Cerebral palsy and the NDIS.

Here at Leap in! we’re often asked about whether the NDIS will fund certain conditions. Today we take a look at cerebral palsy and the NDIS.

Is Cerebral Palsy covered under the NDIS?

If you or your child have been diagnosed with cerebral palsy, you may be eligible to receive assistance and support services under the NDIS. Your access will be determined by how your condition impacts your/your child’s daily life.

What are the eligibility requirements?

Since cerebral palsy affects different people in different ways the NDIS works with health care providers to diagnose the severity of each case.

The diagnosis will help the NDIS determine the level of support a person needs.

The assessment for people with cerebral palsy is most often performed by one of these health professionals:

• Occupational therapist
• Physical therapist
• Pediatrician
• Physiotherapist.

When you meet with your health care provider you will go through an assessment to document the details of your disability against a specific set of criteria to determine the level of impairment.

How does the NDIS classify cerebral palsy?

Generally speaking, people with cerebral palsy can receive NDIS funding, as it is most often classified as a List A or List B medical condition.

The NDIS uses these categories to determine if a person meets the disability requirements to be eligible for funding.

Standardised classification systems are used to assess cerebral palsy.

These may be:
– Gross Motor Functional Classification System – GMFCS
– Manual Ability Classification System
– Communication Function Classification System.

People with a severe diagnosis, a Level 3, 4 or 5 on the Gross Motor Function Classification System, fit under the NDIS List A Conditions which are likely to meet NDIS requirements.

If your diagnosis fits under NDIS List B Conditions, which is less severe, you will need to demonstrate how cerebral palsy impacts your life, your social and economic opportunities, and your ability to take care of yourself.

What support might I receive under the NDIS?

The NDIS offer a wide range of support services to help you. If you are looking for assistance to manage day-to-day life with cerebral palsy, you may be eligible to receive NDIS support on a range of services, from getting help with early intervention to accessing respite care or learning important life skills.

Some examples of NDIS support may include:

• Assistance going to school
• Assistance finding a job
• Behaviour support
• Early Childhood Intervention through the Early Childhood Approach (ECA)
• Exercise physiology and physical wellbeing services
• Lifestyle supports
• Therapy support
• Accommodation support services.

Each person’s funding will be determined based on their unique needs, personal goals and must be considered ‘reasonable and necessary’.

How can I access the NDIS?

How you access the NDIS depends on your age or your child’s age.

The general NDIS pathway includes an assessment and access approval, the first NDIS Plan and yearly plan review. This approach is for people seven years and older.

Children younger than seven can access the NDIS via the Early Childhood Approach (ECA). You can read more about the ECA approach in our Leap in! update.

We can help you navigate the NDIS.

The Leap in! Crew helps people with cerebral palsy get the most out of their NDIS Plans every day.

If you are not sure where to start or if you have any questions, call us on 1300 05 78 78 or email crew@leapin.com.au.

This story was originally published on 21 January 2019.