Research and Evaluation Strategy

The Research and Evaluation Strategy 2022 to 2027 sets out a pathway to build and mobilise evidence to enhance the NDIS and shape innovative services and supports that optimise the lives of participants.

• Research and Evaluation Strategy 2022-2027 (880KB PDF)
• Research and Evaluation Strategy 2022-2027 (142KB DOCX)

The strategy focuses on producing evidence on ‘how’ the Scheme improves outcomes for participants (and more broadly people with disability).

Our objectives and approach to this is designed around 4 research focus areas: 

• Decision-making for access and planning
• Early interventions for high volume cohorts
• Home and living supports
• Market stewardship and employment.

The strategy shows our commitment to developing partnerships with academic institutions and research bodies to drive and shape the disability research agenda.

This document sets out our research mission, objectives and focus areas. It also details our guiding principles and approaches to ensure that the evidence produced can be used to improve participant outcomes, policy and practice and the Scheme.

Introduction

Research and evaluation is critical to the Scheme and a core function of the NDIA (the ‘Agency’).

The National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 specifies that the Agency has a function that ‘develops and enhances the disability sector, by facilitating innovation, research and contemporary best practice’ (section 118(1) (c)).

Research is also integral to the investment approach that underpins the Scheme and reflects the original intent of the 2011 Productivity Commission Report, which highlighted research capacity and capability as an important role of the Agency.

We produce evidence that is used to support positive participant outcomes by ensuring policies, practices and priorities are informed by trustworthy and robust evidence.

Research and evaluation contributes to the discovery of new ways of working and innovation to improve the lives of people with disability. This enables the Scheme to be effective, now and into the future.

We partner with academic institutions and research bodies to drive and shape the national and international disability research agenda and to develop insights that improve outcomes for people with disability.

Our research focus areas

Workstream 1: Decision-making for access and planning

1. We will ensure the NDIA’s Information Gathering for Access and Planning (IGAP) project is informed by the best available evidence.
2. We will support the development of a new person-centred model for information gathering.
3. We will evaluate the implementation of changes to the NDIA’s information gathering approach.
4. We will support the use of evidence to inform the development of future model(s).

Workstream 2: Early interventions for high volume cohorts

1. We will review research evidence to compare a range of early interventions across a range of disabilities and cohorts.
2. We will work with industry to test a series of technology innovations as part of early intervention pathways.
3. We will evaluate the effectiveness and fidelity of a range of early childhood supports and pathways.
4. We will drive the use of evidence into policy and practice to improve child outcomes and produce evidence-based resources on what works for whom.

Workstream 3: Home and living supports

1. We will explore participant experiences to help design new innovative home and living solutions for a range of disability cohorts.
2. We will trial new technologies or innovative approaches to help participants achieve greater independence in diverse living arrangements.
3. We will evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of home and living innovations and test their scalability.
4. We will ensure home and living policy and implementation strategies are informed by evidence and produce evidence-based participant facing resources on what works for whom.

Workstream 4: Market stewardship and employment

1. We will identify effective interventions to drive improvements in the market and investigate ways to support participants transition from supported to open employment.
2. We will promote research and the development of innovations in the market.
3. We will evaluate the effectiveness of market interventions and the effectiveness and equity of provision of supports on participant outcomes.
4. We will develop participant and workforce facing evidence-based resources on what works for whom to drive market change.

Our next steps

We will provide updates annually on our progress on the objectives and focus areas on our website.