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Report on Government Services 2015

Chapter 14, Volume F

Services for people with disability

The Services for people with disability chapter (chapter 14) of the Report on Government Services reports on the assistance funded by governments to people with disability and their carers, focusing on specialist disability services.

The National Disability Agreement (NDA), effective from 1 January 2009, provides the national framework and key areas of reform for the provision of government support and services for people with disability and their carers. The focus of this chapter is on the services and supports provided under this agreement.

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  • Key Facts
  • Indicator Framework
  • Indicator Results

Total government expenditure on specialist disability services was $7.5 billion in 2013-14, a real increase of 4.1 per cent on expenditure in 2012-13 ($7.2 billion). Of all specialist disability funding in 2013–14, 70.2 per cent came from State and Territory governments and 29.8 per cent came from the Australian Government.

Nationally in 2012-13, the number of people with disability using specialist disability services as a proportion of the estimated potential population was:

  • Accommodation support, 6.5 per cent
  • Community support, 25.3 per cent
  • Community access, 8.7 per cent
  • Respite, 16.4 per cent
  • Supported employment, 7.5 per cent

Nationally in 2012–13, the number of people with disability using specialist disability services as a proportion of the estimate of all people aged 15–64 years with disability and who have an employment restriction was 7.3 per cent for Open employment (employment support).

The Australian, State and Territory governments aim to ensure that people with disability and their carers have an enhanced quality of life and participate as valued members of the community.

The performance indicator framework provides information on equity, efficiency and effectiveness, and distinguishes the outputs and outcomes of government funded services for people with disability. The performance indicator framework shows which data are complete and comparable in the 2015 Report.

Indicator framework explained in the chapter

An overview of the Services for people with disability performance indicator results are presented. Information to assist the interpretation of these data can be found in the indicator interpretation boxes in the Services for people with disability chapter and attachment tables.

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Equity — Access indicators

Access to National Disability Agreement (NDA) specialist disability services

Most recent data for this measure are comparable and complete (chapter 14).

Proportion of potential population who used accommodation support services.
  NSW Vic Qld WA SA Tas ACT NT Aust
% 5.8 5.3 5.8 7.1 13.6 10.5 5.3 6.5 6.5
Source: Attachment table 14A.18.

Service use by severity of disability

Most recent data for this measure are comparable and complete (chapter 14).

Proportion of users who need help with Assisted Daily Living.
  NSW Vic Qld WA SA Tas ACT NT Aust
% 84.5 77.9 80.6 94.5 82.1 89.6 86.1 79.9 83.5
Source: Attachment table 14A.26.

Service use by special needs groups

Most recent data for this measure are comparable and complete (chapter 14).

Proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians using accommodation support services per 1000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander potential population.
  NSW Vic Qld WA SA Tas ACT NT Aust
% 38.2 23.8 43.2 71.3 109.5 36.0 38.5 106.8 51.3
Source: Attachment table 14A.43.

Access to community accommodation and care services

Most recent data for this measure are comparable and complete (chapter 14).

Users of NDA community accommodation and care services as a proportion of all accommodation support service users.
  NSW Vic Qld WA SA Tas ACT NT Aust
% 87.2 95.3 89.3 95.7 90.5 86.8 100.0 100.0 91.0
Source: Attachment table 14A.59.

Assistance for younger people with disability in, or at risk of entering residential aged care

Most recent data for this measure are comparable and complete (chapter 14).

Rate of younger people admitted to permanent residential aged care per 10 000 potential population, 2013-14.
  NSW Vic Qld WA SA Tas ACT NT Aust
% 41.2 39.9 31.1 28.1 41.1 53.2 15.5 8.3 36.7
Source: Attachment table 14A.66.

Efficiency indicators

Government contribution per user of non-government provided services

Data for this indicator not complete or not directly comparable (chapter 14).

Government funding per user of non-government provided accommodation support services in institutional/residential setting.
  NSW Vic Qld WA SA Tas ACT NT Aust
$ 59 910 27 932 67 935 90 683 86 156 50 425 .. .. 63 519
Legend: .. Not applicable.
Source: Attachment table 14A.87.

Cost per user of State and territory administered services

Data for this indicator not complete or not directly comparable (chapter 14).

Total estimated expenditure per service user, State and Territory government administered programs.
  NSW Vic Qld WA SA Tas ACT NT Aust
$ 39 632 26 184 40 461 41 658 25 964 24 874 20 029 26 602 38 224
Source: Attachment table 14A.90.

Administrative expenditure as a proportion of total recurrent expenditure

Data for this indicator not complete or not directly comparable (chapter 14).

Administration expenditure as a proportion of total expenditure (including actual and imputed payroll tax), 2013-14.
  NSW Vic Qld WA SA Tas ACT NT Aust
% 7.5 7.5 6.0 3.6 4.0 11.2 5.4 5.0 6.4
Source: Attachment table 14A.91.

Outcome indicators

Labour force participation and employment of people with disability

Data for this indicator are comparable, subject to caveats (chapter 14).

Labour force participation rate for people with disability aged 15-64 years, 2012.
  NSW Vic Qld WA SA Tas ACT NT Aust
% 76.3
±1.0
77.8
±1.0
79.9
±1.1
81.7
±1.4
77.9
±1.3
73.9
±2.7
83.5
±1.5
86.0
±1.8
78.2
±0.4
Source: Attachment table 14A.93.

Labour force participation of primary carers of people with disability

Data for this indicator are comparable, subject to caveats (chapter 14).

Labour force participation rate for primary carers aged 15-64 years, 2012.
  NSW Vic Qld WA SA Tas ACT NT Aust
% 47.5
±7.3
53.4
±4.4
55.6
±6.6
59.4
±8.6
52.7
±9.6
58.2
±12.7
67.8
±14.7
91.2
±21.1
52.8
±3.2
Source: Attachment table 14A.110.

Social participation of people with disability

Data for this indicator are comparable, subject to caveats (chapter 14).

People with disability aged 15-64 years who have had face to face contact with ex household family or friends in the previous week 2012.
  NSW Vic Qld WA SA Tas ACT NT Aust
% 72.8
±2.9
76.3
±3.2
69.7
±1.6
77.6
±3.0
77.5
±2.6
78.1
±5.9
73.8
±20.4
72.7
±5.3
74.2
±1.2
Source: Attachment table 14A.125.

Some results reported here include 95 per cent confidence intervals (for example, 80 per cent ± 2.7 per cent).