NDIS Workforce Capability Framework

The NDIS Commission is leading the development of a national NDIS Workforce Capability Framework to support consistency in practice and delivery of quality disability services across Australia.

The Australian Government’s strategy to support the development the NDIS market, Growing the NDIS Market and Workforce Strategy, was released in early 2019. One of the priorities in that strategy is Developing Workforce Capability (3.1).

The Capability Framework will translate the NDIS principles, Practice Standards and Code of Conduct into clear and observable behaviours that service providers and workers should demonstrate when delivering services to people with disability.

The Capability Framework will include:

core capabilities that all service providers and workers will be expected to have complementary capabilities required by workers who assist participants with tasks that require specific knowledge or expertise technical capabilities for those who deliver higher-intensity services that require specialised knowledge or expertise.

Benefits of a Capability Framework

The major benefit of Capability Framework is that it will describe a set of observable skills and behaviours for workers and service providers who deliver services and supports to NDIS participants. This will ensure NDIS participants experience consistent, quality service – no matter which provider they deal with.

The Capability Framework will assist service providers to:

improve overall quality and effectiveness of services for better outcomes for NDIS participants
shape the design of professional development and learning
clarify career pathways for workers in the disability sector
enhance professional and management practice
recruit and induct staff, manage performance and undertake workforce planning.
Developing the Capability Framework
Bendelta, an organisation that specialises in workforce capability development, will undertake this work from November 2019. This is expected to take approximately 12 months.

Other elements of this project involve Bendelta undertaking research into how the workforce is currently managed (including any existing capability or competency frameworks), and reviewing workforce training and development opportunities, as well as existing and potential workforce certification options for specified supports.

When the Capability Framework is developed, a separate second phase will focus on implementation, and will include developing tools to support NDIS participants, providers and workers to use the Capability Framework.

The NDIS Commission’s Positive Behaviour Support Capability Framework will ultimately form part of the NDIS Workforce Capability Framework, reflecting the technical capabilities required to deliver positive behaviour support outcomes for NDIS participants.

Stakeholder consultation

Stakeholder consultation is key to developing a relevant and viable Capability Framework.

Each element of the research, development, testing and implementation work must be informed by robust consultation with key stakeholders, including:

People with disability and their families
Service providers
Workforce
Technical experts
State and territory governments
Peak agencies
Stakeholders from all states and territories and from metropolitan, regional, rural and remote locations will be invited to have input into different aspects of the work.

Bendelta will use a variety of methods, including: observing interactions between NDIS participants, service providers and workers; running interactive workshops; setting up an online platform for feedback; directly interviewing stakeholders and using surveys.

More information

For further information about stakeholder engagement on this project, please call Emma Kelly at Bendelta on (02) 9232 3401 or email NDISwcf@bendelta.com

Further information on the project will be available as the project progresses.

Attribution: https://www.ndiscommission.gov.au/workers/ndis-workforce-capability-framework