Building a Stronger Regional NSW Through Local Area Coordination and Inclusion Support Programs
In Regional NSW, the future of disability support is evolving through innovative NSW program components that promote inclusivity, accessibility, and community-driven solutions.
Oyster Care Foundation, a registered ACNC charity and NDIS provider, is at the forefront of this movement — empowering people with disabilities and creating lasting community impact through essential disability services. By focusing on Regional NSW inclusion and program delivery, the foundation builds partnerships to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and individuals with disability and additional needs, ensuring they receive tailored support designed to meet their unique circumstances.
This blog explores how Local Area Coordination services improve access to essential disability supports, the role of Social Futures in building inclusive environments funding programs, and how NSW program components — alongside learning support needs funding guidelines — create better education and care opportunities for children and families. It also highlights Oyster Care Foundation’s goals to expand inclusive services across Far West Orana NSW, ensuring everyone receives the ongoing support they need to thrive.
The Foundations of Inclusion: Key NSW Program Components
Enhancing Accessibility Through Local Area Coordination
For many individuals, Local Area Coordination services serve as a gateway to critical disability support. These services play an essential role in connecting people with the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), helping them navigate their NDIS Plan, and providing the inclusion support they need.
Through the Australian Government’s Inclusion Support Program, Oyster Care Foundation ensures that people with disabilities can access the right resources on the same basis as their peers. This includes:
- Disability and inclusion program provides tailored support, ensuring children with additional needs receive equal opportunities.
- Annual high learning support needs resources are made available to children requiring specialised educational adjustments.
- Overview of the 2025 disability guidelines ensures families understand eligibility and support options.
- Inclusion program guideline updates offer clarity on service delivery adjustments and processes for 2025 and beyond.
A key update is in relation to evidence requirements for written diagnosis, ensuring families submit the right documentation for support eligibility.
Social Futures: A Collaborative Approach to Disability Services
Partnerships with organisations like Social Futures strengthen the delivery and review of Regional NSW inclusion and program delivery. These collaborations align with the learning support needs and inclusive environments funding model, ensuring that people in Far West Orana NSW receive appropriate assistance on the same basis as others.
Key program details include:
- 1 of the 4 components focuses on ensuring children with disability or additional needs can access education programs on the same basis as their peers.
- Disability and inclusion program provides funding support to enhance services in regional communities.
- 2025 program guidelines clarify application cut off dates, eligibility of applications submitted, and notification of eligibility of applications timelines for families.
- Annual funding in 2024 ensures continuity of care, while 2025 is in relation to updated learning support needs funding guidelines.
For guidance, contact your sector capacity building provider or contact the department by calling the NDIS support line. Manager of the disability program Susanne Stuart-Watt remains a key contact for further support and assistance.
This collaborative, structured approach ensures that children with disability and additional needs — and their families and carers — receive the support they deserve, creating an inclusive and accessible future for Regional NSW.
Expanding Reach: Strengthening Disability Support in Regional NSW
The Importance of Regional Program Delivery
Expanding disability support in Regional NSW is essential to ensuring that individuals, regardless of location, receive quality care.
Key Challenges in Regional Areas:
- Limited access to disability services and specialists
- Long travel distances for support and therapy
- Lack of culturally appropriate care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
How Oyster Care Foundation is Addressing These Challenges:
- Expanding support needs funding for 2025 in rural and remote areas
- Strengthening the 2025 disability and inclusion program for better access
- Providing high learning support needs funding to bridge service gaps
- Ensuring inclusive environments funding programs are accessible to all
By focusing on learning support needs and inclusive environments, we are breaking down barriers and creating a future where quality disability services are available on the same basis as their peers.
Scaling Up: Future Goals for Inclusive Growth
Oyster Care Foundation is committed to expanding its impact beyond Far West Orana NSW to create a stronger, more inclusive disability support network.
Our Future Plans Include:
- Expanding reach into additional regional areas across NSW
- Strengthening partnerships with sector capacity building providers
- Enhancing Social Futures collaborations to improve accessibility
- Increasing NDIS Plan support to ensure long-term care solutions
- Developing tailored programs under the 2025 high learning support needs framework
How This Will Benefit Communities:
- More access to disability support in rural areas
- Improved education and care through targeted funding
- Greater inclusion for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
- Stronger infrastructure for long-term service delivery
By leveraging learning support needs funding applications, Oyster Care Foundation is driving long-term, inclusive growth for individuals and families across NSW.
The Path Forward: A Vision for Inclusion and Equity
Empowering Communities Through Partnerships
Inclusion starts with strong community engagement. By supporting early childhood education, individuals with disability or additional needs can access resources that set them up for long-term success. Oyster Care Foundation, in partnership with Oyster Tribe, is committed to empowering Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people by creating culturally sensitive disability support services that respect and uphold the values of their communities. This partnership fosters safe, inclusive spaces where young people can embrace their identity while receiving the support they need.
Through the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), families and carers gain access to critical funding, enabling children with disability or additional needs to participate in education and care on the same basis as their peers. This ensures that every child — regardless of their support needs and inclusive environments — has an equal opportunity to learn, grow, and succeed.
- Participate in a quality early childhood education program — Programs like Start Strong for Community Preschools ensure children can participate in a quality early learning environment on the same basis as their peers.
- Access the learning support needs funding program — Support needs funding is available for children with additional needs to ensure they can thrive alongside their classmates.
- Benefit from the disability and inclusion program — This program provides funding and support to create more inclusive environments that foster learning and growth.
- Follow a child’s individual learning plan — Tailored plans ensure that each child’s support needs and inclusive environments are met with the right resources and adjustments.
- Navigate the system with ease — Accessing the NDIS can feel overwhelming, but Oyster Care supports families throughout the journey, ensuring people with disability to access essential services without barriers.
How We Can Shape an Inclusive Future
An inclusive Regional NSW requires collaboration across all levels — families and carers, sector capacity building providers, and community organisations. Together, we can create stronger, more connected support networks that empower individuals with disability and additional needs to thrive.
How You Can Get Involved:
Review the eligibility criteria for inclusion readiness — Understand what’s needed to ensure programs are ready to support those with high learning support needs.
- Apply for funding — Take advantage of learning support needs funding applications and other programs that provide funding for tailored support.
- Access training and support — Get involved with training and support initiatives designed to build capacity and improve care delivery.
- Stay updated on the latest 2025 disability and inclusion program guidelines — Ensure you’re informed about program updates, eligibility changes, and new inclusion program provides funding opportunities.
- Advocate for accessible services in your community — From early childhood education to ongoing care services, help push for support needs and inclusive environments that welcome everyone on the same basis as their peers.
- Know what’s available to support — Many programs, services, and local area coordination services are available to support individuals and families and carers — ensuring no one navigates this journey alone.
By working together, we can ensure that everyone — especially those with disability or additional needs — has the support and adjustments they need to live a fulfilling, empowered life.
Conclusion: A Future of Possibilities for Regional NSW
The journey toward a fully inclusive Regional NSW is well underway. By leveraging the 4 components of the disability support structure and strengthening NSW program components, we are laying the foundation for a more accessible, equitable future.
As a registered charity organisation and NDIS provider, Oyster Care Foundation continues to drive community impact by forming powerful partnerships that focus on addressing the unique needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Our commitment to learning support needs funding guidelines and constant and ongoing support needs ensures that no one is left behind — especially in regional and remote areas like Far West Orana NSW.
By prioritising education and care services, cultural understanding, and inclusion support, Oyster Care Foundation is shaping a future where every individual has the opportunity to thrive — on the same basis as their peers.
If you’re ready to join us in building a more inclusive Regional NSW or want to learn more about our programs and partnerships, contact Oyster Care Foundation at info@oystercarefoundation.org.au or visit www.oystercare.org.au — together, we can create a future of possibilities.
