TLC Music Therapy

12/07/2025

If you are upset with the recent changes or just the general flaws in the NDIS then the Australian Neurodivergent Parents Association have launched a Harm Tracker to document the spread of damage from the recent NDIS cuts. It takes 3min if you'd like to have your say.

https://www.thisisanpa.org/the-harm-tracker-project?fbclid=IwY2xjawLe391leHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFPbUlPUkVOaWdsZE84UWd2AR4mjk8dqCthVIAvFpau5YV_o3fTexqb4AMFwDEZeT8rqFv8ry-7o0oUE1fHpQ_aem_RkkwPXbvBWcr2fQEci7B5A

make harm visible What is the Harm Tracker?The Harm Tracker is a new national tool to report how NDIS cuts are hurting people. It is an independent, grassroots, public interest project. It is co-designed with Disabled people, led by Disabled people and created in partnership with Allied Health work...

15/06/2025

The NDIS continue to spring changes on providers and participants with no consultation. The latest cuts to travel costs may seem like a way to save therapy funds, but will just make it untenable for providers to see clients who need services at home or school. If you receive any allied health services outside of therapy clinics then you can have a say here. https://www.facebook.com/reel/1428835815203841

21/05/2025

I thought I'd let you know we just got some confirmation from the NDIS last week regarding music therapy and the use of stated supports. The NDIA admit that it's causing a lot of confusion.

NDIS confirmed that only in rare cases are therapies to be stated supports. Participants do have the choice to use their funds flexibly within the capacity building category.

So unless you have stated supports explicitly mentioned at the start of your new plan, then your CB funds can still be used flexibly for music therapy or whatever you like.

Here's more info if you're interested

This means that you should be able to still access music therapy if you wish.  Even if music therapy was not explicitly stated in your plan (or even if other therapies were mentioned), you still have choice in how you use those funds.   The NDIA admit that the system and guidance settings for bui...

04/05/2025

Glad to see the pressure is still on the NDIA to lift its game. I frequently have clients say they are too frightened of repercussions to contest an unfair (or illogical) plan review.

In its efforts to cut costs, the agency running the NDIS has taken an adversarial approach that has left participants exhausted and independent reviewers appalled.

01/04/2025

Here's the latest update on the NDIS new rules on plan variation and reassessment.

Last week, the Department of Social Services released new Plan Variation and Reassessment Rules. Sara explores when the NDIA can vary a plan in an emergency, make minor variations or reassess a plan.

27/03/2025

So we've finally got our hands on the original document that recommended music and art therapy be removed as therapy supports in the NDIS. And gosh, it's so badly researched it's almost funny.

NDIA decided there wasn't enough evidence to support music therapy and yet they haven't included a single music therapy journal in their review of the research. And there are a few out there. So despite over 20 peer-reviewed music therapy journals all easily accessible online, they couldn't find a single one.

Bet chatgpt could have found them.

And of the 21 articles they did review, only 3 described actual music therapy provided by a registered music therapist.

They didn't even include their own commissioned research (Autism CRC national guideline) which found that music therapy had a positive impact on children with autism.

No participant voices included
No qualitative research included
No consultation with music therapists
No reference to thousands of NDIS progress reports they make us write and admit they don't read
No reference to the AMTA summary of disability research document which was shared with them last year

Just when I thought I couldn't get any more frustrated with the NDIA.

Just not good enough...

Send a message to learn more

19/03/2025

The NDIS independent review into Music and Art therapy pricing has been extended till 17th April. Dr Stephen Duckett has requested more time to review the hundreds of submissions received. Read more here

With the review findings delayed and the election looming it looks like we may be waiting several more months for a final decision on music therapy pricing from the NDIA.  They have confirmed that music and art therapy are not going to be removed from the NDIS, and that it's still business as usua...

05/03/2025

Music therapy stories #17

"Music therapy has been one of the most important therapies Ella has undertaken throughout her journey with developmental delay and now intellectual disability. It has been her joy and place for her to combine all of her other therapies together.

It has given us a platform to undertake a lot of incidental therapy with Ella at home and Ella's school team have also noticed how very important and beneficial Ella's music therapy sessions are. School now actively try to include music and sound as part of all her learning activities.

Ella has grown so much with her music therapy, she is finding her voice, all of her fine motor skills have developed and she now even walks around at home strumming our little guitar. I am so excited to continue watching her on her learning journey.”
(Kylie, Ella’s mum)

* Story shared with consent
* Client photo and video used with consent
* Names have been changed

03/03/2025

Last friday my music therapy colleague Cath Russell and myself met with Claire Ferris Miles, the Independent candidate for our electorate of Casey at the TLC clinic. Claire seemed lovely, engaged and interested in our issues with the NDIS. She supports the NDIS and had some good ideas for supporting NDIS participants voices.
These are our candidates and we're slowly meeting them one by one to talk about music therapy as a funded therapy support and better NDIS access and governance for clients.

27/02/2025

Music Therapy story #16

While we wait to hear the outcome of the NDIS independent review I'm feeling so validated to continue to hear these stories of music therapy making a difference in people's lives, while also feeling immense sadness that these outcomes don't seem to be valued by our government or healthcare decision-makers.

Music therapy has, in my opinion, been one of the most vital supports that Charles has received through the NDIS. His brain cancer is destroying his ability to continue functioning as he used to: he's no longer able to work and this was an important part of his identity; he can no longer communicate easily with his family and friends as he can no longer draw from his memory, or follow a conversation thread; and he's no longer able to undertake the standard household tasks that are part of being a parent to teenage kids like driving them to activities, cooking dinner, doing household chores, or working in the garden. The only element that remains unharmed is his love and appreciation of music.

Though Charles's memory is failing him, he is often aware of the fact that his memory no longer works. This causes him significant distress because he is worried about being a burden on me and our daughters and not being able to share the mental and physical load of running a household. Since starting music therapy, I often spot him sitting and singing quietly to himself. When I approach and listen, I realise he's singing about his difficulties and his sadness and stress at the current situation. He's essentially voicing his worries in the form of songs he's making up on the spot. I'm so grateful that - through singing - he's able to get some of the stress and worries out of his body. This response is entirely due to music therapy, as it's not something he ever did beforehand. Though the reflections he's singing about are often weighed with sadness, he's not distressed when he's singing them. Rather, he seems to be finding a way to articulate his sadness and process it.
(Sarah, Charles’s wife).

*Story shared with consent
*Stock photo used

20/02/2025

Music therapy stories #15

Prior to starting music therapy, Raph appeared as a selectively mute young man, who was heavily reliant and attached to his personalised communication device. Raph was quite difficult to engage with, preferring to sit alone and struggling to use his device in a functional way to communicate with others.

Since beginning music therapy, Raph’s engagement with both his speech pathologist as well as other staff and participants has excelled. He is now able to engage in simple conversations with familiar people. Raph has improved in his ability to participate in group activities as well as use his device to make requests, choices, comments, and ask questions.

This has been greatly beneficial to Raph’s social connections and relationships with others, and it has been an absolute pleasure to see Raph become more confident in himself.
(Raph’s speech pathologist)

*Story used with consent
*Stock photo used

13/02/2025

So last Friday AMTA submitted an extensive submission to Dr Stephen Duckett to fight for music therapy to stay as a therapy support within the NDIS. And now we wait. Fingers crossed for a positive outcome on 15th March!

Here's the latest client story for you.

Music therapy stories #14

Gabriel has attended Music Therapy since December 2020. He started off on a weekly basis and we immediately saw improvement. But then on June 17th, 2021, I received a letter from the NDIA stating that Music Therapy was duplicating other therapy such as OT and Speech. So therefore, funding wasn’t provided for Music Therapy. So, July 26th 2021, I took it further to the AAT where we fought an 8-month battle with the NDIA. We provided substantial evidence stating why Music Therapy was different to other therapies, how it helps Gabriel and other children with ASD, and provided evidence from research articles and specialists. By providing Music Therapy it will provide a strong foundation for Gabriels’s future developmental outcomes. In the end we received funding for Music Therapy.

Gabriel is a gestalt learner, he uses phrases from songs to emphasize his needs, wants and emotions. Music Therapy has significantly changed Gabriels’s life. From a boy who would only provide fleeting eye contact- to eye contact; to a child who wouldn’t interact or engage with Jacinta- to engaging with Jacinta; to a child who was fully non-speaking - to a child being able to use PECS/AUSLAN/AAC and using intentional language; and to a child who never used to greet others - to greeting others in different environments.

Gabriel is a remarkable, happy young boy who has a bright future. This is because Jacinta established goals that were aimed at Gabriels development and believed in him. If I didn’t fight for Music Therapy, Gabriel wouldn’t progress because Music is his strength. (SK & GW - parents)

*Story used with consent
*Stock photo used