April 2017
NDIA Partners in the Community – Early Childhood Early Intervention Services
Feedback Summary
Overview
The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) is a commonwealth statutory entity responsible for implementing the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). The NDIS aims to provide individual control and choice in the delivery of reasonable and necessary supports to improve the independence, social and economic participation of Participants.
The NDIS works to support people with disability to participate in, and contribute to, social and economic life. It works to provide certainty that people with disability will receive the care and support they need over their lifetime.
The Early Childhood Early Intervention (ECEI) approach is focused on children with developmental delay aged 0 to 6 years, their families and carers in a family-centred manner. ECEI focuses on the individual needs of each child and working with families to link them with mainstream supports. The ECEI approach is designed to:
a) assist children with developmental delay or disability, their families and carers to build and pursue their goals for life, exercise choice and control and engage with the Scheme; and
b) ensure that children with developmental delay or disability can be supported in their local communities and mainstream services enabling greater awareness and social inclusion for children with a developmental delay or disability.
Selection Process
The Community Grants Hub (the Hub) (supported by the Australian Government Department of Social Services) administered the Partners in the Community (Round One) selection process on behalf of the NDIA. The Hub received 26 applications to deliver ECEI Services.
In accordance with the Program Guidelines, compliant and eligible applications were assessed against five assessment criteria, and were subject to a set of risk assessments. Following this process, a panel of experts considered applications in the context of the NDIA’s National Outcome criteria, and recommended preferred applicants for negotiation. Preferred applicants were rated highly against the assessment criteria and represented value for money.
Information about strong responses to the selection criteria and attachments is set out below.
Selection Results
The NDIA sought to select one organisation per service area to deliver ECEI services.
Criterion 1
Demonstrate your understanding of the requirements of the Services detailed in the NDIS Partners in the Community Program (including ECEI Services) in the context of the Scheme and the opportunity that these Services need to provide for people with disability or developmental delay and their families and carers.
Applicants applying for multiple service areas were asked to respond to this criterion only once per application. Strong responses to Criterion 1 demonstrated the following strengths:
Strength / ExamplePreferred Applicants demonstrated a strong understanding of the requirements of the Services detailed in the NDIS Partners in the Community Program (the Program) in the context of the Scheme. / Responses discussed:
· the three key pillars of the NDIS (referenced in the Program Guidelines as Scheme Objectives and detailed below) and how ECEI Services contribute to the achievement of these objectives;
o social insurance approach;
o providing choice and control in the delivery of services; and
o harnessing the power of the community.
· The applicant’s understanding of the purpose, role and objectives of ECEI services;
· an understanding of the ECEI approach (outlined in the Annex E of the SOR) including but not limited to:
o evidenced based best practice early intervention which can improve the functional capacity and well-being for a child with a developmental delay or disability; and
o a culture which focuses on family centred practices delivered in a child’s natural setting.
Preferred Applicants demonstrated a strong understanding of the opportunity that these services need to provide for people with disability or developmental delay and their families and carers. / Responses demonstrated that the services will:
· assist families and carers with children with disability to build and pursue their goals, exercise choice and control and engage with the Scheme;
· ensure that children with developmental delay or disability can be supported in their local communities and mainstream services enabling greater awareness and social inclusion for children with a developmental delay or disability; and
· assist in seamless and effective referrals by developing strong relationships in the community and with mainstream services.
Areas for improvement /
Unsuccessful applicants could have strengthened their responses to Criterion 1 with further detail regarding the opportunities that ECEI services need to provide for families and carers of people with a disability or developmental delay.
Criterion 2
Demonstrated organisational experience in:
a) delivering services and outcomes similar to the ECEI Services required under the Program;
b) developing and implementing practical inclusion strategies within mainstream and community groups for people with disability; and
c) facilitating genuine community inclusion for individual children and people with disability or developmental delay and their families and carers.
Applicants applying for multiple service areas were asked to respond to this criterion only once per application. Strong responses to Criterion 2 demonstrated the following strengths:
Strength / ExamplePreferred Applicants demonstrated organisational experience in delivering services and outcomes similar to the ECEI services required under the Program. / Responses discussed experience in:
· delivering Services similar to those outlined in the Program Guidelines and Statement of Requirements;
· delivering successful outcomes that are similar to the expected outcomes of ECEI Services;
· delivering Services to children with disability or developmental delay, their families and carers;
· connecting people to, and building, informal and natural supports; and
· working with community, providers and mainstream support services to increase inclusion and awareness of the needs of people with disability;
· early childhood development and best practice early childhood intervention methods.
Preferred Applicants demonstrated organisational experience in developing and implementing practical inclusion strategies within mainstream and community groups for people with disability. / Responses discussed experience in:
· developing strategies to engage mainstream services and the community to be more inclusive of people with disability or developmental delay;
· implementing these strategies; and
· working at the community level to increase capacity of community and mainstream organisations to provide services and/or supports to ensure that people with disability or developmental delay can fully participate in a way that is meaningful for them.
Preferred Applicants demonstrated strong organisational experience in facilitating genuine community inclusion for individual children and people with disability and their families and carers. / Responses discussed experience in:
· working with Participants, their families and carers, the community and other parties to encourage change in societal beliefs and structures so that people with disability feel empowered, valued and included;
· facilitating activities and opportunities that improve the social participation of people with disability, their families and carers in the community; and
· community inclusion strategies (such as those described in Annex E of the SOR and detailed below):
o Awareness Raising – educating the general community about disability issues, inequalities, the impact this has on a child’s life choices and the benefits of change;
o Peer support – bringing people together to learn from each other through sharing information and support;
o Resource provision – identification of gaps in the appropriate allocation of attention from mainstream service providers; and
o Information collection – gathering information on community needs, attitudes and responses.
Areas for improvement /
Unsuccessful applicants could have strengthened their responses to Criterion 2 by demonstrating:
· the outcomes achieved through stated experience.
· experience in having developed or implemented practical inclusion strategies rather than simply demonstrating an understanding of the types of strategies they intend to provide as a Partner.
· experience in having facilitated genuine community inclusion strategies rather than simply demonstrating an understanding of the types of strategies they intend to provide as a Partner.
In addition, responses that focused on Health/Child Services related business models, or made references to disease/function prevention as opposed to capacity building model and early childhood intervention, were not considered desirable.
Criterion 3
Demonstrated alignment to the values of the Scheme and effectiveness of people, process, and systems, and any other aspects of organisational capability including:
a) governance structures and people management strategies that include and develop the voice of people with disability and ensure that the Applicant is a child safe organisation;
b) establishing effective organisational activity in similar timeframes and scale as required under the Program; and
c) the approach to ensuring the Applicant has the appropriate clinical and early childhood intervention leadership, staffing capability (with a strong understanding and knowledge of early childhood development) and governance to deliver the ECEI approach and expected outcomes for children.
Applicants applying for multiple service areas were asked to respond to this criterion only once per application. Strong responses to Criterion 3 demonstrated the following strengths:
Strength / ExamplePreferred Applicants described how their organisation aligns with the values of the scheme. / Responses discussed:
· how the organisation’s values and delivery of services align to the NDIS’ Scheme Objectives; and
· how the organisation’s values and delivery of services align with the objectives of an ECEI Partner.
Preferred applicants demonstrated effectiveness of people, process and systems, and any other aspects of organisational capability relevant to the grant. / Responses discussed:
· established facilities, human resources, business processes, policies and systems that enable the organisation to deliver services effectively; and
· measures, accreditations or accolades that demonstrate the effectiveness of each aspect of organisational capability outlined by the applicant.
Preferred Applicants described governance structures and people management strategies that include and develop the voice of people with disability. / Responses discussed:
· a culture which values the child and family/carer as central, at all levels of governance, leadership, recruitment, and service establishment, evaluation and delivery;
· a Clinical Governance Structure which is separate for the management of ECEI Services and addresses any conflict of interest with the governance structure or systems of a Registered Provider of Supports;
· strategies and processes to include, consult and collaborate with people with disability or developmental delay, their families and carers in the design, development and delivery of services; and
· forums or groups established or engaged by the organisation to better consult, collaborate and include people with disability or developmental delay, their families and carers.
Preferred Applicants described governance structures and people management strategies that ensure their organisation is child safe. / Responses discussed:
· the organisation’s policies and people management strategies that ensure the safety of children including:
o screening of new and existing staff (e.g. vulnerable persons checks, police checks and criminal offences checks);
o mandatory reporting protocols (including critical incident reporting);
o processes to identify risks and implement safe guards (as detailed in the SOR); and
o policies for staff working in a client’s home.
· governance structures that ensure the safety of children (e.g. monitoring and feedback processes as detailed in the SOR).
Preferred Applicants described establishing effective organisational activity in similar timeframes and scale as required under the Program. / Responses discussed experience in :
· the organisation establishing effective services in a similar timeframe and scale as required under the Program;
· planning and actions that ensured the successful establishment of these services;
· the successful outcomes delivered by these services.
Preferred Applicants demonstrated a strong approach to ensuring they have:
· appropriate clinical and early childhood intervention leadership;
· staffing capability (with a strong understanding and knowledge of early childhood development); and
· governance to deliver the ECEI approach and expected outcomes for children. / Responses demonstrated an approach which includes:
· an appropriate clinical governance model;
· leadership with experience in best practice principles of early intervention;
· a staffing structure that has a combination of early childhood educators and paediatric allied health professionals, (for example speech pathologists and occupational therapists); and
· staff that have experience in early childhood intervention and understand the difference between typical and non-typical development.
Areas for improvement /
Unsuccessful applicants could have strengthened their responses to Criterion 3 by:
· demonstrating the types of governance structures and policies that they have in place and how these demonstrate alignment to the Scheme and a commitment to developing a voice for ECEI clients.
· providing greater detail on their experience in establishing new/similar activities or services within similar timeframes.
· providing the qualifications, skills and experience relevant to key personnel positions and the delivery of ECEI services.
Criterion 4
Demonstrated capability to deliver ECEI Services in each Service Area including:
a) capability to establish and/or expand, an active, visible presence on the ground in the timeframes required. The Applicant should detail where there is a current outlet within a Service Area, or what action have or will be taken to ensure a presence within a Service Area;
b) experience in working with the existing community opportunities and constraints, and the nature of community and mainstream supports within the Service Area;
c) an understanding of Participant Intake within each Service Area, and the Applicants methodology and/or workforce allocation or effort to deliver ECEI Services; and
d) development and retention of an appropriately skilled workforce including to ensure that the Applicant is able to meet the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island or Culturally and Linguistically Diverse populations in the Service Area.
Applicants were asked to respond to, and were assessed against, this criterion for each Service Area applied for. Strong responses to Criterion 4 demonstrated the following strengths: