The rewards and challenges of self-managing National Disability Insurance Scheme: Exploration of parental...

Under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), participants can self-manage their funding. This management style largely deviates from previous Australian service systems. The self-management option provides NDIS participants flexibility and choice in accessing any services; however, it generates an administrative burden. In 2019, parents of children with disability had the highest percentage of using the self-management option. Parents of children commonly have high child-care responsibilities and experience health issues. Given the administrative burden associated with the self-management option, the experiences of these parents should be documented.

This study aimed to explore the experiences of parents of children with disability as they fully or partly self-manage their children's NDIS funding.

Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with 16 parents. The transcribed data were analysed, using reflexive thematic analysis.

No service user was involved in this study.

Four themes were generated: (1) Feeling empowered by having control and choice for my child's needs; (2) it is time-consuming, and overwhelming, but glad to have chosen this option; (3) need to be responsible because you run a business with public funding; and (4) professional background and disability networks help self-management.

The research provides insight into how parents navigate the complexity of NDIS as they self-manage to benefit their children. While self-management is overwhelming, it provides choice and control to parents, fostering parenting self-efficacy. The research highlights the importance of a support network, diverse skills, and knowledge to efficiently self-manage NDIS funding, which should be considered as occupational therapists support parents of children with disability.