The national disability insurance scheme: Administrators’ perspectives of agency transition to ‘user pay’ for early intervention service delivery

The launch of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) in Australia announced changes to the ways people with disabilities and families access services. These changes cover delivery of early childhood early intervention to families with infants and young children with disabilities. In July 2013, the NDIS was rolled out nationally in three pilot sites. This funded phenomenological study was conducted in one pilot rollout site with administrators from two agencies delivering such services. Analysis of the data identified factors that challenged professional practice and personal philosophy. The findings suggest that the long-term financial viability of community agencies is at risk. A crucial dilemma emerged concerning parent choice: to what extent does a ‘user pay’ system impose limitations to services being delivered in a family centred way?.