Disability Reform Summit: Moving from recommendations to evidence-based solutions

The Disability Reform Summit was hosted by the Dignity Project and funded by an Engaging Science Grant from the Department of Environment and Science.

The Summit brought together a diverse group of citizen scientists, Queensland disability researchers and academics, and key disability persons and advocacy organisations for a collaborative agenda-setting workshop.

The workshop sought to co-create priorities for research based on the NDIS Review recommendations, Disability Royal Commission recommendations, and the Voice of Queenslanders with Disability report recommendations, while moving towards evidence-based solutions that will directly contribute to government and service responses.

Twenty-one attendees worked collaboratively over a 4-hour workshop and identified key priorities, much of which was focused on improving disability data collection, better implementation of consistent disability flags across mainstream services, and increasing sustainable long-term partnerships and funding.

Workshop attendees wanted to prioritise projects that focus on building evidence for knowledge and evidence gaps, although 50% of participants also wanted to examine existing interventions to evaluate and improve them.

L-R: Dr Kelsey Chapman; Dr Talitha Kingsmill and Sharon White; and Nerine Williams.

TOPICS AND INSIGHTS

Health and Wellbeing:

Promoting health consumerism principles and access for all.
Shifting from reactive to pre-emptive health strategies.
Addressing disparities in health equity and access.
Campaigns like 'Hear Me, See Me, Understand Me' and involving lived experiences in decisions.
Potential research includes integrating health awareness into education and enhancing professional understanding of diverse needs.

Employment and Financial Security:

Psychological safety and accommodations in the workplace.
Inclusive recruitment, onboarding, and raising employment expectations.
Examining current inclusive policies and staff training in unconscious bias.
Potential research includes building inclusive research teams and understanding confidence in disability-related conversations.

Top: Panelists Prof. Elizabeth Kendall AM, Dr Talitha Kingsmill, Sharon White and Prof. David Trembath. Bottom: Dr Kelsey Chapman leads the summit workshop activities. Inclusive Education and Learning:

Need for inclusive school rules and evolving educational practices.
Redesigning assessment methods and promoting reasonable adjustments.
Potential research focuses on leadership attitudes and diverse perspectives in education, reassessing student success metrics.

Inclusive and Accessible Communities:

Evaluating compliance vs. actual accessibility and inclusion.
Measuring community inclusion and the impact of co-design.
Opportunities like Brisbane 2032 for updating infrastructure and promoting universal accessibility.

Disability Data:

Enhancing researcher capability and implementing consistent disability data flags.
Prioritising projects to build evidence and evaluate existing interventions.
Balancing academic interest with immediate social needs through co-design and sustainable partnerships.

Top L-R: Sharon White and Prof. David Trembath; Julia Robertson.
Bottom L-R: Dr Eloise Hummell and Nerine Williams; Geoff Trappett; Dr Maretta Mann. We extend our gratitude to the Queensland Government Department of Environment and Science for their support of this research. Our deepest thanks also go to Dr. Kelsey Chapman, Lead Researcher, and the Griffith University's Inclusive Futures: Reimagining Disability team, including Rebekah Barker, Joe-Anne Kek-Pamenter, Dr. Maretta Mann, and Professor Elizabeth Kendall AM, for their invaluable assistance in organising this event. Additionally, we appreciate the continuous dedication and support of our Summit participants and the wider Dignity Project team.

Special thanks to Eric Tram, our videographer, illustrators Holly Bryant & Cate Withers and the team at Griffith University Live Worm (Libbi Reed, Jacqui Hancox and Sharon Searle) for their engaging Sketch Notes that beautifully captured the topics and insights of the Summit.

Top L-R: Prof David Trembath; Dr Kelsey Chapman; Dr Eloise Hummell.
Bottom L-R: Summit Participants; Prof. Elizabeth Kendall AM.

Top L-R: Dr Talitha Kingsmill and Karin Swift.
Bottom: Dr Maretta Mann and Dr Kelsey Chapman lead discussion amongst their group.

Acknowledgement

The Disability Reform Summit was funded by an Engaging Science Grant from the Queensland Department of Environment and Science and the Office of the Chief Scientist.

Watch the Disability Reform Summit highlights on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Wz2UJ08xOP0?si=xIu1T75BSAVJTm58 (Videographer: Eric Tram).

Join us in moving from recommendations to real change!

More information: Dr Kelsey Chapman, Research Fellow and Citizen Science Manager k.chapman@griffith.edu.au