Family Day Care and Respite Care

In reply to Mr BOYER (Wright) (23 November 2020). (Estimates Committee B)

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER (Morialta—Minister for Education): I am advised of the following:

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) sets the price limit for services. As a NDIS registered provider, the department can charge a 'NDIS participant' for an approved service up to that price limit. As a NDIS registered provider, the Department for Education approves self-employed carers called 'care providers' to provide respite services to families. The amount that the department, as a registered provider, pays out to a carer is based on a contractual arrangement with the carer.

The hourly rate which is provided by NDIS to the department as a registered provider is currently $51 per hour with $29 per hour paid to a carer providing 1:1 support and $23 per child per hour for support provided to multiple children.

Under the NDIS, charges or other fees outside the price guide are not allowed.

The gap between the hourly NDIS payment ($51) and the payment to the care provider ($29 or $23) is used by the department to cover the cost of operating the service with department staff responsible for overseeing the program, supporting respite care placements, monitoring the quality of care being provided and the safety, health and wellbeing of children in care.