New Approaches to Community-based Services for Younger People with Disabilities: The Evaluation of the Individual Needs Analysis Pilot Projects

Abstract

The evaluation described in this report was commissioned by the Disabilities Services Program of the Commonwealth Department of Human Services and Health, to inform policies for people with disabilities. These policies are currently being developed within a framework which espouses the principles of equity and access. The report provides an account of the evaluation of the four pilot projects in Queensland, the Australian Capital Territory, Victoria and South Australia. Although all very different in character, the intention of each of these projects was to develop and test an assessment instrument for people with disabilities, covering all areas of their lives. This approach to assessment was called Individual Needs Analysis. The report examines a range of operational aspects of the pilot projects, gives an account of their adoption of the principles of Individual Needs Analysis and provides relevant outcome data. An important component of the research was a series of interviews with a number of clients of the services involved. The report also includes some broadly based impressions of the pilot projects gained by the evaluation team, a summary of the lessons learnt for policy and program development, and some recommendations.