January 2025

CEO update

Welcome to DSA's January e-news!

I hope you and your loved ones enjoyed a safe, happy and relaxing festive season.

I’m excited to be back at work with our team, ready for another productive year ahead. We have a lot to focus on this year, starting with our ongoing work on NDIS reforms. Our goal is to continue advocating for the best outcomes for our community. We want to make sure that people with Down syndrome and their families receive the support they need.

Another key area of focus for 2025 will be ageing. We’ve been doing important work in this area, and we’ll continue to push for better services and support for older people with Down syndrome. We look forward to updating you on this work very soon.

There’s much to look forward to, and I’m grateful for your continued support as we work together to create meaningful change.

Sincerely

Darryl Steff
CEO, Down Syndrome Australia

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DSA Updates

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Advocacy Work

The Federal Government is continuing to reform disability supports ahead of the upcoming election, expected early this year.

As mentioned in our last newsletter, DSA has been actively shaping the development of Foundational Supports. We've submitted feedback on general supports and those aimed at children with developmental disability, their families and carers. These supports, outside the NDIS, will include services like information, guidance, peer support and capacity building. We want to ensure they foster inclusion, are co-designed with the community and recognise the unique needs of children with Down syndrome and chromosomal variations.

View our submissions

Submission on General Foundational Supports

Submission on Foundational Supports for children

The Department of Social Services has been consulting the disability community on changes to the NDIS following last year's legislative updates, including eligibility reassessments and impairment notices. We understand these changes may be causing stress and uncertainty. If you need help understanding these updates or communications from the NDIA, please reach out to us or your state-based organisation.

In an exciting advocacy win, the NDIS has paused proposed changes to the pricing of music and art therapies until an independent review is completed. This is fantastic news for our community!

Opportunities

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Registration Still Open for VALID 2025 Conference!

You have until next Friday 17 January to register for the VALID: Having a Say conference!

The Having a Say conference is Australia’s largest event for people with disability. It provides a platform for people to find their voice, speak up, be heard and gain respect. It’s a conference where participants listen to each other, not just the speakers on stage.

Conference details:

Theme: Our Lives, Our Voices!

Dates: 28-30 January 2025

Venue: Costa Hall, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria

For more details, including Easy Read conference information, visit the VALID website:

Learn more

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Have Your Say: The SPORTY Project

The University of Queensland wants your input to help shape the future of disability sport research!

The SPORTY Project is inviting young people with disability and their families to share what researchers should focus on when it comes to playing sports with a disability. Through two to three short surveys, they aim to identify and rank the most important areas for future research.

Your insights will play a key role in guiding research for the Brisbane 2034 Paralympics and Olympics.

Down Syndrome Australia is the national peak organisation for people with Down syndrome and their families. We work closely with the State and Territory Down syndrome associations to provide advocacy, support, and information.

Down Syndrome Australia is proud to receive support from the Australian Government's Information Linkages and Capacity Building (ILC) Grant program, in order to deliver a wide variety of projects to support people with Down syndrome, their family and supporters.

Please get in touch if you have feedback you would like to share with us.

You can reach us via email at info@downsyndrome.org.au

Down Syndrome Australia and its members acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.

Down Syndrome Australia, 552 Victoria Street, North Melbourne, VIC, 3051

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