Let’s Listen to Children: Restoring Agency in the NDIS

Children are not just NDIS participants—they’re people. But under current systems, too many children are treated as cases to be managed, not individuals with choices to be respected.

🧠 The Problem: Agency is Missing

• Children are often left out of planning conversations
• Subjected to adult-driven “goals”
• Rushed into support that feels overwhelming
• Disconnected from their own plans

“Support shouldn’t feel forced. Consent matters—even for kids.”

🎨 Visual Story: What’s Happening?

We created a 4-panel visual essay for non-speaking and neurodivergent children to explain how they often experience the NDIS. This tool uses AAC-style symbols and a direct, relatable format.

🖼️ View or Download the Visual Essay (PNG)

📅 Easy Read PDF with AAC Guide

💬 AAC Communication Cards PDF

📘 Tools to Restore Child Agency

Inspired by this powerful article from Psyched Education, we created:

📘 Restoring Child Agency – A Field Guide (PDF)

• 5 key questions for planning
• A “compliance vs consent” reframe table
• Decision audit for practitioners

💡 Why This Matters

Children have thoughts, feelings, and preferences—even if they don’t express them verbally. When we treat their behavior as data—and their silence as consent—we’ve lost the ethics of inclusive care.

📣 Call to Action

• Support Coordinator
• Educator or Allied Health Professional
• Parent or Advocate

This is your chance to reframe the system with the child’s voice at the center.

✅ Let’s Commit to:

• ✔ Listening before planning
• ✔ Slowing down instead of rushing
• ✔ Treating children as co-authors—not checklist items

No child’s future should be managed. Let’s center their agency.