NEBS Therapy

23/07/2025

Term 3 has kicked off! 🚘

It’s been a big year of change across the disability sector, and we’re continuing to see shifts in the NDIS that impact the way Participants access supports.

From 1 July 2025, the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits continue to recognise Social Workers as Allied Health Professionals under Capacity Building, Improved Daily Living.

But despite this, we’re still seeing confusion in NDIS Plans that list specific disciplines and often excluding Social Work.

This has created two interpretations:

📄 Only listed disciplines can be used; or

📄 There’s flexibility to choose the most suitable therapist for the Participant’s needs

We believe in the latter, that flexibility should be embraced and we’re continuing to advocate for the broader use of the term Allied Health in NDIS Plans. This would give Participants the freedom to choose supports that align with their goals, identity, and what actually works for them.

At NEBS Therapy, we proudly offer neuroaffirming, Social Work-led therapy supports focused on:

👉🏽 Neurodiversity and self-advocacy
👉🏽 Emotional literacy and regulation
👉🏽 Capacity building for families and support teams
👉🏽 Social relationships and friendship skills

Using a Social Work lens means we provide therapy that is holistic, trauma-informed, and grounded in human rights; helping Participants feel seen, valued, and supported.

Our motto this term: Be kind; to yourself and others.

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15/07/2025

We’re excited to introduce Shannon Doolan, a Social Work student from the University of New England.

Shannon will be joining us for her Social Work placement over the next few months.

Shannon is passionate about supporting neurodivergent individuals and learning more about how social work can make a meaningful impact, particularly in line with the AASW Practice Standards!

During her time with us, Shannon will be shadowing sessions, working alongside our Social Workers, and gaining hands-on experience in providing neuroaffirming, strengths-based supports.

If you see Shannon around, feel free to introduce yourself and say hi!!

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26/06/2025

Many Autistic people are not lacking in social skills. Get a bunch of Autistic friends together and watch the magic happen.

Many of us are not lacking in humour or sarcasm. The funniest people I know are Autistic. Our humour may be different to yours.

Many of us have so much empathy that the feelings try to crush us. We might express that empathy differently to you.

We communicate. Our communication style is probably different to yours.

It’s not that we don’t have these skills.
It’s that we do them differently. They look different.

And they’re often unrecognisable to neurotypical folk.

But they are there.

Em ☺️🌈✌️

26/06/2025

New England MP to meet health delegation in Canberra next month.

24/06/2025

👏🏽 Thankyou Australian Association of Social Workers!!!!

Join the campaign against the 1 July 2025 NDIS price changes. Learn how funding cuts impact people with disability, watch the webinar, and sign up to stay updated as we fight for fair and accessible support. It’s now or never.

23/06/2025

Send a message to learn more

22/06/2025

20/06/2025

I work with a child who currently eats two foods. That’s right, only two.

How do I now tell this family who has experienced medical trauma and family violence that I can no longer see them in their home to deliver their dietetic and feeding therapy support? How can I tell them that they can no longer access a life sustaining support in the place that affords them safety, comfort and a feeling of regulation. How do I tell them that I cannot deliver best practice by providing therapy in their natural environment.

They don’t have car, nor could they afford the time and transport costs to visit a clinic. And given their traumatic history, they don’t feel safe out in the community and have difficulty being in medical environments.

It has taken almost a year for me to complete all aspects of my assessment with them as I needed to build a trusting and safe relationship. Not just rapport but a safe and trusting therapeutic relationship. For them to feel comfortable enough with me to unmask, to allow me into their world so that I can understand their reasons for approaching food and eating in the way that they do.

I didn’t set up a mobile business so that I could get paid to travel to people in their homes. I did it because the people I work with experience challenges and layers of complexity many of us could not imagine. I did it because it is the best way to support clients to feel safe, comfortable, valued and actually achieve the changes that benefit their lives the most.

The cuts to the NDIA will isolate our most vulnerable. They will put people at risk of harm. They will reduce the developmental potential of children. They will cost lives.

We know that the government has a job to do with reforming the NDIS, so that it meets the individual needs of participants, alongside being a fiscally responsible scheme for all Australians.
But let’s pause these reforms that will guarantee that NDIS participants lose their essential services.

We have solutions NDIA. Hear us. Pause the reforms. Co-design with us and the people who have the lived experience.

20/06/2025

From 1 July 2025, the NDIS intends to either cut or maintain price limits for many allied health services, support coordination, and other necessary NDIS providers including funding for travel, despite inflation.

This will make it financially unsustainable for many NDIS providers to deliver the complex, high-quality support participants need, especially in already underserved communities.
This decision follows a five-year freeze felt across the industry which, paired with increased operating costs, has already stretched NDIS providers to breaking point.

We call on the NDIA to act immediately on these critical issues to protect participant access and the viability of therapy and services under the scheme.

- Abolish the price reduction and index prices to CPI:

- Restore travel funding

- Support rural and regional community needs

- Remedy gender-based undervaluation

To make a difference to the live of people with disabilities, sign & share this petition!

Stand Up for Disability Support: Stop the NDIS Cuts

19/06/2025

📣 IMPORTANT! The NDIS In and Out list Rules are being changed!

🗨️ You can tell the government what you think and how to make them better from now until Sunday 27 July 2025.

🧑‍🦽 The Department of Social Services (DSS) wants to hear from people with disability, families, and supporters.

💻 There’s a free online session on Tuesday 24 June to explain the NDIS Supports rule.

🧠 The session will explain how to join the consultation.

🔗 Read more and tell them what you think here: https://engage.dss.gov.au/ndis-supports-rule/

🛎️ You can click the “Subscribe” button at https://notify.dss.gov.au/subscription-ndis-reforms to get updates.

👥 Please share this with EVERYONE!

Pic desc: An image from the DSS website that says “HAVE YOUR SAY ON NDIS RULES”.

18/06/2025

AASW Concerned Over New NDIS Budget Structures and Inadequate Pricing Reforms

The AASW is deeply concerned about significant developments within the NDIS that create a risk to participant outcomes, the sustainability of the scheme, and the integrity of social work practice.

These developments include:

• Implementation of Section 33 funding periods which introduces constraints on when participants can access their budgets.
• Release of the NDIS Annual Pricing Review 2024–2025 which:
- Fails to acknowledge that AMHSWs are funded through Medicare and many private health insurance schemes as part of its price benchmarking for social workers
- Fails to index all support item prices annually, in line with CPI and actual business costs
- Introduces a proposed cap on travel billing which ignores the realities not just of rural and remote areas, but metropolitan regions as well.

The AASW is calling on the NDIA to:

• Review the inaccurate classification of social work under MBS and PHI in its pricing benchmarks
• Index all support item prices annually
• Reverse the travel time restrictions
• Engage meaningfully on future pricing and policy decisions.

Read our full statement:
https://www.aasw.asn.au/aasw-news/2025-2/aasw-concerned-over-new-ndis-budget-structures-and-inadequate-pricing-reforms/