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This report provides analysis of workers' experiences of delivering disability services and supports in the early stages of the outbreak of [Coronavirus Disease 2019] COVID-19 in Australia. Data is drawn from a survey of 2341 disability workers, conducted in March 2020. The survey was designed primarily to help understand the experiences of disability workers, and the challenges they confront in the context of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). It was planned and designed prior to the outbreak of the virus in Australia. However, the data collection period coincided with the period that social distancing measures were introduced and increased in Australia. As such, many workers provided comments in the survey that highlighted the significant issues and challenges they faced in the context of COVID-19. These included access to PPE, workplace safety protocols, barriers to social distancing and self-isolation, and the need for further industrial responses and workforce supports to sustain quality service delivery through the pandemic and recovery phase.

Key findings are: (1) there is an urgent lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) being supplied to staff and clients, and many workers feel their organisation's safety protocols have been inadequate in the context of COVID-19; (2) there are widespread perceptions that the disability workforce is being dangerously overlooked in pandemic response, and many workers are worried about the ongoing impacts of lack of planning in their organisation and for the disability sector as a whole; (3) workers have been particularly worried about day programs and community access activities remaining in operation; group homes remaining open to other workers delivering NDIS services and supports to residents, along with visitors; and disruption to clients' routines and activities, which has created additional risks to client wellbeing and safety; (4) staff are extremely anxious about the situation, and workforce issues and additional workloads have made it difficult to respond to heightened health and safety needs; and (5) some workers have lost jobs or shifts and are uncertain about the future of their work, and many expressed concerns about their inability to effectively self-isolate, and the financial impacts of doing so.

Published abstract and key findings. Show less

This report provides information about the workforce delivering disability services and supports in the context of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) in early 2020. The information comes from a national survey of disability workers which was co-designed by the University of New South Wales (UNSW) research team and the unions representing disability workers, the Health Services Union, Australian Services Union and United Workers Union.

The survey was designed to capture information from disability workers about the nature of the work they do and how it is changing; their experiences of working to support people with disability; and their perceptions of the NDIS. The results provide comprehensive, contemporary evidence that values workers' views and experiences, and which can inform approaches to disability service provision in Australia, and the operation and regulation of the NDIS.

Key findings include: (1) Many workers expressed concern about the NDIS with only just over a quarter believing it provided quality support for participants. Only one in five workers agreed the NDIS had been a positive experience for them as a worker; (2) Working time arrangements contributed to much concern for workers, over half work less than full time across multiple jobs, most reported doing vital tasks in unpaid time and many report constant shift changes and unstable rostering arrangements; (3) Many report dissatisfaction with low pay rates and significant periods of unpaid work. Workers are rarely paid for travel time between clients and many are not reimbursed for out of pocket expenses incurred in the course of their work; (4) Workers report a lack of supervision, which was reinforced by respondents who were supervisors advising they have too many people to supervise effectively; and (5) Many workers report a lack of access to training and training is rarely provided in paid time.

Edited abstract from APO website. Show less