I have raised serious concerns with the Ministers for Health & Education about children losing access to NDIS-funded supports when they hit the age threshold even while still awaiting a formal diagnosis of a neurodevelopmental condition.
Many of these children remain on long waitlists (sometimes years) for assessment by Child Development Services (CDS).
Without diagnosis, they may no longer qualify for early intervention under the NDIS, leaving families to self-fund or go without essential allied health services.
This gap in supports has real consequences not just for children and families, but for schools and educators.
Children may enter or remain in classrooms with unmet developmental and behavioural needs, placing additional burdens on teachers and school resources.
I am advocating for more proactive triage and cross-agency coordination, particularly between health and education, to ensure no child falls through the cracks while awaiting diagnosis.
Email to the Office of the Hon. Minister Hammat
Minister for Health
Monday 11 August 2025
Dear Minister Hammat
I run Perth Kids Hub, a website that helps parents find support services for their child’s development, wellbeing and learning.
The previous Minister for Health provided a response that I share with families and is included in pg 3. of the guide to Perth’s Paediatricians and Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists (see attached PDF). It’s very helpful to have a formal response on what is available to parents in the community as I find there is a lot of misinformation.
Questions:
- Is there any information that you would like to update in the Perth Paediatrician and Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist guide for future editions on what families can do when they are seeking to see a developmental paediatrician? For example, you may wish to reference changes to stimulant regulations in WA making it easier to access shared-care and telehealth, training GPs in ADHD diagnosis, funding provided to ADHD WA etc.
2. Is there an opportunity to please triage those children who are on CDS waitlists for review by a paediatrician who are turning 6 years and at risk of losing support they have been receiving through the NDIS Early Childhood Approach because they have not yet been assessed / received a diagnosis of a condition considered eligible for the NDIS such as FASD or Autism Level 2 or 3? I would be happy to share more information on how I see this impacting families as well as the health and education systems if appropriate.
Thank you for your assistance,
Pia
Email to the Office of the Hon. Sabine Winton MLA,
Minister for Education, Early Childhood; Preventative Health; Wheatbelt
Thursday 14 August 2025
Dear Minister Winton
Thank you for the work you are doing to advocate for better outcomes for teachers and students in Western Australia. It’s heartening to see someone with lived classroom experience in this role.
I’m writing to raise an urgent concern that I have also raised with the WA Minister for Health, as it carries serious implications for the education system, including teachers and schools across the state.
Issue: Loss of NDIS support for children awaiting diagnosis
The NDIS is currently removing a record number of 6-year-olds from the Early Childhood Approach (ECA), particularly children who have been receiving support for developmental delay. This is occurring despite the NDIS Review’s recommendation that “changes to access and budget setting processes for children and young people should only be implemented once widespread foundational supports are in place”.
In many cases, these children are on waitlists with WA Child Development Services (CDS) for assessment of neurodevelopmental conditions like autism or FASD — both of which are eligible for NDIS access once diagnosed. However, current wait times for a CDS paediatrician can stretch up to four years for a school aged child, with a further two-year wait for diagnostic assessment if referred.
Risks for schools and educators
Without access to NDIS-funded allied health services (e.g. OT, speech, physio), these children often enter or continue in the school system with unmet developmental, behavioural, and social support needs.
The consequences include:
- Teachers absorbing additional responsibility without appropriate resources
- Increased classroom disruption and stress, affecting learning for all students
- Strain on school-based supports, which are already overstretched
- Family stress and escalation of issues, potentially leading to disengagement or school refusal
Although interim Individual Disability Allocations (IDAs) may be available, these are typically low-level (Level 1) supports that do not match the needs of children with emerging or undiagnosed disability.
CDS services, while technically available, are not designed for long-term support. They offer short-term interventions only, and wait times to see therapists are around 12 months. For families who cannot afford a private assessment (approx. $3,000), this creates an equity issue — private assessments mean faster NDIS access, while public pathways result in children going without support.
NDIS Position and Systemic Gaps
The NDIS has made it clear that it is not responsible for filling service gaps created by limitations in state health systems. Families are told they may reapply for the NDIS if/when a formal diagnosis is obtained.
This effectively penalises families reliant on public services and leaves schools to carry the burden.
What I’m Asking
While my request to Minister Hammat was to explore whether CDS could triage children turning 6 who are at risk of losing NDIS access, I’m now writing to you because:
- This issue directly affects the education system both in terms of student wellbeing and teacher workload.
- Action from the Education portfolio is needed to advocate for a coordinated response, particularly while foundational supports are still being developed.
Specifically, I ask:
- Can you advocate to the Minister for Health for CDS to prioritise school-aged children at risk of losing disability supports?
- Can your department assess and escalate the impact this is having on schools, and identify additional interim supports needed for affected students and staff?
Happy to Assist
I would be happy to speak further with you or someone from your office to provide more background or explore potential solutions. I’ve also written a public explainer outlining the issue in more detail here.
Thank you for your time and leadership.
Kindest regards,
Pia
Pia Hazelwood Founder, Perth Kids Hub |
Email to the Office of the Hon. Sabine Winton MLA,
Minister for Education, Early Childhood; Preventative Health; Wheatbelt
15 September 2025
Pia Hazelwood Founder, Perth Kids Hub |
Response from the Office of the Hon. Sabine Winton MLA
Wednesday 24 September 2025
Dear Ms Hazelwood
ADVICE FOR PARENTS WAITING TO SEE A PAEDIATRICIAN
Thank you for your email dated 14 August 2025 regarding the changes to National
Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) support for children awaiting formal diagnosis of disability. I note that you have also addressed your email to the Minister for Health, who is best placed to provide information relating to access to Child Development Services in Western Australia.
I acknowledge the concerns you have raised. As you are aware, the Department of Education provides interim Individual Disability Allocation (IDA) funding for schools where students are confirmed to be on a waitlist for assessment and there is a reasonable likelihood of a diagnosis being made for the autism spectrum disorder and severe mental disorder IDA eligibility categories.
Students in mainstream schools who do not meet the IDA eligibility criteria, and require targeted interventions, are supported through the Educational Adjustment Allocation (EAA). The EAA is automatically provided to mainstream schools to support the implementation of programs and learning supports for students with additional learning needs. This allocation means more students are able to access support without the need for a diagnosis of disability.
I would like to assure you that regardless of diagnosis, public schools work closely with students, their families, and other agencies, to provide additional support as needed. Public schools have access to a range of resources, services and professional learning to assist them to better support students with diagnosed and/or imputed disability, including through the School Psychology Service and consulting teachers from the Schools of Special Educational Needs: Disability; Medical and Mental Health; Sensory; and Behaviour and Engagement.
I encourage all families to speak with their child s school regarding their educational needs and the teaching and learning adjustments and supports required for them to access the curriculum.
While health-related services fall under the Minister for Health’s portfolio, I recognise the need for a coordinated, cross-agency response to ensure no child is left without essential support. Our shared goal is to ensure every child can access the support they need to thrive in their learning environment, regardless of their diagnostic status or family circumstances. Ministers and departmental staff engage through established forums and share information to address matters to enhance service provision.
State government agencies are collaborating to progress a united approach to the
State’s foundational support strategy, with the Department having a lead role in considering the intersect between foundational supports and the education system in Western Australia.
Thank you for taking the time to write to me.
Yours sincerely
