AAFCD Advocacy

AAFCD provides systemic advocacy to achieve better outcomes for children with a disability and their families. Systemic advocacy seeks to influence and a change a ‘system’ such as legislation, government policy and community attitudes.

Through systemic advocacy AAFCD aims to create change and engender a true appreciation of thee experiences and challenges that make up the lives of children with a disability and their families.

Recent AAFCD advocacy

• Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians
• Improved Support for Carers Bill
• National Human Rights Consultation
• Harmonisation of Disability Parking Permit Scheme in Australia
• Previous AAFCD submissions

Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians

Input was sought from educational partners and other stakeholders on a draft action plan following the 2008 Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goal for Young Australians formulated by the Ministerial Committee on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs (MCEETYA). The Declaration sets two educational goals for the next 10 years:

1. Australian schooling promotes equity and excellence; and

2. All young australians become successful learners, confident and creative individuals and active and informed citizens.

AAFCD's submission highlighted our strong commitment to advocating for high quality education for children with a disability where they have an opportunity to realise their full potential and be enriched by the process.

AAFCD submission on Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians March 09 (PDF 53KB)

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Improved Support for Carers Bill

We provided comment on the ‘Improved Support for Carers’ Bill which examined the Carer Payment for Children. The Senate referred the Improved Support for Carers Bill to the Community Affairs Committee for inquiry and report, following on from the Review of Carer Payment (Child) in 2007. The review highlighted the difficulties many families face due to the restrictive eligibility criteria and assessment process.

The recommended changes are:

• New eligibility criteria for Carer Payment (child).
• Carers of children in hospital and those with a terminal illness can keep their Carer Payment and/or Allowance while their child is in hospital.
• Development of a single assessment process for Carer Payment and Carer Allowance.
• Consideration of more complex claims by Carer Assessment Teams.
• Access to payment for care provided on a short-term or episodic basis.
• Automatic eligibility for Carer Allowance (child) for Carer Payment (child) recipients.
• Transition process between Carer Payment (child) and Carer Payment (adult)

AAFCD's submission highlighted the difficulty of providing informed comment on the new eligibility criteria as the ‘Disability Care Load Assessment’ has not been released for review.

AAFCD submission on the Improved Support for Carers Bill April 09 (PDF 142KB)

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National Human Rights Consultation

Earlier this year the Australian Government conducted a consultation on human rights in Australia.  AAFCD's submission noted that many people in our community assume human rights are well protected within Australia and that the reality for many children with a disability and their families is different. AAFCD advocated that extensive consideration and action be taken to ensure human rights are better protected and promoted in Australia.

AAFCD submission on National Human Rights Consultation June 09 (PDF 54KB)

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Harmonisation of Disability Parking Permit Schemes in Australia

A new national scheme will replace existing schemes to allow consistent eligibility criteria and entitlements across Australia. Advice was sought on the following areas:

1. Nationally Consistent Eligibility Criteria

2. National minimum standards for permit parking concessions

3. Nationally consistent parking permit design

AAFCD is of the opinion that the proposed criteria did not accurately capture the needs of all children with disability who require a disability parking permit. It was further noted that many children and families would find accessing community venues impossible or too onerous without the availability of disability parking.

AAFCD submission on Harmonisation of Disability Parking Permit Schemes in Australia July 09 (PDF 97KB)

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Previous AAFCD submissions

AAFCD submission on Optional Protocol to the UN CRPD Jan 09 (PDF 54KB)

AAFCD submission on National Disability Strategy Dec 08 (PDF 50KB)

AAFCD submission on Pension Review Sept 08 (PDF 55KB)

AAFCD submission on National Quality Framework for Early Childhood, Education and Care Sept 08 (PDF 50KB)

AAFCD submission on Inquiry into Better Support for Carers July 08 (PDF 632KB)

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