National Disability Insurance Scheme

Advocacy Agencies speak, act or write on behalf of Disability Service Providers or their clients.

FaHCSIA funds all Advocay Agencies under the NDAP to assist people with disability to overcome barriers (i.e, physical access, discriminatory attitudes, abuse, neglect, etc that impact on their daily life and their ability to participate in the community.  There are six broad models of advocacy with the majority of agencies taking two or more advocay models.

1. Systemic Advocay
2. Individual Advocacy
3. Family Advocay
4. Self Advocacy
5. Legal Advocay
6. Citizen Advocacy

There are 11 Disability Advocay standards and 24 Key Performance Indicators.

FaHCSIA has selected twelve Advocacy Agencies which are representative of the sector in terms of size, location (rural and metro) and advocay model delivered, to participate in the trial.

The JAS-ANZ scheme National Disability Advocacy Program (NDAP) (Pilot) is ongoing and will complete by May/June 2010.

The evaluation of the pilot was also planned for the end of 2010 and the program planned to sart the accreditation process in January 2011. However, this scheme is currently on hold by JAS-ANZ until further notice.

What are your benefits?

• Independent audit;
• Replaces mulptiple audits by departmental audits against the supporting 101 standards that apply to non-emloyment agencies;
• Minimises duplications with other accountability and performance arrangements;
• Remains consistent with National Disability Services Quality Framework.

Why ISC?

The benefits of certifying through ISC are many. 

• ISC is one of the few Certification Bodies that has been involved with FaHCSIA from the initial concept of the DSS standards and the new NDAP standards.
• ISC has its accreditation application in with JAS-ANZ
• ISC is involved in the six-month trial in 2010.
• ISC is one of the few Certification Bodies accredited to provide Disability Certification service.
• ISC has a wide resource of qualified Lead Auditors and Consumer Technical Experts nationwide all having extensive experience within the Disability Services sector.
• ISC repects the right of all consumers/carers/advocates/family to participate in the audit process with prior consent and would like to ensure that the participation in this process is at all times voluntary.

What do we offer?

JAS-ANZ accredited certificate after the scheme is finalised.

How many have adopted this?

Twelve Disability Advocacy Agencies have participated for the Trial Program

What is new?

Pilots ran upto May/June 2010 and are in the process of being evaluated.