Australia's individualised disability funding packages: when do they provide greater choice and opportunity?

Australia's new National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) uses individualised funding packages instead of tradi-tional block-funded disability services to support people with disability. The NDIS works with the person and theirfamily to assess the person's needs and develop a plan that determines their funding allocation. Funding can be used topurchase support from a disability service or from the open market. People can purchase support that suits their cul-tural and personal preferences. This paper examined whether individual funding packages met their aims in WesternAustralia, where they had been the primary mechanism of disability support for over 25 years. An exploratory casestudy was conducted consisting of face-to-face, in-depth interviews with 11 key participants: people with disability,senior government administrators, service provider managers, and a support worker. Complex systems theory was usedto review the data and findings showed that individualised funding packages did not automatically result in more choiceand greater opportunities. People needed information to make informed decisions; supportive and creative supportfrom social workers and other professionals; and welcoming communities. The findings can inform policies and assistsocial workers facilitate maximum choice and opportunities for people with disability and their families