Source: NSW Parliament Hansard [26/2/2008]

Mr GERARD MARTIN: My question is addressed to the Minister for Ageing, and Minister for Disability Services. Will the Minister update the House on the latest initiatives by the Government to help young people with disabilities who live in residential aged care?

Ms KRISTINA KENEALLY: I am happy to update the House on the positive outcomes we are delivering for young people living in residential aged care facilities. These outcomes are delivering new services and new age-appropriate supported accommodation. These outcomes are improving the lives of young people who choose to remain in residential aged care, and they will prevent more young people from entering residential aged care. When I travel around the State, whether it is to Bathurst, Newcastle, the Far North Coast or the South Coast, people talk to me about their ideas on how to provide more age-appropriate accommodation.

This week I released a request for expressions of interest for new and innovative supported accommodation—accommodation that is age appropriate for younger people with very high support needs. This is an exciting move. It is the first step in creating real solutions on a significant scale—solutions for people like Allegra Salter. Allegra is a young woman who left school recently. She has cerebral palsy and her support needs are quite high. I met Allegra when I visited Bathurst. Currently, she lives in a residential aged care facility. Allegra's mother, Sally, has told me about how the quality of Allegra's life has improved significantly since she has been able to access the Community Participation Program, which is part of our Stronger Together reform of disability services.

It gives Allegra five days a week outside the residential aged care facility. It gives her the opportunity to be with people her own age and to pursue her love of art, whether it is visiting an art gallery or engaging in her own artistic pursuits. Allegra also has the opportunity to attend things like Riding for the Disabled or to have a personal shopper supporting her when she goes to the shops. While I am thrilled that Allegra is getting the support she needs through the Community Participation Program, she wants what most people her age want: the opportunity to move out on her own or to move in with a group of friends her own age. That is why the Iemma Government and I are committed to providing better support to young people who live in residential aged care. It is stories like that of Allegra that compel us to that commitment.

The expressions of interest process closes on 18 April, and we would like organisations, individuals and consortia of organisations to come to us with their suggestions of flexible, innovative and age-appropriate accommodation. An expressions of interest process is just one part of it. Recently we have seen the first two younger people in residential aged care move into age-appropriate accommodation in the Hunter, and a third person received a similar offer only last month. It is important to note that not all young people in residential aged care want to move out. In fact, last year the Iemma Government wrote to all 367 people under the age of 50 who live in residential aged care, and we invited them to be part of a process where we consider how we can provide alternative accommodation and improved services.

About one-third of those people who responded told us that they would prefer to stay in their current accommodation but to access additional services that make their lives more enjoyable. That is why we have introduced our in-reach support packages. These in-reach packages are tailored to each person. They can include things like recreational activities, diversional therapy, occupational therapy, and access to a day program off site where they can interact and participate in activities with people in their own age group. What is important about these in-reach packages is that they are available not only to young people who are choosing to stay in their residential aged care but also to younger people who are waiting to move out into age-appropriate accommodation.

I can advise the House that recently we concluded a tender process that sought to roll out in-reach disability support packages across New South Wales to create a network of service providers around the State to deliver these in-reach packages. I can advise the House that the response to that tender process has been incredibly positive. The Iemma Government's commitment to younger people with a disability with high support needs is reflected in Stronger Together, our $1.3 billion commitment to disability services. Stronger Together supports the young people in residential aged care programs. It provides long-term, practical solutions that people with disabilities and their families and carers want and need. I look forward to updating the House in the future on the continuing positive outcomes of the Young People in Residential Aged Care Program.