Disability Services Commission

Sector Development Plan – Disability Services

CONCEPT PAPER

Introduction

This is a concept paper. Its purpose is to describe the benefits and structure of a Disability Services ‘Sector Development Plan’. It is an initial scoping of a plan and is circulated for the purpose of promoting comment and providing an opportunity to validate the concept of a plan and to shape its contents. We look forward to your consideration of the concept of a ‘Sector Development Plan’.

Background

During the past twenty years the Western Australian disability services system has undergone significant change, growth and development. The system has become more diverse and responsive to the support requirements of people with disabilities, families and carers. The progressive implementation of individualised funding and, more recently, the introduction of self directed service models have required disability sector organisations to focus more on the individual needs of the people using their services.

Currently, over 115 disability service organisations are funded by the Disability Services Commission to provide a wide range of services for people with disabilities, families and carers. The Australian Government also provides funding for a range of disability services. Other supports and services are provided by mainstream State Government agencies and by community-based organisations.

The Disability Services Commission has used a range of data and information sources to guide the growth and development of the sector during the past two decades. These have included (1) population data from a variety of sources, (2) data on un-met demand from the Commission’s Combined Application Process (CAP) and other sources, (3) information provided by disability sector organisations, (4) feedback on unmet demand via the Local Area Coordination network, and (5) direct input from people with disabilities, families and carers.

These information and data sources have tended to be used to guide decision making for the expansion of programs, the allocation of growth funding and the pre-qualification of new service provider organisations. At no time in the past twenty years, however, can it be said that decision making about the growth and development of the sector has been guided by a comprehensive and detailed plan for the sector.

It is generally accepted, however, that the next wave of growth in the disability services sector should be guided by a comprehensive and detailed sector development plandeveloped in partnership between the Disability Services Commission and sector organisations, and based upon direct input from the people that will be using services.

The Disability Services Commission will facilitate the development of this sector development plan. Once developed, the plan will be regularly updated and will be available on the Commission’s website. The plan will guide the development of the sector into the future.

Purpose of the Sector Development Plan

The purpose of the Sector Development Plan is to guide the on-going development of a viable disability services sector in ways that will:

  1. provide the capacity to meet the needs and requirements of people with disabilities, families and carers throughout Western Australia
  2. ensure that people with disabilities, families and carers have access to a range of supports and services
  3. promote the viability and sustainability of service provider organisations
  4. promote and foster the development of innovative and responsive models of support
  5. promote the further development of ‘grass roots’, community-based, informal support arrangements that contribute to the quality of life and community inclusion opportunities for people with disabilities.

The Sector Development Plan will be a dynamic document that will be owned by and accessible to all key stakeholders in the disability services sector including public sector agencies, disability sector organisations and people who use disability services.

Functions of the Sector Development Plan

It is anticipated that the sector development plan will serve a range of functions and purposes. The overall intent will be to increase the capacity of the sector to respond to the needs and requirements of people with disabilities, families and carers regardless of where they are living in Western Australia.

When complete, the sector development plan will perform a range of functions. These will include:

(a)a planning and sector development resource for the Commission, other government agencies and other funding bodies

(b)a resource to be used by service provider organisations to assist with vision setting, strategic planning and business planning

(c)a resource to promote engagement and collaborative partnerships between disability service organisations

(d)a resource for people with disabilities, families and cares to assist with planning and developing individualised supports and services.

Finally, the Sector Development Plan will be a resource to guide the contract negotiations between the Commission and disability sector organisations consistent with the provisions of the State Government’s ‘Delivering Community Services in Partnership Policy’. This new policy clearly states that public authorities such as the Disability Services Commission may only fund or purchase community services under the ‘Policy’if the desired impact or change is intended to improve social, cultural and/or economic outcomes for Western Australians. In making decisions about services to be purchased for the Western Australian community it is essential that the Commission consult and collaborate with relevant community sector organisations and with prospective service users.

The Sector Development Plan will be a key resource tool for this collaborative engagement and planning - with the sector and the community.

Scope of the Plan

The Sector Development Plan willprovide (1) a status check on the current disability services sector, (2) an analysis of relevant population/demographic data and links to associated data sources, (3) an overview and relevant details of current and emerging demand for services, (4) a presentation of social, economic and environmental factors likely to impact on future service requirements, (5) an overview of the emerging trends in the demand for services and supports, (6) a presentation of the current and emerging gaps in services and supports.

Collectively, these data and presentations will enable the Commission, the sector and the wider community to plan and prepare for future service requirements. As such, the Plan will be a valuable resource for the roll out of Component II of the State Government’s funding and procurement reforms.

The Sector Development Plan will have a State-wide focus, with appropriate reference to the differing conditions and requirements of each of the regions and each of the districts within the Perth metropolitan area. A key objective will be to ensure that people with disabilities, families and carers have access to a range of service and support options and models regardless of where they are living in Western Australia.

While the Plan will focus primarily on the “funded’ disability services sector, it will also contain data, trend analysis and directions for the development of other important elements of the disability support system. Given the importance of ‘grass roots’, community based supports for building good lives for people with disabilities and to support families and carers, the Plan will provide the basis for understanding and future investment in this “unfunded” area. The ‘Count Me In’: Disability Future Directions plan will be a key complementary resource for this component of the Sector Development Plan.

The Plan will contain information, references and links to broader trends and developments in the disability services field such as technology, contemporary service models, leadership and governance, and self-directed services.

The Sector Development Plan will also contain appropriate information, references and links to relevant associated inputs to the disability services sector. Key input areas will include workforce, training and development, quality assurance and housing.

Finally, the Plan will provide an important platform for the emergence of social innovation and social enterprise initiatives. The combination of demographic data, trend analysis, demand projections, preferred service and support models, system requirements and community expectations will provide a valuable resource to stimulate social innovation.

Foundations of the Sector Development Plan

The following will be key reference points for the development and on-going refinement of the sector development plan:

  • Input from people with disabilities, families and carers
  • State Government directions and priorities
  • ‘Count Me In’: Disability Future Directions
  • Disability Services Commission’s Strategic Plan
  • Disability Services Commission’s Annual Report
  • Annual Disability Sector Report
  • Input from ‘funded’ disability service organisations
  • Input from ‘unfunded’ community based groups and advocacy organisations
  • National Disability Agreement
  • National Disability Strategy
  • Delivering Community Services in Partnership Policy
  • Wide range of relevant data sources

The Sector Development Plan will assist in taking the disability services from where it is now to where we need it to be in the future for the benefit of the Western Australian community. The following diagram locates the Sector Development Plan within the Commission’s objective for the on-going development of the disability services sector.

It is anticipated that the Sector Development Plan will become a resource that is developed by and valued by the disability services sector and the wider community.

Components of the Plan

The Sector Development Plan will comprise seven key components.

Section / Details
A / Overview of the current service system
(capacity, reach, services and supports, andimpact)
B / Presentation and analysis of data (multiple sources)
C / Current and future demand for services and supports
D / Service gaps and areas for development
E / Geographic analysis
F / Sector capacity building
G / Focus areas for development

Details of the Components of the Plan

Section A
Overview of the current service system
(capacity, reach, services and supports,and impact) / Details of all services currently purchased by the Disability Services Commission. This will include:
  • Types of supports and services
  • Analysis of Government funding provided to services
  • Analysis of service users – age, type of disability, location
  • Funding provided to disability sector organisations (based on information contained in DSC Annual Report)
  • Funding provided for service provision in regional areas
  • Funding provided for service provision in districts within the Perth metropolitan area
  • Funding for different service models
  • Current extent of mobility of service users between service providers
Details of specialist disability services currently funded by the Australian Government
Details, where possible, of capacity in the informal, un-funded, community-based support system
Details, where possible, of other service capacity (eg HACC, Local Government)
Section B
Presentation and analysis of data (multiple sources) /
  • ABS data
  • AIHW data
  • Data held by the Disability Services Commission
  • Annual Client Data Collection data
  • Relevant data from the Australian Data Linkage Unit
  • Relevant information from other relevant State Government departments (eg Department of Health, State Planning Strategy)
  • Information provided via the State-wide Local Area Coordination network
  • Information made available from disability sector organisations
  • Information made available from the un-funded disability sector and other community sources

Section C
Current and future demand for services and supports
(type of support and quantity of support) /
  • Input from people with disabilities, families and carers
  • State Government directions
  • National and International Trends Analysis
  • ‘Count Me In’
  • DSC’s Strategic Plan
  • DSC’s Annual Report
  • Disability Sector Report
  • Input from ‘funded’ disability service organisations
  • Input from ‘unfunded’ community organisations
  • National Disability Agreement
  • National Disability Strategy
  • Delivering Community Services in Partnership Policy
The integration and analysis of information and data from sources listed in Section C will provide the basis for determining future areas for sector development.
Section D
Service gaps and areas for development / This section will provide a detailed gap analysis between the current service system capacity and the desired service system.
Areas for future development and investment will emerge from this analysis of the gaps in the current service system and the expressed needs of the community. This section will provide the Disability Service Commission, service provider organisations, community organisations and people using services with the information required for planning and future investment in services and supports.
Section E
Geographic analysis / A detailed presentation of disability sector capacity and service gaps in each regional area and in each part of the Perth Metropolitan area.
Section F
Sector capacity building / Details of required capacity building in key areas such as:
  • workforce development including training and development
  • quality assurance
  • community based infrastructure such as housing, education and health services
  • technology
  • contemporary service models
  • leadership and governance

Section G
Focus areas for development / This section will contain a detailed presentation of areas for development within the disability services sector.
It will serve as:
  • a planning and sector development resource for the Commission, other government agencies and other funding bodies
  • a resource to be used by service provider organisations to assist with vision setting, strategic planning and business planning
  • a resource to promote engagement and collaborative partnerships between disability service organisations.
  • a resource for people with disabilities, families and carers to assist with planning and developing individualised supports and services, and
  • a basis for contract negotiations between the Commission and partner service provider organisations.

For further information or to provide comment contact:

Monique Williamson

Executive Director

Community and Sector Development Directorate

Disability Services Commission

Phone: 6104 9533

Email:

Post: PO Box 441
WestPerth, WA 6872

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