capacity or opportunities for clinical placements.
Offering an initial, short-term disability provider placement fund to universities. The fund could be used specifically for universities to work in partnership with disability providers to increase practitioner supervision capacity and disability-specific student clinical experience.
7.62
A range of allied health organisations such as Mental Health Victoria, the Australian Psychological Society, Dietitians Australia, Occupational Therapy Australia and SARRAH provided evidence to the committee regarding the need to improve and grow student placements in the sector, and called for further government investment and action to address these issues.
Workforce supervision, leadership and peer-support
7.63
The committee heard from submitters and witnesses regarding the lack of measures in the Workforce Plan to address issues around supervision, leadership and peer-support in the NDIS workforce.
7.64
Professor Bigby submitted that proper supervision and leadership within the workforce are key factors in improving quality of supports and safeguarding participants from abuse. Professor Bigby raised concern that the Workforce Plan’s peer-support measure would not be sufficient in itself to compensate for the lack of training and supervision, and proposed that the Plan should give more attention to these issues.
7.65
Further, she called for greater harmonisation between the government’s Workforce Plan and the NDIS Workforce Capability Framework, arguing that the Capability Framework rightly recognises the significance of organisational culture, senior leadership and supervision, where the government’s Workforce Plan does not:
The Workforce plan states (p.17) that employers lack of time and resources for training and supervision but does not give this issue the attention that it requires … The plan seems to imply that a peer network might be sufficient to motivate and support workers to avoid isolation and compensate for lack of training and supervision from employers.
Yet in contrast the NDIS Workforce Capability Framework recognises the significance of organisational capabilities in enabling and motivating disability workers, and ensuring a culture that values practice and rights through for example front line leadership, supervision and coaching… but these factors, many of which are found in the literature, are given little emphasis in the Workforce Plan.
7.66
Reiterating these points at a public hearing of the inquiry, Professor Bigby told the committee:
Support workers need to be trained, and they need supervision and leadership of their practice, so it's not just the skills at the front line but the skills of the frontline practice leaders that are really critical and need to be built into the workforce plan and need to be built into the funding … the workforce plan says, 'Well, we might be able to have peer support in order to get that supervision and development of those frontline leaders.' We actually need much more than that…
7.67
NDS also expressed concern about the lack of attention in Workforce Plan priorities about cultural transformation, skills development and leadership:
The Plan calls on providers to invest in cultural transformation, skills development, and leadership capability, yet there is little in the Plan priorities that focus on these areas. Ensuring that the strategies outlined in the Plan related to training and learning and development, mentoring and support also focus on leadership skills required in the sector will be important to support this.
7.68
Occupational Therapy Australia advised that some occupational therapists in the NDIS workforce do not have access to professional mentoring, networking or supervision supports that are crucial in the development of professional expertise, self-confidence, as well as worker retention. Occupational Therapy Australia added that it would ‘welcome the addition of an initiative to increase access to supervision and other clinical supports for allied health practitioners working in the NDIS’.
7.69
Allied health organisations including Australia Orthotic Prosthetic Association and SARRAH also provided evidence to the committee regarding mentorship, supervision, and peer support measures. Both welcomed the relevant initiatives outlined in the Workforce Plan but noted that even further action would be required to adequately address these issues for allied health practitioners.
Committee view
7.70
A skilled, well supported and qualified workforce is essential to the delivery of quality and safe supports to NDIS participants. There is general consensus that disability support workers require an understanding of disability and its manifestations, grounded in core skills such as communication, rights and ethics, and an appreciation for the social model of disability.
7.71
The committee therefore welcomes the four initiatives under priority 2 of the Australian Government’s National NDIS Workforce Plan, aimed at training and supporting the workforce, including: providing accredited
micro-credentials, a skills passport scheme, a care and support worker professional network and supported traineeships.
7.72
The committee notes the government’s efforts so far in progressing these initiatives, recognising that consultation activities are underway for all four measures. The committee would like to emphasise the importance of engaging comprehensively with people with disability, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, throughout the development and delivery of these measures.
7.73
The committee considers it vital that the government engage appropriately with the higher and further education sector throughout the implementation of these initiatives, in recognition of the important role that universities, TAFEs and other training organisations play in developing the literature and forming the evidence which underpins best-practice service and support delivery throughout the sector.
7.74
The committee notes that whilst the government ‘supported’ Recommendation 5 of the interim report, referencing the National Skills Commission’s Care Workforce Labour Market Study—the study’s final report is still not available publicly at the time of drafting.
Training initiatives including micro-credentials and skills passport
7.75
The committee heard substantive evidence about how the Workforce Plan’s micro-credentials and skills passport initiatives could be strengthened. At the time of drafting, there does not appear to be any additional funding allocated for these measures. For this reason, the committee shares the concerns of some submitters that providers and/or disability support workers may wear the cost of training development, delivery and participation.
7.76
The committee recognises that these initiatives appear to be in the early stages of design and consultation but would urge the government to appropriately consider the wider funding and resource implications throughout this phase.
7.77
The committee also shares the views of multiple submitters and witnesses that upskilling initiatives should be ‘buildable’ and contribute towards clear pathways to accreditation or more formalised qualifications. Further, the committee reiterates that the NDIS Commission’s NDIS Workforce Capability Framework should be leveraged as much as possible in the development of any new training initiatives.
7.78
The committee recommends that the Australian Government address the funding and resource implications of any new training and upskilling initiatives, in relation to NDIS service providers and individual disability support workers within the sector.
Workforce placements and traineeships
7.79
The committee welcomes initiative 9 of the Workforce Plan, supporting the growth of traineeships and student placements in the NDIS workforce. The committee is pleased to see that consultations are underway with disability support providers, universities, states and territories, and other disability stakeholders to inform and progress this initiative.
7.80
However, the committee is disappointed that the Workforce Plan does not adequately address the need to improve and increase student placement and traineeship opportunities within the workforce. The committee considers that reviewing curricula to support graduates to enter the sector, and promoting placements and traineeships should be plan priorities.
7.81
The committee encourages the Australian Government to consider a more ambitious strategy going forward to address current shortages, in recognition that such traineeships are vital for workforce development. The committee considers that strong partnerships between the government and higher and further education institutions, are essential to addressing these issues.
7.82
The committee recommends the Australian Government develop and implement a robust strategy to increase and improve opportunities for student placements in the NDIS workforce. The strategy should include strong partnerships with NDIS service providers, universities, TAFEs and other training institutions, and be co-designed by people with disability and peak bodies.
Workforce supervision, leadership and peer support
7.83
The committee observes that workforce supervision, mentoring, and leadership are crucial factors in the development of workers’ professional expertise and self-confidence. The committee also holds the view that these factors can enhance worker retention and crucially, support the delivery of safe and quality supports to NDIS participants.
7.84
The committee welcomes initiative 7 of the Workforce Plan to develop a care and support worker professional network to promote peer support, mentoring and networking opportunities across the sector.
7.85
However, in consideration of evidence which identified that that this measure alone will not sufficiently address the workforce’s widespread lack of supervision, leadership, networking and professional development, the committee encourages the government to consider implementing additional—or more ambitious—strategies to facilitate improved supervision, leadership, and peer support throughout the NDIS workforce.