Disability Dialogue to support First Nations Children and their families

The Disability Dialogue, an Early Childhood Outreach Initiative targeted at First Nations Children and their families, is one of a number of programs to be funded by the Federal Government in a push to improve information, inclusion and connection for people with disability. 

SNAICC – National Voice for our Children and the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) will both receive funding to support First Nations children with disability and developmental delay, their families, as well as the early childhood education and care (ECEC) workforce. 

“We are thrilled to be working with SNAICC and NACCHO on improving inclusion and support for First Nations children with disability, which is a key focus of several Government initiatives in addition to Australia’s Disability Strategy – like our Early Years Strategy and the National Agreement on Closing the Gap,” Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth said.

“These projects will generate new best practice resources and training for the First Nations early childhood and health sectors so that families can be effectively supported and informed and children can be identified and connected to support sooner.”

With an investment of more than $31 million, the Government will support 26 experienced organisations under the Information, Linkages and Capacity Building (ILC) program which aims to provide valuable and important community-based capacity building activities for people with disability, their families and carers. 

Funding of $11.1 million has been provided to 22 community-based organisations to enable them to deliver activities in 2024-25 under the Individual Capacity Building or Social and Community Participation streams, to deliver important capacity building activities and support for people with disability in the lead up to the establishment of Foundational Supports next year.

Minister for National Disability Insurance Scheme Bill Shorten said this latest funding under the ILC program expands its important work to build the capacity of Australians with disability and those that support them to better foster inclusion and connection. 

“The 22 community-based organisations and the work that they do are critical to people with disability, their families and the local communities they operate in – this funding ensures they can continue to deliver capacity building supports ahead of the Foundational Supports reforms commencing,” Minister Shorten said.

“We want to create a platform – Disability Dialogue – for genuine dialogue that is led by people with disability, who can use their lived experience to help the government prioritise and deliver disability reform.

“This funding means that the community won’t need to wait to be asked to participate in consultation and for the first time, it’s the other way around where the community has the resources to drive the disability policy agenda. This is a unique new approach that future proofs the involvement of the disability sector in the heart of policy making.”

More information about the ILC program is available on the Department of Social Services website.