First Nations people with intellectual disability are among the most excluded people in Australia. First Nations people with intellectual disability experience persistent exclusion across health, justice, education, housing, child protection and disability systems. They are over-represented in restrictive and punitive systems and under-served in the systems intended to provide support. Intellectual disability is the most common primary disability among First Nations NDIS participants, yet there has never been a national, culturally appropriate prevalence study. Current assessment tools embed Western cultural biases and arenot culturally appropriate for many First Nations communities, contributing to both over-identification in restrictive systems(triggering restrictive interventions such as guardianship) and under-identification in disability support systems (leaving lifelong support needs unmet).
