Disability support services 2008–09
Report on services provided under the Commonwealth State/Territory Disability Agreement and the National Disability Agreement 
January 2011

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare is Australia’s national
health and welfare statistics and information agency. The Institute’s mission is
 better information and statistics for better health and wellbeing.

© Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2011

This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced without prior written permission from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Requests and enquiries concerning reproduction and rights should be directed to the Head of the Communications, Media and Marketing Unit, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, GPO Box 570, Canberra ACT 2601.

This publication is part of the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare’s Disability Series. A complete list of the Institute’s publications is available from the Institute’s website <www.aihw.gov.au>. 

ISSN 1444-3589
ISBN 978-1-74249-113-4
Suggested citation 
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2011. Disability support services 2008–09: report on services provided under the Commonwealth State/Territory Disability Agreement and the National Disability Agreement. Disability series. Cat. no. DIS 58. Canberra: AIHW.
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 
Board Chair
Hon. Peter Collins, AM, QC
	
Director 
David Kalisch

Any enquiries about or comments on this publication should be directed to:
Anne Aisbett
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
GPO Box 570
Canberra ACT 2601
Phone: (02) 6244 1208
Email: anne.aisbett@aihw.gov.au

Published by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
Printed by Bluestar Print 
Please note that there is the potential for minor revisions of data in this report.
Please check the online version at <www.aihw.gov.au> for any amendments.

Contents
Acknowledgments	v
Abbreviations	vi
Symbols	vi
Summary	vii
Increase in service users and expenditure	vii
More service providers	vii
Service user characteristics	vii
1	Introduction	1
Terminology	1
Changes from previous data collections	3
Changes to the report format	3
2	About disability support services	4
2.1	Providers of disability support services	4
2.2	Number of services provided and service users	5
2.3	Need for services	7
2.4	Government expenditure on disability support services	9
3	Who uses disability support services?	12
3.1	Overview	12
3.2	Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander service users	13
3.3	Country of birth	14
3.4	Location	15
3.5	Income and employment	17
3.6	Users of employment services	18
3.7	New users and user exits	21
4	Disability and support needs	23
4.1	Disability	23
4.2	Support needs	26
4.3	Communication needs	28
5	Who cares for service users? What are their living arrangements?	31
5.1	Informal carers	31
5.2	Older carers	35
5.3	Carers and living arrangements	36

6	Patterns of service use	39
6.1	Multiple service use	39
Multiple service users	39
Combinations of services accessed	42
6.2	Measures of service quantity	42
Hours received	42
Hours provided	43
Appendix 1:About the data collection	44
A1.1 Brief history	44
A1.2 Scope of the collection	45
A1.3 Counts and definitions	45
A1.4 The statistical linkage key	48
A1.5 English proficiency groupings	49
A1.6 Data quality	50
Service type outlet response rate	50
Service user response rate	51
‘Not stated/not known’ rates	51
A1.7 Calculation of potential population	55
A1.8 Further information	56
Appendix 2	57
Appendix 3: Service type classification	110
Accommodation support	110
Community support	111
Community access	113
Respite	114
Employment	115
Advocacy, information and alternative forms of communication	115
Other support	116
Appendix 4: Data items requiring collection by various service types	118
References	120
List of tables	122
List of boxes and figures	126

Acknowledgments
The authors of this report are Glyn Prichard, Anne Aisbett, Nick Thompson, Brendan Brady, Arianne Schlumpp, Daniel Palamara and Nathan Wakefield. The report builds on previous reports from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), as well as developments in, and contributions from, all jurisdictions responsible for delivering disability support services. Acknowledgement should also be made of the contribution of Teresa Dickinson, Information and Statistics Group Head; Sean Ackland, Functioning and Disability Unit Head; and Dr Norbert Zmijewski, Indigenous Community and Health Service Reporting Unit Head.
The successful completion of the Commonwealth State/Territory Disability Agreement National Minimum Data Set collection in 2008–09 owes much to the service users and service providers who contributed information, and to staff in the Australian and state and territory government agencies who conducted the collection and gave constructive comments on the report. Our thanks go to all these people.
Special thanks are due to the following people who were the main contacts for the 2008–09 data collection:
Department of Human Services (New South Wales)	Qingsheng Zhou	
Department of Human Services (Victoria)	Ying Chen	
Disability and Community Care Services (Queensland)	Aaron Key	
Disability Services Commission (Western Australia)	Guy Dyson	
Department for Families and Communities (South Australia)	Leoni Fear	
Department of Health and Human Services (Tasmania)	Stephen Rickerby	
Department of Disability, Housing and Community Services (Australian Capital Territory)	Luke Drady	
Department of Health and Community Services 
(Northern Territory)	Mike Neal	
Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (Australian Government)	Marcia Kingston 	
Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (Australian Government)	Graham Harman	
Special thanks also to Peter Reily, Jo Perkins, Sue Caruana, Lorraine Pollock, Ruth Ganley, Natalie Hind, Noel Hanssens, Xia Du, Zhengfeng Li, Stephen Erskine and Nirangi Dias who made significant contributions to the data collection and cleaning process in their jurisdictions. 
Several other AIHW staff made important contributions to this report. Their invaluable comments on drafts of this report are gratefully acknowledged.
Abbreviations
ABI	acquired brain injury	
ABS	Australian Bureau of Statistics	
ADD	attention deficit disorder	
ADL	activities of daily living	
AIHW	Australian Institute of Health and Welfare	
AIL	activities of independent living	
ASGC	Australian Standard Geographical Classification	
Aus Gov	Australian Government (formerly referred to as ‘Commonwealth’)	
AWEC	activities of work, education and community living	
CDSMAC	Community and Disability Services Ministers’ Advisory Council	
CSDA	Commonwealth/State Disability Agreement	
CSTDA	Commonwealth State/Territory Disability Agreement	
DPRWG	Disability Policy Research Working Group	
DSP	Disability Support Pension	
EP Groups	English Proficiency Groups	
FaHCSIA	Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and 
Indigenous Affairs	
FTE	full-time equivalent	
ICF	International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health	
MDS	minimum data set	
NDA	National Disability Agreement	
NDIMG	National Disability Information Management Group	
NMDS	national minimum data set	
RAs	remoteness areas	
SARs	Special Administrative Regions (Hong Kong and Macau)	
SCRGSP	Steering Committee for the Review of Government Service Provision	
SDAC	ABS Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers	
SLK	statistical linkage key	
Symbols
n.a.	not available	
n.p.	not published	
—	rounded to zero (less than 0.5 but more than zero) or null cells	
0	zero 	
. .	not applicable	
Summary
This report presents information about people who used disability support services during 2008–09, and the agencies and outlets that provided services. Key trends in service provision are also examined using six years of national data collected for, or partially, for the Commonwealth State/Territory Disability Agreement National Minimum Data Set (CSTDA NMDS). The 2008–09 reporting period is the last year that data will be collected under the CSTDA. For 2009–10 the CSTDA NMDS will be renamed the Disability Services NMDS and will continue to contain data about services provided under the National Disability Agreement (NDA).
Over one quarter of a million people used services provided under the CSTDA/NDA in 2008–09, which accounted for nearly $5.4 billion of combined government expenditures.
Increase in service users and expenditure
The number of service users across all service groups increased by nearly 50% between 
2003–04 and 2008–09 (to 279,000 individuals). Employment and respite services registered the highest increases in service users over this period (70% and 67% respectively) (Section 2.2). Meanwhile, total government expenditure on disability support services increased by 29% in real terms. Each of the five main service groups—accommodation support, community support, community access, respite and employment—registered real increases in total expenditure (Section 2.4). Community support and respite had the largest increases, of more than 60% and 40% respectively, between 2003–04 and 2008–09. 
More service providers
More than 11,000 outlets delivered services under the CSTDA in 2008–09—an increase of more than a third since 2003–04 (Chapter 2). Most service outlets are from the non-government services sector (Section 2.1) and the average number of service users per service type outlet has steadily grown over this period (by more than 10%)—in particular, community support services which has grown by more than a third. Almost one-third of service users used more than one service type outlet.
Service user characteristics
More males than females were recorded as disability services users (59:41) and nearly one in twenty service users were Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. More than 6% of total service users were aged under 5 years. Intellectual disability continues as the predominant primary disability, reported by more than a quarter of service users in 2008–09; this was followed by users reported having psychiatric and physical disabilities (Section 4.1). Nearly 40% of disability support service users reported having an informal carer. 
1	Introduction
This report presents data on disability support services provided under the last six months of the Commonwealth State/Territory Disability Agreement (CSTDA) (1 July 2008 to 
31 December 2008) and the first six months of the National Disability Agreement (NDA) 
(1 January 2009 to 30 June 2009), as collected in the CSTDA National Minimum Data Set (CSTDA NMDS). It is produced on behalf of the Disability Policy Research Working Group (DPRWG) under an agreement between the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) and the Australian Government Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA).
The CSTDA was a financial agreement between the Australian and state and territory governments for the provision of services to benefit people with disabilities. It was replaced on 1 January 2009 by a new National Disability Agreement. 
The NDA commits all jurisdictions to work towards the objective: ‘People with disability and their carers have an enhanced quality of life and participate as valued members of the community’ (COAG 2008b). The NDA highlights the importance of coordinated effort across the whole of government to enable people with disability to access services and participate as valued members of society. 
In addition to this, the NDA sets out the development of person-centred services as a key policy direction. Person-centred service is about enabling people to choose from a range of service types and settings and different funding arrangements, including individualised funding and other more traditional funding models.
In the 2008–09 collection, data on individual service users and the services they received was collected by CSTDA/NDA funded agencies. This information was provided to and collated by the responsible government funding organisation in each jurisdiction. This data was then provided to the AIHW for verification and collation into the National Minimal Data Set.
The report describes just one part of a broader service system. Many people with disability receive support through other government programs, such as Home and Community Care, in addition to mainstream services including health, education and transport. 
For detailed information on the data collection, including the definitions and collection methodology used, see ‘Appendix 1 About the data collection’.
Terminology
As this report presents data collected under both the CSTDA and the NDA, the following terminology will be used throughout:
CSTDA NMDS	refers to the National Minimum Data Set throughout the reporting period. The NMDS was renamed the Disability Services National Minimum Data Set (DS NMDS) from 1 July 2009; that is, after this reporting period.	
CSTDA/NDA	refers to both agreements under which the data was collected.	
Disability support services	refers to the services provided under both the CSTDA and NDA.	
Box 1.1: CSTDA NMDS collection definitions and scope
Service user
A person with disability who receives a service provided under the CSTDA or NDA. 
A service user may receive more than one service over a period of time or on a single day.
Service
A support activity delivered to a service user, in accordance with the CSTDA or NDA. Services within the scope of the collection are those for which funding has been provided, during the specified period, by a government organisation operating under the CSTDA or NDA.
Service type and service group
The support activity that the service type outlet provides under the CSTDA or NDA.
The NMDS classifies services according to ‘service type’. This classification arranges services into seven distinct categories known as ‘service groups’: ‘Accommodation support’; ‘Community support’; ‘Community access’; ‘Respite’; ‘Employment’; ‘Advocacy, information and alternative forms of communication’; and ‘Other support’ (see Box A1.2 for definitions). Within each of these service groups are various service types (see Appendix 3 for a full list of service type codes and definitions).
Service type outlet
The unit of an agency that delivers a particular CSTDA or NDA service type at, or from, a discrete location.
If an agency provides, for example, both accommodation support and respite services, it is counted as two service type outlets. Similarly, if an agency provides more than one accommodation support service type (for example, group homes and attendant care) then it is providing (and is usually separately funded for) two different service types; that is, there are two service type outlets for the agency.
Agency
An organisation that delivers one or more service types provided under the CSTDA or NDA (service type outlets). Agencies are usually legal entities and are generally responsible for providing CSTDA NMDS data to jurisdictions. Where an agency operates only one service type outlet, the service type outlet and the agency are one and the same entity.
Scope of the CSTDA NMDS collection
Services within the scope of the collection are those for which funding has been provided, during the specified period, by a government organisation operating under the CSTDA or the NDA. An agency may receive funding from multiple sources. Where an agency is unable to differentiate service users and/or staff according to funding source (that is, CSTDA/NDA or other), it is asked to provide details of all service users and staff (for each service type).
Other terms are defined in Appendix 3 and in standard NMDS data items and definitions guides (AIHW 2008c).

Changes from previous data collections
Data presented are consistent with earlier AIHW annual reports on the CSTDA NMDS, with the exception of the changes outlined below. 
For the 2008–09 data collection, a change was made to the processes used to link data using the statistical linkage key (SLK) due to concerns raised by data providers. Previously, if an SLK was missing either sex or date of birth information, an analysis was carried out to determine whether a record that matched all other components of the SLK was present in the current or previous data years’ collections. If such a record was found, it was deemed to belong to the same service user and the information missing from the original record was replaced by that from the matched record to complete the original SLK.
These processes were not applied for the 2008–09 CSTDA data collection, by agreement with the data providers. In addition, to allow comparison with previous periods, the 2007–08 NMDS was recreated on the same basis. These changes resulted in a revised total number of service users of 246,281 in 2007–08 (up from 245,746). Therefore comparison with data from earlier NMDSs should be undertaken with caution.
Data relating to the identification of carers for service users in New South Wales has also been revised for 2007–08. Australian data for 2007–08 therefore differs from that published in the previous report. 
Several other minor revisions have been made to the 2007–08 service type outlet data.
From 1 October 2008, targeted support services previously delivered by the Australian Government and included in the service group ‘employment services’ were transferred to state/territory governments and thus recoded as state/territory delivered disability support services.
Changes to the report format
This report has been extensively restructured from the format of the previously published report, Disability support services 2007–08: national data on services provided under the Commonwealth State/Territory Disability Agreement (AIHW 2009b). Some tables have been removed from the report and will be made available on the AIHW website <www.aihw.gov.au>. Additional data and information may also be found on the AIHW website; see ‘Appendix 1.8 Further information’ for more detail.
2	About disability support services
It is important to note that this and following chapters report on disability support and associated services, which are just one part of a broader service system. Many people with disability receive support through other government programs, such as Home and Community Care, in addition to mainstream health, education, transport and other services. 
Under the CSTDA, disability support services were the responsibility of two levels of government. The Australian Government was responsible for the planning, policy setting and management of employment services for people with disability. State and territory governments were responsible for the provision of accommodation support, community access, community support and respite services. Some major state and territory differences exist within this overall arrangement. For instance, certain services, such as early intervention services for children with disability, fall within the disability support system in some states but are administered under the education portfolio in others. Responsibility for advocacy, information and alternative forms of communication was shared between the two levels of government. Similar splits of roles and responsibilities exist under the NDA.
2.1	Providers of disability support services
Disability support services are provided by agencies operating through service type outlets. An agency is an organisation that delivers one or more service types provided under the CSTDA or NDA to service users. Each agency has an administrative base from which services of one or more service types are delivered to service users, or from which a team operates to deliver services to users at other locations. A service type outlet is a unit of an agency that provides a particular service type at or from a designated location. Data are collected, usually by agencies, for each service type outlet. 
In 2008–09 there were a total of just over 2,200 agencies in Australia (Table 2.1), operating nearly 11,500 service type outlets (Table 2.2). The number of agencies providing disability support services increased nationally by more than 10% between 2003–04 and 2008–09, while the number of service type outlets grew by more than 20%.
Table 2.1: Disability support services agencies by state and territory, 2003–04 to 2008–09
	NSW	Vic 	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Total	
2003–04	449	622	370	160	155	124	51	42	1,973	
2004–05	404	595	362	148	155	122	51	30	1,867	
2005–06	475	632	353	159	173	120	51	43	2,006	
2006–07	649	656	401	181	198	126	67	52	2,330	
2007–08	612	659	395	174	195	123	69	56	2,283	
2008–09	640	556	392	179	192	119	66	58	2,202	
Increase 
2003–04 to 2008–09 (number)	191	–66	22	19	37	-5	15	16	229	
Increase 
2003–04 to 2008–09 (per cent)	42.5	–10.6	5.9	11.9	23.9	-4.0	29.4	38.1	11.6	

Table 2.2: Disability support service type outlets, service group by agency sector, 2008–09 
Service group	Government	Non-government	Total	
	Aust / state / territory	Local	Sub-total	Income
tax
exempt (charity)	Non-
income
tax exempt	Sub-
total		
Accommodation support	1,794	69	1,863	1,848	928	2,776	4,639	
Community support	655	26	681	653	199	852	1,533	
Community access	436	46	482	1,496	606	2,102	2,584	
Respite	202	48	250	632	333	965	1,215	
Employment	4	6	10	985	95	1,080	1,090	
Advocacy, information and alternative forms of communication	n.p.	n.p.	16	139	135	274	290	
Other support	n.p.	n.p.	30	47	48	95	125	
Total	3,132	200	3,332	5,800	2,344	8,144	11,476	
In 2008–09, there were around 1,500 state/territory agencies and around 700 Australian Government-funded agencies. New South Wales and Victoria had the largest number of state/territory-funded agencies in total, with around 640 and 560 agencies respectively 
(Table 2.3). 
Table 2.3: Agencies providing services under the CSTDA/NDA, by funding source and state and territory, 2008–09
	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Total	
State/territory-funded agencies	415	379	279	111	130	95	45	44	1,498	
Australian Government-funded agencies	225	177	113	68	62	24	21	14	704	
Total (number)	640	556	392	179	192	119	66	58	2,202	
Total (per cent)	29.1	25.2	17.8	8.1	8.7	5.4	3.0	2.6	100.0	
2.2	Number of services provided and service users 
Looking at the six-year collection period there was a nearly 50% increase in the number of service users, from around 188,000 to 279,000. However, the number of service type outlets also increased, leading to a slight increase in the average number of service users per service type outlet from about 23 to about 25 (Table 2.4).

Table 2.4: Users of disability support services, service type outlets and average service users per service type outlet, by service group, 2003–04 to 2008–09 
	2003–04	2004–05	2005–06	2006–07	2007–08(a)	2008–09(a)	
	Number of service users	
Accommodation support	33,175	33,787	35,556	37,473	37,704	39,176	
Community support	78,847	92,610	96,664	98,598	104,165	120,645	
Community access	47,636	44,166	47,738	53,236	54,416	58,275	
Respite	20,547	23,951	27,319	30,058	31,604	34,346	
Employment	64,281	64,835	73,157	80,008	89,935	109,002	
Total	187,806	200,493	217,143	232,253	246,281	279,374	
	Number of service type outlets	
Accommodation support	3,822	3,637	3,926	4,203	4,267	4,639	
Community support	1,355	1,301	1,341	1,486	1,508	1,533	
Community access	1,560	1,551	1,646	2,097	2,241	2,584	
Respite	725	709	776	1,010	1,058	1,215	
Employment	760	711	729	1,072	1,075	1,090	
Total	8,222	7,909	8,418	9,868	10,149	11,061	
	Average service users per service type outlet	
Accommodation support	8.7	9.3	9.1	8.9	8.8	8.4	
Community support	58.2	71.2	72.1	66.4	69.1	78.7	
Community access	30.5	28.5	29.0	25.4	24.3	22.6	
Respite	28.3	33.8	35.2	29.8	29.9	28.3	
Employment	84.6	91.2	100.4	74.6	83.7	100.0	
Total	22.8	25.3	25.8	23.5	24.3	25.3	
(a)	Linkage processes (to obtain unique service user counts) have changed from previous years. For further information see Chapter 1.
In the 2008–09 reporting period, community support and employment services were the two largest service groups across all state and territories, while community access was the next largest group overall (Table 2.5).
Table 2.5: Users of disability support services, by service group and state and territory, 2008–09
Service group	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aust	
Accommodation support 	8,830	13,878	6,343	3,335	4,947	1,187	425	245	39,176	
Community support	27,074	45,360	13,803	12,385	14,951	2,870	3,496	1,094	120,645	
Community access 	12,928	23,934	8,922	3,972	6,173	1,510	474	413	58,275	
Respite 	7,876	16,092	5,039	2,665	1,842	327	370	197	34,346	
Total state/territory services	42,466 	77,079 	22,544 	15,349 	20,145 	4,555 	3,927 	1,639 	187,030 	
Employment 	35,632	28,863	21,270	8,859	9,824	2,728	1,272	615	109,002	
Total (number)	74,233 	101,617 	41,404 	21,619 	27,411 	6,912 	4,928 	2,153 	279,374 	
Note: Service user data are estimates after use of a statistical linkage key to account for individuals who received services from more than one service type outlet during the 12-month period. Totals for Australia may not be the sum of service components because individuals may have accessed services in more than one state or territory during the 12-month period. Total service users may not be the sum of service group components because individuals may have accessed more than one service group over the 12-month period.

In addition to the large increase in number of service users over the six years of the collection period, the number of services type outlets accessed also increased from approximately 292,000 to nearly 450,000 between 2003–04 and 2008–09. This was accompanied by an increase in the average number of service type outlets accessed per user, rising slightly from 1.55 to 1.61 services per user from 2003–04 to 2008–09. The following section provides a deeper analysis of the breakdown of the growth in usage (Table 2.6).
Table 2.6: Users of disability support services, service types outlets accessed and average service type outlets accessed per service user, by service group, 2003–04 to 2008–09 
	2003–04	2004–05	2005–06	2006–07	2007–08(a)	2008–09(a)	
	Number of service users	
Accommodation support	33,175	33,787	35,566	37,473	37,704	39,176	
Community support	78,847	92,610	96,664	98,598	104,165	120,645	
Community access	47,636	44,166	47,738	53,236	54,416	58,275	
Respite	20,547	23,951	27,319	30,058	31,604	34,346	
Employment	64,281	64,835	73,157	80,008	89,935	109,002	
Total	187,806	200,493	217,143	232,253	246,281	279,374	
	Service type outlets accessed	
Accommodation support	37,742	37,366	39,003	42,398	42,484	43,371	
Community support	107,034	122,212	132,946	136,106	159,534	181,089	
Community access	54,413	51,155	54,709	64,351	65,637	68,489	
Respite	25,259	30,401	35,150	39,520	42,447	46,083	
Employment	67,367	67,566	76,736	82,767	95,592	110,552	
Total	291,815	308,700	338,544	365,142	405,694	449,584	
	Average service type outlets accessed per user	
Accommodation support	1.14	1.11	1.10	1.13	1.13	1.11	
Community support	1.36	1.32	1.38	1.38	1.53	1.50	
Community access	1.14	1.16	1.15	1.21	1.21	1.18	
Respite	1.23	1.27	1.29	1.31	1.34	1.34	
Employment	1.05	1.04	1.05	1.03	1.06	1.01	
Total	1.55	1.54	1.56	1.57	1.65	1.61	
(a)	Linkage processes (to obtain unique service user counts) have changed from previous years. For further information see Chapter 1.
Notes
1.	Service user data are estimates after use of a statistical linkage key to account for individuals who received services from more than one service type outlet during the 12-month period. Total service users may not be the sum of service group components because individuals may have accessed more than one service group over the 12-month period.
2.	‘Service type outlets accessed’ refers to the number of unique outlets accessed at least once by a service user. Service users may access a service type outlet more than once; however, this is only counted as one access. 
2.3	Need for services 
The ‘potential population’ of people who might have needed disability support services at a given point in time (in this case, the year 2008–09) is calculated by applying national age and sex-specific rates of severe or profound core activity limitation from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (ABS 2004) to the estimated resident population in the reference year. Potential population can then be used to calculate rates of service use by broad service group, expressed as the number of service users per 1,000 potential population (Figure 2.1). 
More accurate data and knowledge relating to the need for disability support services in the general population is very limited. For example, many mainstream services provide assistance to people with disability, and information on the extent to which peoples’ needs are met through these services is limited. The NDA has prioritised the improvement of the measurement of need, demand and unmet demand; however, considerable data development is required to further improve data in these aspects. More recently, some jurisdictions are using a new and integrated need/supply model for planning purposes using NMDS data. 
There has been a small but steady increase in service provision for all service groups except employment, which grew comparatively rapidly in the 2008–09 reporting period (Figure 2.1).
Figure 2.1 Service users per 1,000 potential population by service group, disability support services, 2003-04 to 2008-09
Stacked line chart showing for service group, service users per 1,000 potential population on y-axis and years on x-axis.
Source: Table 2.6
Note: Linkage processes (to obtain unique service user counts) have changed from previous years. For further information see Chapter 1.

Table 2.7: Disability service users by service group per 1,000 potential population, 2003–04 to 
2008–09
 Service group	2003–04	2004–05	2005–06	2006–07	2007–08(a)	2008–09(a)	Increase 2003–04 
to 
2008–09	
							Number	Per cent	
Service users per 1,000 potential population	
Accommodation support	48.2	48.5	50.3	51.9	51.5	52.4	4.2	8.7	
Community support	114.7	132.8	136.8	136.6	142.4	161.4	46.7	40.7	
Community access	69.3	63.4	67.6	73.8	74.4	78.0	8.7	12.5	
Respite	96.3	110.6	124.3	133.7	137.7	146.9	50.6	52.6	
Employment	195.6	193.8	210.7	225.6	212.0	247.1	51.5	26.3	
(a)	Linkage processes (to obtain unique service user counts) have changed from previous years. For further information see Chapter 1.
Note: Service user data are estimates after use of a statistical linkage key to account for individuals who received services from more than one service type outlet during the 12-month period.
2.4	Government expenditure on disability support services
Table 2.8 below provides an indication of expenditure broken down by service group across administrative jurisdiction. Accommodation support is the largest expenditure group, with nearly half of all expenditure being on this service category, followed by community support (15%), community access (12%) and employment services (10%).

Table 2.8: Expenditure on disability support services by Australian, state and territory governments, by service group, 2008–09
Service group	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aus Gov	Total	
	$ million		%	
Accommodation support	865.9 	593.9 	401.0	275.0 	192.7 	69.2 	42.7 	22.4 	—	2,462.9 	45.8	
Community support	157.5 	373.7 	104.3	76.6 	47.4 	10.9 	8.5 	9.3 	—	788.2 	14.7	
Community access	228.2 	151.1 	125.7	52.0 	27.1 	19.2 	5.9 	2.8 	5.9 (a)	618.0 	11.5	
Respite	124.5 	81.6 	65.2	24.4 	15.3 	8.1 	6.1 	2.2 	12.8(a)	340.3 	6.3	
Employment	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	540.7	                     540.7 	10.1	
Advocacy, information and alternative forms of communication	8.6 	13.5 	10.0 	1.8 	1.3 	2.4 	0.7 	0.1 	14.5	52.9 	1.0	
Other support 	32.9 	18.3 	11.4 	18.2 	25.3 	1.2 	1.0 	0.3 	39.0	147.7 	2.7	
Subtotal	1,417.5 	1,232.2 	717.5 	448.2 	309.1 	111.0 	65.0 	37.1 	612.8 	4,950.5 	92.1	
Administration	133.3 	96.0 	64.6 	21.3 	18.2 	8.8 	6.6 	1.8 	44.5 	395.1 	7.4	
Capital grants to non-government service providers	8.6 	—  	—   	14.9 	—  	3.6 	—   	—   	—	27.1 	0.5	
Total	1,559.5 	1,328.2 	782.1 	484.4 	327.4 	123.4 	71.6 	38.9 	657.4 	5,372.7 	100.0	
(a)	Some Australian Government-funded community access and respite services were provided under the CSTDA from the Employment 	Assistance and Other Services appropriation. Data also includes expenditure on the Respite for Older Carers of Children with Disability 	program, introduced by the Australian Government in late 2007 to assist carers aged 60 years and over who are caring for adult children 	aged 25 years and over with severe or profound disability. The program first came under the CSTDA in 2008–09. 
Note: Figures may vary from those published in Table 2.8 and the Report on government services 2010 (SCRGSP 2010) due to the use of different counting rules in particular jurisdictions (e.g. funding for psychiatric-specific services is not reported in SCRGSP 2010 or Table 2.8).
Source: Unpublished data provided to AIHW by each jurisdiction; SCRGSP 2010: Table 14A.8 (for Australian Government data expenditure). 
The following table shows a general increase in real expenditure on disability support services for most service groups (‘Advocacy, information and alternative forms of communication’ is an exception, showing some variability), with ‘Community support’ and ‘Respite’ services having the largest increases in real terms (77% and 46% respectively) over the six years to 2008–09. 
In contrast, the expenditure per service user in constant dollar terms shows a fall in most service groups, excluding ‘Community support’ services, which grew in real terms by 25%. ‘Employment’ services had the largest fall with 24%, followed by ‘Community access’ services at 9%.

Table 2.9: Real expenditure on disability support services by Australian, state and territory governments, by service group, 2003–04 to 2008–09
 Service group	2003–04	2004–05	2005–06	2006–07	2007–08(a)	2008–09(a)	Change 2003–04  to 
2008–09	
							$ million	%	
$ million (2008–09 dollars)	
Accommodation support	2,039.6	 2,166.0 	 2,164.4 	 2,241.0 	 2,348.7 	 2,371.3 	331.7	16.3	
Community support	436.5	 473.1 	 529.4 	 569.2 	 586.0 	 770.4 	333.9	76.5	
Community access	480.4	 498.5 	 526.9 	 565.3 	 594.9 	 595.6 	115.2	24.0	
Respite	229.9	 234.8 	 256.8 	 272.9 	 295.6 	 335.6 	105.7	46.0	
Employment	374.7	 423.4 	 459.5 	 473.3 	 546.9 	 540.7 	166.0	44.3	
Advocacy, information and alternative forms of communication	48.1	 53.6 	 52.4 	 56.9 	 57.7 	 48.5 	0.4	0.7	
Other support	118.0	 130.7 	 115.1 	 136.2 	 134.4 	 172.6 	54.6	46.2	
Subtotal	3,727.2	 3,980.1 	 4,104.5 	 4,314.7 	 4,564.3 	 4,834.6 	1,107.4	29.7	
Capital grants to non-government service providers	0.0	 1.0 	 6.4 	 60.8 	 0.9 	 22.4 	22.4	—	
Administration	349.7	 367.3 	 365.1 	 402.0 	 406.3 	 390.8 	41.1	11.8	
Total	4,077.0	                4,348.3 	          4,476.0 	          4,777.5 	           4,971.4 	          5,247.7 	1170.7	28.7	
	Expenditure per service user (2008–09 dollars)	$	%	
Accommodation support	72,582	76,390	73,096	72,168	76,727	75,057	–1,333	–1.7	
Community support	5,540	5,110	5,487	5,782	5,648	6,407	1,297	25.4	
Community access	11,563	13,479	13,403	12,606	13,080	12,252	–1,226	–9.1	
Respite	12,021	10,773	10,190	9,784	10,012	10,429	-344	-3.2	
Employment	5,829	6,530	6,280	5,915	6,082	4,960	–1,570	–24.0	
a)	Linkage processes (to obtain unique service user counts) have changed from previous years. For further information see Chapter 1.
Notes 
1.	Excludes expenditure on, and service users of, specialist psychiatric disability services.
2.	Expenditure data by service group includes actual payroll tax paid for New South Wales, Victoria (in part, for 2003–04 to 2007–08), South Australia (2006–07 (in part) to 2008–09), Tasmania and the Northern Territory.
3.	Data differs from that presented in Disability support services 2007–08  (AIHW 2009b) as it excludes service users in specialist psychiatric disability services.
Source: SCRGSP 2010: tables 14A.4 and 14A.8.
3	Who uses disability support services?
This chapter outlines the characteristics of people who used disability support services provided under the CSTDA and the NDA during the 2008–09 reference period, along with key trends over the six years to 2008–09.
3.1 Overview
In the 2008–09 reporting period, there were more male than female disability support service users in all age groups except the 65 and over age group. The age group with the largest number of disability support services users was the 25–44 year age group, with around 50,000 male service users and around 35,000 female service users (Figure 3.1). 
Figure 3.1: Disability support service users by age group and sex, 2008-09
Vertical bar chart showing for males and females, number on y-axis and age group on x-axis.
Source: CSTA NMDS 2008-09
The number of disability support service users increased from around 188,000 service users in the 2003–04 reporting period to around 279,000 service users in the 2008–09 reporting period (Table 3.1). In all reporting periods, the highest number of disability support service users was in the 25–44 year age group, with around 61,000 service users in the 2003–04 reporting period growing to 85,000 in the 2008–09 reporting period.
Table 3.1: Users of disability support services, number and proportion by age group, 2003–04 to 2008–09
Collection year	Age group (years)	Total	
	0–14 	15–24 	25–44 	45–64 	65+		
	Number	
2003–04	      38,382 	      37,309 	      61,108 	      37,379 	      10,774 	187,806	
2004–05	      43,369 	      37,966 	      63,476 	      42,451 	      12,935 	200,493	
2005–06	      44,916 	      41,422 	      68,788 	      47,977 	      13,873 	217,143	
2006–07	      49,192 	      43,083 	      72,680 	      54,845 	      12,365 	232,253	
2007–08(a)	50,226	44,423	76,946	62,634	11,854	246,281	
2008–09(a)	53,907	48,473	85,425	72,521	19,048	279,374	
	Per cent	
2003–04	20.4	19.9	32.5	19.9	5.7	100.0	
2004–05	21.6	18.9	31.7	21.2	6.5	100.0	
2005–06	20.7	19.1	31.7	22.1	6.4	100.0	
2006–07	21.2	18.6	31.3	23.6	5.3	100.0	
2007–08(a)	20.4	18.0	31.2	25.4	4.8	100.0	
2008–09(a)	19.3	17.4	30.6	26.0	6.8	100.0	
(a)	Linkage processes (to obtain unique service user counts) have changed from previous years. For further information see Chapter 1.
Notes 
1.	Service user data are estimates after use of a statistical linkage key to account for individuals who received services from more than one service type outlet during the 12-month period. 
2.	Totals are for all service users from that 12-month reporting period, including service users whose age was not stated.
3.2 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander service users
Of all service users aged under 65 years (excluding potential recipients of aged care services), around nine in ten were non-Indigenous, compared to one in twenty who were Aboriginal or Torres Strait. There was also a similar proportion of service users whose Indigenous status was not stated (5%). The distribution of service users across the states ranges from 90,000 in Victoria to 1,800 in the Northern Territory. Of Northern Territory service users, around half were Indigenous. Of users in all other states, the majority were non-Indigenous with proportions ranging from 89% to 96%. 
Overall, there were around 12,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander service users aged less than 65, compared to 235,000 non-Indigenous users in the same age group. For those aged less than 65 years, the proportion of Indigenous service users (5% of all service users) is higher than the proportion of people of Indigenous origin in the population (3%).
Additionally, the median age of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander service users was 
26 years compared to 34 years for non-Indigenous service users.

Table 3.2: Users of disability support services aged under 65 years, Indigenous status and proportion of Indigenous Australians aged under 65 years in the population by state/territory, 2008–09
State/territory	Indigenous	Non-Indigenous	Not stated/ 
not collected	Total	People of
 Indigenous origin
 in the population
 aged 0–64 years	
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	%	
NSW	3,558	5.2	66,422	92.6	2,015	2.2	71,995	100	2.5	
Vic	2,474	3.4	78,356	88.9	8,857	7.7	89,687	100	0.7	
Qld	2,297	6.4	36,858	91.3	1,414	2.3	40,569	100	3.9	
WA	1,657	7.6	19,344	92.1	137	0.4	21,138	100	3.7	
SA	1,020	4.0	22,532	93.8	832	2.2	24,384	100	2.1	
Tas	217	3.4	6,318	94.8	166	1.8	6,701	100	4.4	
ACT	100	2.1	4,662	95.6	139	2.3	4,901	100	1.4	
NT	876	49.6	834	44.9	136	5.6	1,846	100	30.7	
Australia	12,068	4.6	234,564	90.1	13,694	5.3	260,326	100	2.8	
Notes
1.	Service user data are estimates after use of a statistical linkage key to account for individuals who received services from more than one service type outlet during the 12-month period. Totals for Australia may not be the sum of components because individuals may have accessed services in more than one state/territory during the 12-month period. Service user data were not collected for all CSTDA service types (see Appendix 1.4).
2.	In tables the term ‘Indigenous’ refers to service users who identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people. ‘Non-Indigenous’ refers to service users who reported not being of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander background.
3.	‘Not stated/not collected’ includes both service users accessing only 3.02 services (‘Recreation/holiday programs’) for whom Indigenous data were not collected (see Appendix 3) and other service users with no response. Refer to Table A1.1 for a breakdown of these two categories.
4.	This table has been calculated on a different basis to that published in previous Disability support services reports. Users of disability support services in this table are restricted to those under 65 years old. In previous reports, all disability support service users were included in the table.
Source: ABS 2009a (population data).
More detailed analysis of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander service users was included in the previous edition of this report (AIHW 2009b), and more recent information will be available on the AIHW website (see ‘Appendix 1.8 Further information’).

3.3	Country of birth
Information on country of birth provides an indication of the sociocultural diversity of people using disability services. 
After Australia, the most common countries of birth for disability support service users are England and New Zealand. In total around one in ten (or 33,000) disability support services users were born outside of Australia (Table 3.3). 

Table 3.3: Users of disability support services by 10 most common countries of birth, 2003–04 to 2008–09
Country of birth	2003–4	2004–5	2005–6	2006–7	2007–8(a)	2008–9(a)	2008–9 (%)	 Total Australian population  (c) (%)	
Australia	156,181	159,724	171,143	193,444	203,775	228,073	81.6	70.9	
Outside Australia	14,247	15,938	17,642	23,844	27,795	33,172	11.9	22.2	
England	2,824	3,144	2,492	4,439	5,138	5,933	2.1	4.3	
New Zealand	1,476	1,588	2,039	2,316	2,708	3,166	1.1	2.0	
Viet Nam	756	833	868	1,332	1,883	2,368	0.8	0.8	
Italy	812	861	982	1,094	1,203	811	0.3	1.0	
Greece	491	568	583	670	781	970	0.3	0.6	
Lebanon	250	272	324	523	771	1,047	0.4	0.4	
China(b) 	159	216	325	530	684	862	0.3	1.0	
Philippines	309	357	433	561	658	821	0.3	0.6	
Germany	429	451	500	598	645	729	0.3	0.5	
Not stated	17,378	24,831	28,358	14,965	14,711	18,129	6.5	6.9	
Total	187,806	200,493	217,143	232,253	246,281	279,374	100.0	100.0	
(a)	Linkage processes (to obtain unique service user counts) have changed from previous years. For further information see Chapter 1.
(b)	Excludes special administrative regions (SARs) and Taiwan province.
(c)	Total Australian population numbers are taken from the 2006 Census.
Countries can be classified into five categories based on English proficiency: one group for people born in Australia, and four groups for those born overseas (DIAC 2003). For those born overseas, groupings are based on the typical ability of migrants from each country to speak English. Countries with the most skilled English speakers, on average, are in English Proficiency Group 1 (EP1) and the least proficient in Group 4 (EP4). For more details and lists of countries in each group, see Appendix 1.5.
Of those born outside Australia, 34% (or 11,000) were from English-speaking countries and 31% (or 10,000) were from countries with a moderate level of English proficiency 
(Table A2.12).
3.4	Location 
Information on service user location is presented using remoteness areas (RAs). The RAs are structured according to the Australian Standard Geographical Classification (ASGC) developed by the ABS. Categories include Major cities, Inner regional, Outer regional, Remote and Very remote areas. These categories are devised to provide an indication of the degree of remoteness, or distance, from major cities.
In the 2008–09 reporting period there were around 260,000 services users aged under 65. Close to two-thirds (62% or 163,000) of these service users lived in Major cities and almost a quarter (23% or 61,000) in Inner regional areas (Table 3.4).
When looking at the rates of service use, there were 14 people per 1,000 population aged under 65 years who accessed disability support services in 2008–09. The highest rate of service use was in Inner regional areas, with 17 people per 1,000 accessing services. The lowest rate of service use was in Very Remote areas, with 9 people per 1,000 accessing disability support services.
The states with the highest rate of service use were Victoria and South Australia, with 20 and 18 service users per 1,000 population under 65 years of age, respectively. Northern Territory and Queensland had the lowest rate of access with 9 and 11 service users per 1,000 population under 65 years of age, respectively.
Table 3.4: Users of disability support services, service user remoteness by state/territory, 2008–09
Remoteness area 	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Australia	
People aged under 65 years	
Major cities	4,462,219	3,488,550	2,266,358	1,367,201	990,426	—	311,473 	 —   	12,886,227	
Inner regional	1,188,406	906,424	808,673	243,435	164,158	274,200	447	—	3,586,112	
Outer regional	369,829	209,785	583,477	174,373	152,497	140,254	—	115,066	1,745,281	
Remote	28,212	3710	77906	88617	39024	6544	—	45318	289331	
Very remote	3,962	—	45725	45539	12419	2191	—	49012	160735	
All Australians	6,052,628	4,608,469	3,782,139	1,919,165	1,358,524	423,189	311,920	209,396	18,667,686	
Service users aged under 65 years	
Major cities	47,112	56,925	22,654	14,492	16,924	32	4,759	23	162,513	
Inner regional	18,989	21,967	10,143	2,491	2,932	4,684	53	10	60,991	
Outer regional	5,386	5,494	6,009	1,977	2,777	1,779	12	817	24,131	
Remote	341	63	632	829	564	46	n.p.	459	2,913	
Very remote	63	7	372	490	162	10	—	440	1,489	
All remoteness areas(a)	71,995	89,687	40,569	21,138	24,384	6,701	4,901	1,846	260,326	
Service users per 1,000 population aged under 65 years	
Major cities	10.6	16.3	10.0	10.6	17.1	—	15.3	—	12.6	
Inner regional	16.0	24.2	12.5	10.2	17.9	17.1	118.6	—	17.0	
Outer regional	14.6	26.2	10.3	11.3	18.2	12.7	—	7.1	13.8	
Remote	12.1	17.0	8.1	9.4	14.5	7.0	—	10.1	10.1	
Very remote	15.9	—	8.1	10.8	13.0	4.6	—	9.0	9.3	
All remoteness areas(a)	11.9	19.5	10.7	11.0	17.9	15.8	15.7	8.8	13.9	
 (a)	Includes 8,299 service users whose remoteness area is unknown (all the service user postcodes provided by all services attended by the 	service user were ‘Not stated or not collected’). 
Notes
1.	Service user data are estimates after use of a statistical linkage key to account for individuals who received services from more than one service type outlet during the 12-month period. Service user data were not collected for all CSTDA service types (see Appendix 1.4 for details).
2.	The number of service users in each remoteness area (RA) was estimated based on service users’ residential postcodes. Some postcode areas were split between two or more RAs. Where this was the case, the data were weighted according to the proportion of the population of the postcode area in each RA.
3.	Service users may appear in remoteness areas for which there is no population within that state or territory. In such cases, the user’s residential postcode is located within another jurisdiction. This may be due to service users living in one jurisdiction and accessing one or more services in another jurisdiction, or service users moving between jurisdictions within the reporting period.
Source: Population data are based on AIHW analysis of ABS statistical local population area estimates as at 30 June 2007. Population data excludes Australian external territories.
3.5	Income and employment
The pattern of labour force status varied across the five service groups (Table 3.5). Almost all service users aged between 15–64 who received an employment service were in the labour force (being either employed or unemployed). Of those receiving an employment service, around half (53%) were employed and another half (47%) unemployed. Of service users of the remaining four service groups, more than half were not in the labour force.
Table 3.5: Users of disability support services aged 15–64 years, labour force status by service group, 2008–09
Service group	Employed	Unemployed	Not in the 
labour force	Not stated/
not collected	Total	
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	
Accommodation support	7,433	21.3	5,071	14.5	20,364	58.4	1,994	5.7	34,862	100.0	
Community support	11,377	18.8	6,880	11.3	31,702	52.3	10,666	17.6	60,625	100.0	
Community access	7,105	14.8	6,464	13.5	27,351	57.0	7,025	14.7	47,945	100.0	
Respite	3,761	15.9	2,374	10.0	13,709	57.9	3,844	16.2	23,688	100.0	
Employment	57,107	52.8	50,775	46.9	346	0.3	—	—	108,228	100.0	
Total	64,705	31.3	62,297	30.2	58,766	28.5	20,651	10.0	206,419	100.0	
Notes
1.	Service user data are estimates after use of a statistical linkage key to account for individuals who received services from more than one service type outlet during the 12-month period. Total for all service groups may not be the sum of components because individuals may have accessed services from more than one service group over the 12-month period. Service user data were not collected for all CSTDA service types (see Appendix 3 for details).
2.	Please refer to AIHW 2007a (Service user and services received section) for full definitions of ‘Employed’, ‘Unemployed’ and ‘Not in the labour force’.
3.	‘Not stated/not collected’ includes both service users accessing only 3.02 services (‘Recreation/holiday programs’) for whom primary disability and labour force status data were not collected (see Appendix 3) and other service users with no response. Refer to Table A1.1 for a breakdown of these two categories.
In 2008–09, the majority (56%) of disability support service users aged between 16 and 64 years received the Disability Support Pension (DSP) as their main source of income. Of those that received the DSP, around one-third were employed and one-quarter unemployed. The remaining service users who received the DSP (around 40%) were not in the labour force. Another 18% of disability support services users aged between 16 and 64 years received another pension or benefit as their main source of income. Of these, the majority (70%) were unemployed.
Overall, there were roughly equal proportions of disability support service users aged 16 and 64 years who were employed, unemployed and not in the labour force, with roughly a third of service users in each category (Table 3.6).

Table 3.6: Users of disability support services aged 16–64 years, labour force status by main source of income, 2008–09
Main source of income	Employed	Unemployed	Not in the
 labour force	Not stated/ not collected	Total	
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	
Disability Support Pension	37,543	32.7	28,479	24.8	47,791	41.7	888	0.8	114,701	100.0	
Other pension or benefit	8,700	23.8	25,565	70.0	2,138	5.9	120	0.3	36,523	100.0	
Paid employment	4,962	87.8	580	10.3	70	1.2	41	0.7	5,653	100.0	
Compensation payments	39	7.0	94	16.8	419	75.1	6	1.1	558	100.0	
Other income	964	40.0	790	32.8	630	26.2	24	1.0	2,408 	100.0	
Nil income(a)	10,508	60.9	5,210	30.2	1,416	8.2	119	0.7	17,253	100.0	
Not known/stated/collected	1,913	7.2	1,404	5.3	5,326	20.1	17,792	67.3	26,435	100.0	
Total	64,629	31.8	62,122	30.5	57,790	28.4	18,990	9.3	203,531	100.0	
(a)	Includes 10,020 services users whose main source of income was ‘Paid employment’ and 4,858 whose main source of income was ‘Not 	known/stated/collected’, but were incorrectly coded as ‘Nil income’.
Notes
1.	Service user data are estimates after use of a statistical linkage key to account for individuals who received services from more than one service type outlet during the 12-month period. Service user data were not collected for all CSTDA service types (see Appendix 1.4).
2.	‘Not known/stated/collected’ includes both service users accessing only 3.02 services (‘Recreation/holiday programs’) for whom primary disability and income data were not collected (see Appendix 3) and other service users with no response. Refer to Table A1.1 for a breakdown of these three categories.
3.6 Users of employment services
In 2008–09, there were around 110,000 users of employment services aged 15 years or over. Of these, around 88,000 received open employment services and around 22,000 received supported employment services. Despite this difference in the number of service users, open and supported employment service users had many similar characteristics. The majority of service users were aged between 25 and 44 years, with 42% and 49% in open and supported employment services respectively. The majority of service users in open and supported employment services were male (60% and 65% respectively).
Open and supported service users varied in country of birth. For both open and supported employment services, the majority of the service users were born in Australia (Table 3.7).

Table 3.7: Characteristics of users of open and supported employment services, 2008–09

Service user characteristic	Open employment	Supported employment	
	Number	Per cent	Number	Per cent	
Age (years)					
15–24	20,604	23.5	3,451	15.7	
25–44	36,574	41.7	10,821	49.1	
45–64 	30,039	34.3	7,440	33.8	
65 and over	415	0.5	329	1.5	
Not stated	—	—	—	—	
Median age	37	—	39	—	
Sex					
Male	52,800	60.3	14,212	64.5	
Female	34,832	39.7	7,829	35.5	
Not stated	—	0.0	—	0.0	
Indigenous status					
Indigenous	3,296	3.8	667	3.0	
Non-Indigenous	84,336	96.2	21,123	95.8	
Not stated/not collected	—	0.0	251	1.1	
Country of birth					
Australia	70,237	80.1	20,091	91.2	
Overseas born—English Proficiency Group 1	5,482	6.3	545	2.5	
Overseas born—English Proficiency Groups 2–4	11,913	13.6	1,005	4.6	
Not state/not collected	—	—	400	1.8	
Total	87,632	100.0	22,041	100.0	
When looking at the primary disability of employment service users, differences between open and supported employment service users can be seen. For example, the majority of service users who received supported employment services reported an intellectual primary disability (69% compared to 14% in open employment). The most common primary disability classification for open employment service users was psychiatric at 34%, followed by physical at 28% (Table 3.8).

Table 3.8: Users of open and supported employment services by disability group, 
2008–09 (per cent)
Disability group	Open employment	Supported employment	
	Primary 
disability	Any significant disability	Primary(a) 
disability	Any significant disability	
Intellectual	13.7	16.2	68.7	76.9	
Specific learning	8.5	15.6	1.4	9.9	
Autism	3.6	4.3	2.9	6.4	
Physical	28.3	39.7	6.5	19.3	
Acquired brain injury	2.8	3.8	2.9	4.8	
Neurological	2.5	5.7	2.1	12.0	
Deafblind	0.0	0.1	0.3	1.0	
Vision	2.6	4.0	1.3	7.3	
Hearing	3.1	4.4	0.9	5.1	
Speech	0.4	1.9	0.2	9.1	
Psychiatric	34.4	48.1	12.7	21.4	
Total	100.0		100.0		
(a)  	Includes 57 service users in supported employment for whom primary disability was not stated/not collected.
The most common main source of income reported by users in both open (40%) and supported (92%) employment services was the Disability Support Pension. Another 38% of open employment service users received another pension or benefit (Table 3.9).
Table 3.9: Users of disability support employment services by main source of 
income and service type, 2008–09
Main source of income	Open employment	Supported employment	
Disability Support Pension	34,672	20,396	
Other pension or benefit	32,793	541	
Paid employment	2,663	769	
Compensation payments	—	n.p.	
Other income	1,506	n.p.	
Nil income(a)	15,554	27	
Not known/ not stated	243	294	
Total	87,431	22,035	
(a)	Includes 10,020 services users whose main source of income was ‘Paid employment’ and 4,858 whose main source 
	of income was ‘Not known/stated/collected’, but were incorrectly coded as ‘Nil income’.
Notes
1.	Service user data are estimates after use of a statistical linkage key to account for individuals who received 
services from more than one service type outlet during the 12-month period. 
2.	Only service users aged 16 years and over were asked to respond about main source of income. 
The labour force status of service users aged 15–64 years who received open employment services varied considerably according to the reported primary disability. The majority of service users with a reported primary disability of intellectual were employed (67%). In comparison, the majority of services users with a reported primary physical disability were unemployed (71%). The same can be said for service users with a psychiatric disability, with 65% of open employment service users unemployed (Table 3.10).
Overall, 42% of service users of open employment services were employed in the 2008–09 reporting period.
Table 3.10: Users of open employment services aged 15–64 years, labour force status by primary disability, 2008–09
Disability group	Employed	Unemployed	Total	
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	
Intellectual	8,029	66.7	4,000	33.3	12,029	100.0	
Specific learning	3,962	53.2	3,488	46.8	7,450	100.0	
Autism	1,699	54.4	1,426	45.6	3,125	100.0	
Physical	7,175	29.2	17,357	70.8	24,532	100.0	
Acquired brain injury	1,208	49.8	1,220	50.2	2,428	100.0	
Neurological	1,015	46.6	1,162	53.4	2,177	100.0	
Deaf/blind	21	58.3	15	41.7	36	100.0	
Vision	1,135	50.8	1,099	49.2	2,234	100.0	
Hearing	1,528	56.0	1,203	44.0	2,731	100.0	
Speech	201	52.6	181	47.4	382	100.0	
Psychiatric	10,477	34.8	19,616	65.2	30,093	100.0	
Total	36,450	41.8	50,767	58.2	87,217	100.0	
3.7	New users and user exits
Around one-third (29% or around 80,000) of all services users in 2008–09 were classified as ‘new users’; that is, people who received a disability support service for the first time in  2008–09 (Table A2.23). New service users in 2008–09 had a higher median age than continuing services users (37 and 33 years respectively). Around one in four (26%) continuing service users reported always needing support in activities of daily living (ADL) compared to one in eight (12%) of new service users.
Table 3.11: Users of disability support services, new and continuing service users by selected demographics, 2008–09 
	New service users	Continuing service users	All service users	
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	
Median age (years)	37.0	. .	32.9	. .	33.9	. .	
Males 	44,864	55.8	119,479	60.1	164,343	58.8	
Indigenous 	3,462	4.3	9,039	4.5	12,501	4.5	
Always needs support in ADL 	9,443	11.7	51,381	25.8	60,824	21.8	
Has an informal carer 	21,908	27.2	88,196	44.3	110,104	39.4	
Living in a major city 	47,953	59.6	126,615	63.6	174,568	62.5	
Total	80,424	100.0	198,950	100.0	279,374	100.0	
Note: The calculation of new and continuing service users has changed from previous years to take into account users who exit a service but then return in a later collection period.
In the 2008–09 reporting period there were around 86,000 service users who recorded an exit date. The majority of these exits were from community support (39,000) and employment services (34,000). The majority of service users recorded ‘Other’ and ‘Not stated’ as their reason for exiting (40% and 20% respectively) (Table 3.12).
Table 3.12: Service users with an exit date, main reason for cessation of services by service group, 2008–09 
Main reason for cessation of services	Accommodation support	Community support	Community access	Respite	Employment	All service groups	
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	
No longer needs assistance—moved to mainstream services	299	6.5	9,915	25.4	448	4.5	280	5.8	6,346	18.7	16,117	18.7	
No longer needs assistance—other reason
	671	14.7	6,498	16.7	896	9.0	438	9.0	3,965	11.7	11,869	13.8	
Moved to residential, institutional or supported accommodation setting	294	6.4	251	0.6	91	0.9	116	2.4	2	0.0	606	0.7	
Needs have increased—other service type required	181	4.0	524	1.3	155	1.6	38	0.8	306	0.9	1,109	1.3	
Services terminated due to budget/staffing constraints	41	0.9	99	0.3	33	0.3	90	1.9	—	—	240	0.3	
Services terminated due to OHS reasons	19	0.4	18	0.0	12	0.1	9	0.2	—	—	46	0.1	
Service user moved out 
of area	313	6.9	1,387	3.6	280	2.8	126	2.6	—	—	1,867	2.2	
Service user died	376	8.2	757	1.9	287	2.9	103	2.1	227	0.7	1,407	1.6	
Service user terminated service
	210	4.6	1,131	2.9	361	3.6	113	2.3	747	2.2	2,422	2.8	
Other reason	669	14.7	8,794	22.6	1,741	17.6	1,069	22.0	22,374	65.9	33,760	39.2	
Reason not stated	1,492	32.7	9,585	24.6	5,598	56.5	2,467	50.9	—	—	16,670	19.4	
Total number of service users with an exit date	4,565	100.0	38,959	100.0	9,902	100.0	4,849	100.0	33,967	100.0	86,113	100.0	
Total % of service users within service group	11.7	—	32.3	—	17.0	—	14.1	—	31.2	—	30.8	—	
Notes
1.	Service user data are estimates after use of a statistical linkage key to account for individuals who received services from more than one service type outlet during the 12-month period. Row totals may not be the sum of components because individuals may have accessed more than one service type during the 12-month period. Service user data were not collected for all CSTDA service types (see Appendix 1.4 for details).
2.	Total number includes all service users who reported an exit date. Although service users of 3.02 services (‘Recreation/holiday programs’) were not required to report an exit date or exit reason, some did so and are therefore included in this table.
3.	In cases where an individual service user exited more than one service within the same service group, the most recent exit reason was included in this table.

4	Disability and support needs
This chapter examines the primary disability of service users and the levels of support they require to perform activities associated with daily living, living independently and participating in work, education and community life.
4.1	 Disability
Service users were asked to report their main type of disability. These are referred to as their ‘primary’ disability groups. In 2008–09 the most common reported primary disabilities were ‘Intellectual’ (28%), ‘Psychiatric’ (18%) and ‘Physical disabilities’ (16%) (Table 4.1).
The majority of users who reported ‘Specific learning/attention deficit disorder (ADD)’, ‘Autism’ and ‘Speech’ as their primary disability were 24 years and under. Almost half of service users with a primary physical disability were aged 45–64 years. More than half of service users with a primary ‘Vision’ disability were aged 65 years and over.
In 2008–09, service users were more likely to be male than female (Table 4.1). Notable differences between the sexes in relation to primary disability include: males were more likely to report ‘Autism’ (9% compared to 3%) and females were more likely to report a ‘Vision’ disability (8% compared to 4%). 
Table 4.1: Users of disability support services, sex and primary disability group by age group, 
2008–09 
Primary disability group	Age group (years)	Total	
	0–4	5–14	15–24	25–44	45–64	65+	No.	%	
Males	
Intellectual	411	6,673	12,223	16,470	9,581	947	46,305	28.2	
Specific learning/ADD	81	957	3,740	1,573	366	9	6,726	4.1	
Autism	1,619	6,198	4,504	1,454	218	11	14,004	8.5	
Physical	884	2,583	2,649	6,855	11,061	1,074	25,106	15.3	
Acquired brain injury 	71	291	677	2,837	3,183	560	7,619	4.6	
Neurological	260	798	871	1,710	1,918	613	6,170	3.8	
Deafblind	23	53	46	75	78	47	322	0.2	
Vision(a)	302	481	485	1,161	1,502	3,052	6,983	4.2	
Hearing 	297	254	532	821	853	511	3,268	2.0	
Speech	796	1,078	173	98	76	18	2,239	1.4	
Psychiatric	21	65	2,919	15,340	8,671	874	27,890	17.0	
Developmental delay	4,393	1,554	—	—	—	—	5,947	3.6	
Not stated/not collected	2,808	3,529	1,559	1,829	1,615	424	11,764	7.2	
Total males	11,966	24,514	30,378	50,223	39,122	8,140	164,343	100.0	
% of total males	7.3	14.9	18.5	30.6	23.8	5.0	100.0		
(continued)	

Table 4.1 (continued): Users of disability support services, sex and primary disability group by
 age group, 2008–09
Primary disability group	Age group (years)	Total	
	0–4	5–14	15–24	25–44	45–64	65+	No.	%	
Females	
Intellectual	311	3,775	8,376	12,166	7,484	881	32,993	28.8	
Specific learning/ADD	n.p.	382	1,515	766	217	n.p.	2,918	2.5	
Autism	331	1,284	943	376	59	6	2,999	2.6	
Physical	734	1,863	1,942	4,915	8,998	859	19,311	16.8	
Acquired brain injury 	45	171	315	1,071	1,432	265	3,299	2.9	
Neurological	190	650	733	1,807	2,492	758	6,630	5.8	
Deafblind	n.p.	40	27	80	75	n.p.	306	0.3	
Vision(a)	191	369	379	1,052	1,338	5,818	9,147	8.0	
Hearing 	216	168	377	839	818	537	2,955	2.6	
Speech	291	406	67	42	33	9	848	0.7	
Psychiatric	16	66	2,238	10,009	8,456	1,041	21,826	19.0	
Developmental delay	2,275	624	—	—	—	—	2,899	2.5	
Not stated/not collected	1,333	1,572	1,146	1,989	1,935	643	8,618	7.5	
Total females	5,972	11,370	18,058	35,112	33,337	10,900	114,749	100.0	
% of total females	5.2	9.9	15.7	30.6	29.1	9.5	100.0		
All service users	
Intellectual	725	10,451	20,603	28,642	17,070	1,828	79,319	28.4	
Specific learning/ADD	116	1,339	5,255	2,339	583	12	9,644	3.5	
Autism	1,951	7,488	5,449	1,832	277	17	17,014	6.1	
Physical	1,619	4,446	4,592	11,770	20,060	1,933	44,420	15.9	
Acquired brain injury 	116	462	992	3,910	4,617	826	10,923	3.9	
Neurological	452	1,448	1,606	3,518	4,411	1,371	12,806	4.6	
Deafblind	27	93	73	155	153	127	628	0.2	
Vision(a)	493	850	864	2,214	2,840	8,873	16,134	5.8	
Hearing 	513	422	909	1,661	1,671	1,048	6,224	2.2	
Speech	1,088	1,484	240	140	109	27	3,088	1.1	
Psychiatric	39	131	5,159	25,366	17,146	1,915	49,756	17.8	
Developmental delay	6,674	2,178	—	—	—	—	8,852	3.2	
Not stated/not collected	4,158	5,144	2,731	3,878	3,584	1,071	20,566	7.4	
Total service users	17,971	35,936	48,473	85,425	72,521	19,048	279,374	100.0	
% of total users	6.4	12.9	17.4	30.6	26.0	6.8	100.0		
(a)	In 2008–09, Victoria collected data for the first time from a service provider specifically for service users with a visual impairment.
Notes
1.	Service user data are estimates after use of a statistical linkage key to account for individuals who received services from more than 
one service type outlet during the 12-month period. Service user data were not collected for all CSTDA service types (see Appendix 1.4).
2.	‘All service users’ includes 282 service users whose sex was not stated.
3.	Service users with missing age who reported ‘Child aged under 5 years (not applicable)’ to the communication method data item were included in the 0–4 years age group.
4.	‘Not stated/not collected’ includes both service users accessing only 3.02 services (‘Recreation/holiday programs’)  for whom primary disability data were not collected (see Appendix 3) and other service users with no response. Refer to Table A1.12 for a breakdown of 
these two categories. 
Service users were also asked to report any other types of disability that caused them difficulty. These are referred to as ‘other significant’ disability groups. While only one primary disability is recorded, the ability to report multiple other significant disabilities facilitates a broader understanding of the diverse needs and circumstances of service users.
In 2008–09, around 2 in 5 service users identified at least one other significant disability (Table 4.2). More than half of service users who reported ‘Intellectual disability’ (57%), ‘Acquired brain injury’ (62%), ‘Neurological’ (53%) or being ‘Deafblind’ (57%) as their primary disability also reported other significant disabilities. 
People who identified ‘Intellectual’, ‘Acquired brain injury’ and ‘Deafblind’ as their primary disability were also the most likely to experience the greatest number of other significant disabilities, with an average of more than two disability types per service user (Table 4.2). 
Table 4.2: Users of disability support services, primary disability group with or without other 
significant disability group, 2008–09
Primary disability  group	With other significant disability groups	Without other significant disability groups	Total	Average number of disability groups recorded	
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%		
Intellectual	45,216	57.0	34,103	43.0	79,319	28.4	2.0	
Specific learning	3,959	41.1	5,685	58.9	9,644	3.5	1.5	
Autism	8,195	48.2	8,819	51.8	17,014	6.1	1.8	
Physical	18,704	42.1	25,716	57.9	44,420	15.9	1.7	
Acquired brain injury	6,770	62.0	4,153	38.0	10,923	3.9	2.1	
Neurological	6,735	52.6	6,071	47.4	12,806	4.6	1.9	
Deaf/blind	355	56.5	273	43.5	628	0.2	2.3	
Vision(a)	3,454	21.4	12,680	78.6	16,134	5.8	1.3	
Hearing	2,189	35.2	4,035	64.8	6,224	2.2	1.4	
Speech	713	23.1	2,375	76.9	3,088	1.1	1.3	
Psychiatric	11,427	23.0	38,329	77.0	49,756	17.8	1.3	
Developmental delay	2,284	25.8	6,568	74.2	8,852	3.2	1.4	
Total(b)	110,001	39.4	148,807	53.3	279,374	100.0	1.7	
(a)	In 2008–09, Victoria collected data from a new service provider, specifically for service users with a visual impairment.
(b) 	Includes 20,556 service users with primary disability not stated.

4.2	Support needs
The NMDS includes nine data items to indicate the support needs of service users. These items conform to a framework that is consistent with national and international classification standards, including the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) (see AIHW 2003: Chapter 8). The support needs data items also relate to the concepts used in population-based data collections about disability, such as the ABS Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (SDAC) (ABS 2004). 
The items used to indicate support needs can be grouped into three broad areas of activity:
•	Activities of daily living (ADL)—self-care, mobility and communication. These correspond to the three ‘core activity’ areas reported in the SDAC and in the 2006 Census of Population and Housing (ABS 2004, 2006). Service users recorded as always or sometimes requiring assistance with ADL in the NMDS are conceptually similar to people reported as having a severe or profound core-activity limitation in the SDAC. 
•	Activities of independent living (AIL)—interpersonal interactions and relationships; learning, applying knowledge and general tasks and demands; and domestic life.
•	Activities of work, education and community living (AWEC)—education, community (civic) and economic life and work. This category is collected and analysed for service users aged 5 years and over. A response of ‘Not applicable due to age’ for all three of these life areas can be reported for service users aged less than 5 years. 
Support needs data should be interpreted with caution because of high rates of ‘Not stated’ and ‘not collected’ responses. There is an additional specific concern about the quality of data on the ADL support needs of open employment service users, from 2003–04 to 2006–07. Particular caution should be taken when comparing the ADL profiles of open employment, all employment, and all disability support service users in 2007–08 and 2008–09 with corresponding data for earlier years (for more information see Chapter 7.4 of Disability support services 2007–08 (AIHW 2009b) and Table A2.27).
Analysis of support needs showed that: 
•	almost 68% of service users needed support in AWEC, higher than the proportion that needed help with ADL (59%) (Table 4.3) 
•	users of respite services were the most likely to always need assistance or be completely unable to perform activities in two of the three broad life areas (ADL 42%, AIL 49%) (Table 4.4)
•	users of accommodation support were just as likely as users of respite services to always need assistance or be completely unable to perform activities of work, education and community living (60%) (Table 4.4).
•	users of employment services were the least likely to always need assistance across the three areas (ADL 7%, AIL 23%, AWEC 29%). 

Table 4.3: Users of disability support services, life area by need for support in life areas, 2008–09
Frequency of support needed	Always or unable to do	Sometimes	None, but uses aids	None	Not applicable	Not stated / 
not collected	Total	
	No. 	%	No. 	%	No. 	%	No. 	%	No. 	%	No. 	%	No. 	%	
Activities of daily living (ADL)	
Self-care	47,080	16.9	58,899	21.1	4,904	1.8	118,587	42.4			49,904	17.9	279,374	100.0	
Mobility	34,075	12.2	54,182	19.4	9,626	3.4	133,620	47.8			47,871	17.1	279,374	100.0	
Communication	41,549	14.9	97,039	34.7	4,157	1.5	89,540	32.1			47,089	16.9	279,374	100.0	
Any ADL	60,824	21.8	103,199	36.9	5,684	2.0	63,758	22.8			45,909	16.4	279,374	100.0	
Activities of independent living (AIL)	
Interpersonal interactions(a)	52,874	18.9	112,109	40.1	2,818	1.0	59,218	21.2			52,355	18.7	279,374	100.0	
Learning(b)	59,243	21.2	107,693	38.5	3,624	1.3	52,460	18.8	9,888	3.5	46,466	16.6	279,374	100.0	
Domestic life	44,867	16.1	63,458	22.7	2,688	1.0	86,266	30.9	29,798	10.7	52,297	18.7	279,374	100.0	
Any AIL	84,457	30.2	111,621	40.0	2,646	0.9	32,341	11.6	7,798	2.8	40,511	14.5	279,374	100.0	
Activities of work, education and community living (AWEC)	
Education	57,217	20.5	84,571	30.3	3,962	1.4	70,619	25.3	10,687	3.8	52,318	18.7	279,374	100.0	
Community (civic) and economic life	68,255	24.4	99,675	35.7	3,781	1.4	44,456	15.9	11,299	4.0	51,908	18.6	279,374	100.0	
Working	69,040	24.7	69,930	25.0	2,387	0.9	53,278	19.1	31,502	11.3	53,237	19.1	279,374	100.0	
Any AWEC	99,650	35.7	88,915	31.8	2,821	1.0	31,541	11.3	14,368	5.1	42,079	15.1	279,374	100.0	
(a)	The full name for the life area ‘Interpersonal interactions’ is ‘Interpersonal interactions and relationships’.
(b)	The full name for the life area ‘Learning’ is ‘Learning, applying knowledge and general tasks and demands’.
Notes
1.	Service user data are estimates after use of a statistical linkage key to account for individuals who received services from more than one service type outlet during the 12-month period. Service user data were 
not collected for all CSTDA service types.
2.	The frequency of support needed for a service user for each of the three broad groups (ADL, AIL and AWEC) is based on the highest support need category of the service user for that group. For example, if a service user reports ‘Always or unable to do’ for the life area of self-care (one of the ADL areas) then that service user will be placed into the ‘Always or unable to do’ category for ADL, regardless of their support needs for mobility or communication (the other two ADL areas). Therefore the totals for each of the broad groups (ADL, AIL and AWEC) cannot be calculated by adding totals from the three component life areas. 
3.	‘Not stated/not collected’ includes both service users accessing only 3.02 services (‘Recreation/holiday programs’) for whom primary disability data were not collected (see Appendix 3) and other service users 
with no response. Refer to Table A1.12 for a breakdown of these two categories.

Table 4.4: Users of disability support services, service group by need for support in life areas, 
2008–09 
Frequency of 
support need	Accommodation support	Community support	Community access	Respite	Employment	All service groups	
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	
Activities of daily living (ADL)	
Always or unable to do	14,771	37.7	40,321	33.4	17,518	30.1	14,505	42.2	7,696	7.1	60,824	21.8	
Sometimes	15,519	39.6	36,368	30.1	20,531	35.2	12,367	36.0	51,367	47.1	103,199	36.9	
None, but uses aids	1,032	2.6	3,417	2.8	1,965	3.4	368	1.1	636	0.6	5,684	2.0	
None	5,256	13.4	8,297	6.9	7,094	12.2	2,384	6.9	49,067	45.0	63,758	22.8	
Not stated/not collected	2,598	6.6	32,242	26.7	11,167	19.2	4,722	13.7	236	0.2	45,909	16.4	
Total	39,176	100.0	120,645	100.0	58,275	100.0	34,346	100.0	109,002	100.0	279,374	100.0	
Activities of independent living (AIL)	
Always or unable to do	17,755	45.3	43,889	36.4	22,055	37.8	16,736	48.7	25,138	23.1	84,457	30.2	
Sometimes	16,644	42.5	36,297	30.1	20,483	35.1	11,744	34.2	58,896	54.0	111,621	40.0	
None, but uses aids	551	1.4	1,440	1.2	1,068	1.8	217	0.6	270	0.2	2,646	0.9	
None	1,601	4.1	4,472	3.7	3,423	5.9	817	2.4	24,461	22.4	32,341	11.6	
Not stated/not collected/
not applicable	2,625	6.7	34,547	28.6	11,246	19.3	4,832	14.1	237	0.2	48,309	17.3	
Total	39,176	100.0	120,645	100.0	58,275	100.0	34,346	100.0	109,002	100.0	279,374	100.0	
Activities of work, education and community living (AWEC) (5 years and over)	
Always or unable to do	23,406	59.9	46,337	45.0	29,338	50.6	20,107	59.6	31,660	29.0	97,692	37.4	
Sometimes	10,478	26.8	23,801	23.1	13,356	23.0	7,586	22.5	52,585	48.2	88,075	33.7	
None, but uses aids	609	1.6	1,664	1.6	1,008	1.7	199	0.6	170	0.2	2,795	1.1	
None	1,819	4.7	3,867	3.8	3,041	5.2	749	2.2	24,384	22.4	31,492	12.0	
Not stated/not collected/
not applicable	2,743	7.0	27,319	26.5	11,293	19.5	5,080	15.1	203	0.2	41,349	15.8	
Total	39,055	100.0	102,988	100.0	58,036	100.0	33,721	100.0	109,002	100.0	261,403	100.0	
Notes
1.	Service user data are estimates after use of a statistical linkage key to account for individuals who received services from more than one service type outlet during the 12-month period. Row totals may not be the sum of components because individuals may have accessed more than one service type during the 12-month period. Service user data were not collected for all CSTDA service types.
2.	‘Not stated/not collected’ includes both service users accessing only 3.02 services (‘Recreation/holiday programs’) for whom primary disability data were not collected (see Appendix 3) and other service users with no response. Refer to Table A2.12 for a breakdown of these two categories.
4.3	Communication needs
In 2008–09 about two-thirds (66%) of CSTDA service users reported ‘Spoken language’ as their most effective method of communication (Table 4.5). Service users with primary disabilities of ‘Deafblind’, ‘Vision’, ‘Speech’ and ‘Developmental delay’ had less than half of service users reporting ‘Spoken language’ as their most effective method of communication. For service users with a primary disability of ‘Autism’, just over half reported that ‘Spoken language’ was their most effective method of communication.
Service users with primary disability of ‘Intellectual’ (27%), ‘Autism’ (23%) and/or ‘Deafblind’ (16%) were the most likely to report having little or no effective communication.
There is no requirement to report method of communication for children under 5 years of age. Excluding these children and ‘Not stated/not collected’, it is possible to analyse only those service users who reported method of communication. Of these, 81% reported ‘Spoken language’ as their most effective method of communication; 15% had little or no effective communication and therefore may face considerable barriers to social participation (AIHW 2007a).
Table 4.5: Users of disability support services, primary disability group by most effective method of communication, 2008–09 (per cent)
Primary 
disability group	Spoken language (effective)	Sign language (effective)	Other effective non-spoken communication	Little, or no effective communication	Child aged under 5 years	Not
 stated/not collected	Total	
Intellectual	64.0	2.0	2.3	27.1	0.9	3.7	100.0	
Specific learning/ADD	91.7	0.2	0.2	2.5	1.2	4.2	100.0	
Autism	53.7	1.2	2.4	22.5	11.5	8.7	100.0	
Physical	82.0	1.0	1.5	7.6	3.6	4.3	100.0	
Acquired brain injury	80.1	1.4	2.4	11.1	1.1	3.8	100.0	
Neurological	71.0	3.1	1.7	11.5	3.5	9.1	100.0	
Deafblind	41.9	27.1	2.9	16.4	4.3	7.5	100.0	
Vision(a)	39.0	0.8	0.2	0.8	3.1	56.2	100.0	
Hearing	62.7	20.3	0.4	2.4	8.2	5.9	100.0	
Speech	35.5	1.1	0.9	6.8	35.2	20.5	100.0	
Psychiatric	94.1	0.5	0.2	0.6	0.1	4.6	100.0	
Developmental delay	3.3	0.2	0.2	4.1	75.4	16.9	100.0	
Not stated/not collected	9.9	9.5	0.3	3.8	20.2	56.2	100.0	
Total %	65.8	2.4	1.3	12.0	6.4	12.1	100.0	
Total number	183,718	6,634	3,654	33,635	17,974	33,759	279,374	
% of valid responses (excl. child under 5)	80.7	2.9	1.6	14.8			100.0	
(a)	In 2008–09, Victoria collected data  for the first time from a service provider specifically for service users with a visual impairment.
Notes
1.	Service user data are estimates after use of a statistical linkage key to account for individuals who received services from more than one service type outlet during the 12-month period. Service user data were not collected for all CSTDA service types (see Appendix 1.4 for details).
2.	‘Not stated/not collected’ includes both service users accessing only 3.02 services (‘Recreation/holiday programs’) for whom primary disability data were not collected (see Appendix 3) and other service users with no response. Refer to Table A2.12 for a breakdown of these two categories.

Interpreter services were not needed by the majority (82%) of service users (Table 4.6). This percentage rose to 94% when service users who did not report on the need for interpreter services were excluded from the analysis. Service users who reported a primary disability of ‘Deafblind’ and ‘Hearing’ disabilities were most likely to report a need for an interpreter for non-spoken communication (23% and 18% respectively).
Table 4.6: Users of disability support services, need for interpreter services by primary disability, 2008–09
Primary disability type	Needs an interpreter for spoken language other than English	Needs an interpreter for non-spoken communication	Does not need an interpreter	Not stated/ 
not collected	lTotal	
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	
Intellectual 	1,355	1.7	2,995	3.8	68,751	86.7	6,218	7.8	79,319	100.0	
Specific learning/ADD	105	1.1	16	0.2	9,298	96.4	225	2.3	9,644	100.0	
Autism	218	1.3	454	2.7	15,166	89.1	1,176	6.9	17,014	100.0	
Physical	3,367	7.6	693	1.6	38,795	87.3	1,565	3.5	44,420	100.0	
Acquired brain injury	317	2.9	163	1.5	10,044	92.0	399	3.7	10,923	100.0	
Neurological	276	2.2	205	1.6	11,437	89.3	888	6.9	12,806	100.0	
Deafblind	21	3.3	146	23.2	419	66.7	42	6.7	628	100.0	
Vision	248	1.5	110	0.7	6,413	39.7	9,363	58.0	16,134	100.0	
Hearing	270	4.3	1,109	17.8	4,427	71.1	418	6.7	6,224	100.0	
Speech	41	1.3	38	1.2	2,766	89.6	243	7.9	3,088	100.0	
Psychiatric	1,288	2.6	99	0.2	45,089	90.6	3,280	6.6	49,756	100.0	
Developmental delay	176	2.0	31	0.4	7,349	83.0	1,296	14.6	8,852	100.0	
Not stated/not collected	298	1.4	379	1.8	10,163	49.4	9,726	47.3	20,566	100.0	
Total	7,980	2.9	6,438	2.3	230,117	82.4	34,839	12.5	279,374	100.0	
% of valid responses		3.3		2.6		94.1				100.0	
Notes
1.	Service user data are estimates after use of a statistical linkage key to account for individuals who received services from more than one service type outlet during the 12-month period. Service user data were not collected for all CSTDA service types (see Appendix 1.4 for details).
2.	‘Not stated/not collected’ includes both service users accessing only 3.02 services (‘Recreation/holiday programs’) for whom primary disability and need for interpreter data were not collected (see Appendix 3) and other service users with no response. Refer to Table A2.12 for a breakdown of these two categories. 

5	Who cares for service users? What are their living arrangements?
This chapter examines the informal care and living arrangements of users of disability support services during 2008–09.
5.1	Informal carers
An ‘informal carer’ is a person such as a family member, friend or neighbour who provides regular and sustained care and assistance to the person requiring support (AIHW 2007a). This includes people who may receive a pension or benefit associated with their caring role, but does not include people, either paid or voluntary, whose services are arranged by formal service organisations. 
In 2008–09, 39% of all service users reported having an informal carer, a decrease of 
5 percentage points from 2007–08 and 2 percentage points from 2003–04 (Table 5.1).
Table 5.1: Users of services provided under the CSTDA, existence of an informal carer,
2003–04 to 2008–09
Year	Has an informal carer	Does not have an informal carer	Not stated/
not collected	Total	
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	
2003–04	 78,360 	41.7	 72,138 	38.4	 37,308 	19.9	 187,806 	100.0	
2004–05	 84,964 	42.4	 74,536 	37.2	 40,993 	20.4	 200,493 	100.0	
2005–06	 97,410 	44.9	 77,268 	35.6	 42,465 	19.6	 217,143 	100.0	
2006–07	 104,401 	45.0	 107,768 	46.4	 20,084 	8.6	 232,253 	100.0	
2007–08(a)(b)	 108,091 	43.9	 116,062 	47.1	 22,128 	9.0	 246,281 	100.0	
2008–09(a)	110,104	39.4	146,981	52.6	22,289	8.0	279,374	100.0	
(a)	Linkage processes (to obtain unique service user counts) have changed from previous years. For further information see Chapter 1.
(b)	Data relating to carers for service users in New South Wales in 2007–08 have been revised since the publication of Disability support services 2007–08 (AIHW 2009b). Data on carers in New South Wales was not published separately in the 2007–08 report, but did contribute to national totals. The revision of carer data for New South Wales contributes to the changed totals for carers in 2007–08. For details of other factors affecting these totals, see Chapter 1.
Notes
1.	Service user data are estimates after use of a statistical linkage key to account for individuals who received services from more than one service type outlet during the 12-month period. Service user data were not collected for all CSTDA service types (see Appendix 1.4 for details).
2.	‘Not stated/not collected’ includes both service users accessing only 3.02 services for whom informal carer data were not collected and other service users with no response. 
Users of respite services were more likely than other service users to report having an informal carer (89%), followed by users of community support services (59%). Employment service users were the least likely to report having an informal carer (17%), reflecting the nature of the service and age of service users (Table 5.2). Overall, only 38% of accommodation support service users reported having an informal carer. This included 28% of users of institutional accommodation, 29% of users of group homes and 45% of users of other accommodation services (Table 5.2). 
Table 5.2: Users of disability support services, existence of an informal carer by service 
group, 2008–09
Service group	Has an informal carer	Does not have an informal carer	Not stated/
not collected	Total	
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	
Accommodation support	14,890	38.0	22,692	57.9	1,594	4.1	39,176	100.0	
Institutional        accommodation	 1,254 	27.6	 3,075 	67.6	 218 	4.8	 4,547 	100.0	
Group homes	 3,854 	29.2	 8,749 	66.3	 589 	4.5	 13,192 	100.0	
Other accommodation                types	 10,171 	45.4	 11,426 	51.0	 825 	3.7	 22,422 	100.0	
Community support	70,869	58.7	35,070	29.1	14,706	12.2	120,645	100.0	
Community access	27,883	47.9	25,216	43.3	5,176	8.9	58,275	100.0	
Respite	30,452	88.7	2,251	6.6	1,643	4.8	34,346	100.0	
Employment	18,378	16.9	90,624	83.1	—	—	109,002	100.0	
Total	110,104	39.4	146,981	52.6	22,289	8.0	279,374	100.0	
Notes
1.	Service user data are estimates after use of a statistical linkage key to account for individuals who received services from more than one service type outlet during the 12-month period. Column totals may not be the sum of components because individuals may have accessed services in more than one service group over the 12-month period. Service user data were not collected for all CSTDA service types (see Appendix 1.4 for details).
2.	‘Not stated/not collected’ includes both service users accessing only 3.02 services for whom informal carer data were not collected and other service users with no response. 
3.	‘Institutional accommodation’ refers to service users accessing service types 1.01–1.03. ‘Group homes’ refers to service users accessing service type 1.04.

Figure 5.1: Users of services provided under the CSTDA/NDA, existence of informal carer by service group, 2008-09
Vertical bar chart showing for existence of informal carer, per cent on y-axis and service type on x-axis.
Source: Table 5.1.
Overall, nearly 4 out of 5 service users with an informal carer reported having a female carer (Table 5.3). Users of community support services reported the highest proportion of female carers (83%), followed by users of employment services (82%). Users of accommodation services with an informal carer reported the highest proportion of male carers (15%), followed by users of employment services (14%).  
Carers aged less than 45 years represented the largest reported group of informal carers, at 39%. Users of community support services with an informal carer reported the highest proportion of carers in this age group (49%). Users of accommodation support services reported the highest proportion of carers aged over 65 years (16%).
Most informal carers were co-resident, with over seven out of ten service users of all service groups with an informal carer reporting a co-resident carer. Users of community support services with an informal carer were most likely to report having a co-resident carer (78%).
Table 5.3: Users of disability support services with an informal carer, access to selected support services, 2008–09
Carer’s characteristics	Accommodation support	Community support	Community access	Respite	Employment	Total	
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	
Sex	
Female	9, 287	62.4	 58,988	83.2	 20,332 	72.9	 23,382 	76.8	 15,030 	81.8	 86,420 	78.5	
Male	 2,233	15.0	 7,349 	10.4	 3,399 	12.2	 2,761 	9.1	 2,555 	13.9	 12,492 	11.3	
Not stated/not collected	 3,370	22.6	 4,532 	6.4	 4,152 	14.9	 4,309 	14.2	 793 	4.3	 11,192 	10.2	
Age group
 	
Under 45	2,574                                 2,574 	17.3	 34,450 	48.6	 5,025 	18.0	 10,099 	33.2	 3,095 	16.8	 42,642 	38.7	
45–64	5,136                                 5,136 	34.5	 18,795 	26.5	 12,121 	43.5	 10,620 	34.9	 7,985 	43.4	 33,704 	30.6	
65 and over	2,426
                                 2,4264,754 	16.3	 6,520 	9.2	 4,356 	15.6	 3,470 	11.4	 1,763 	9.6	 11,325 	10.3	
Not stated/not collected	                                 4,754 	31.9	 11,104 	15.7	 6,381 	22.9	 6,263 	20.6	 5,535 	30.1	 22,433 	20.4	
Residency status	
Co-resident	5,585	37.5	 55,113 	77.8	 17,219 	61.8	 22,788 	74.8	 10,780 	58.7	 78,685 	71.5	
Non-resident	5,811	39.0	 9,451 	13.3	 6,062 	21.7	 3,047 	10.0	 3,183 	17.3	 15,996 	14.5	
Not stated/not collected	3,494	23.5	 6,305 	8.9	 4,602 	16.5	 4,617 	15.2	 4,415 	24.0	 15,423 	14.0	
Total	14,890	13.5	 70,869 	100.0	 27,883 	100.0	 30,452 	100.0	 18,378 	100.0	110,1044 110,104 	100.0	
Note: Service user data are estimates after use of a statistical linkage key to account for individuals who received services from more than one service type outlet during the 12-month period. Service user data were not collected for all CSTDA service types (see Appendix 1.4 for details).
Nearly two-thirds (65%) of all service users with an informal carer reported that their carer was their mother (Table 5.4). This response was most common in the under-14 and 15–24 year age groups (87% and 77% respectively).  
Nearly one in ten service users reported that their carer was their spouse (8%). As service user age increased, the likelihood of a spouse being identified as the carer also increased. For service users aged 45–64 years, the most frequently reported relationships were spouse (27%) and mother (26%), while 40% of service users aged 65 and over reported a spouse as the carer.
Overall, a small proportion of service users with an informal carer reported being cared for by their child (2%); however, of those aged over 65 years, nearly one-quarter (23%) reported being cared for by their child. 
Table 5.4: Users of disability support services with an informal carer, carer relationship to service user by age of service user, 2008–09
Relationship of carer to service user	Age group of service user (years)	
	0–14 	15–24	25–44	45–64	65+	Total	
	Number	
Spouse	—	177	2,176	4,443	2,115	8,911	
Mother	32,377	19,094	15,343	4,207	82	71,103	
Father	1,622	1,721	1,800	610	17	5,770	
Child	—	7	263	825	1,226	2,321	
Other family	1,006	1,786	2,883	2,692	511	8,878	
Friend/neighbour	175	386	549	582	237	1,929	
Not stated	2,012	1,636	3,313	3,090	1,141	11,192	
Total	37,192	24,807	26,327	16,449	5,329	110,104	
	Per cent	
Spouse	—	0.7	8.3	27.0	39.7	8.1	
Mother	87.1	77.0	58.3	25.6	1.5	64.6	
Father	4.4	6.9	6.8	3.7	0.3	5.2	
Child	—	—	1.0	5.0	23.0	2.1	
Other family	2.7	7.2	11.0	16.4	9.6	8.1	
Friend/neighbour	0.5	1.6	2.1	3.5	4.5	1.8	
Not stated	5.4	6.6	12.6	18.8	21.4	10.1	
Total	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	
Notes
1.	Service user data are estimates after use of a statistical linkage key to account for individuals who received services from more than one service type outlet during the 12-month period. Service user data were not collected for all CSTDA service types (see Appendix 1.4 for details).
2.	‘Not stated/not collected’ includes both service users accessing only 3.02 services (‘Recreation/holiday programs’) for whom informal carer data were not collected and other service users with no response.
3.	Informal carer relationship categories are as follows: ‘Spouse’ includes ‘Wife/female partner’ and ‘Husband/male partner’; ‘Child’ includes ‘Daughter’ and ‘Son’; ‘Other family’ includes ‘Daughter-in-law’, ‘Son-in-law’, ‘Other female relative’ and ‘Other male relative’; ‘Friend /neighbour’ includes ‘Friend/neighbour—female’ and ‘Friend/neighbour—male’. 
Age group was reported for around four in five informal carers in 2008–09. Of carers for whom age was reported, nearly half were aged between 25 and 44 years, more than a third were aged between 45 and 64 years (Table 5.5). 
Slightly over a third of all service users with an informal carer were aged less than 
15 years and around three-quarters (27,800) of these had a carer aged between 25 and 
44 years. Overall, this last group accounted for a third of all service users with an informal carer. 
One in ten service users reported having an informal carer aged over 65 years.
A small percentage of users reported having an informal carer aged less than 15 years, with 53 of these caring for other children aged less than 15 years.
Table 5.5: Users of disability support services with an informal carer, age of service user by age of carer, 2008–09
Age group of service
user (years)	Age group of carer (years)	
	0–14 	15–24	25–44	45–64	65+	Not stated/
not collected	Total	
	Number	
0–14	53	1,160	27,821	3,679	344	4,135	37,192	
15–24	9	162	8,163	11,733	606	4,134	24,807	
25–44	52	227	2,876	11,710	3,845	7,617	26,327	
45–64	38	332	1,421	5,318	4,234	5,106	16,449	
65+	19	13	296	1,264	2,296	1,441	5,329	
Total	171	1,894	40,577	33,704	11,325	22,433	110,104	
	Per cent	
0–14	0.1	3.1	74.8	9.9	0.9	11.1	100.0	
15–24	—	0.7	32.9	47.3	2.4	16.7	100.0	
25–44	0.2	0.9	10.9	44.5	14.6	28.9	100.0	
45–64	0.2	2.0	8.6	32.3	25.7	31.0	100.0	
65+	0.4	0.2	5.6	23.7	43.1	27.0	100.0	
Total	0.2	1.7	36.9	30.6	10.3	20.4	100.0	
Notes
1.	Service user data are estimates after use of a statistical linkage key to account for individuals who received services from more than one service type outlet during the 12-month period. Service user data were not collected for all CSTDA service types (see Appendix 1.4 for details).
2.	‘Not stated/not collected’ includes both service users accessing only 3.02 services for whom informal carer data were not collected and other service users with no response. Service users who accessed employment services only (service types 5.01, 5.02 and 5.04) and did not submit a response are also included in the ‘Not collected’ category for ‘Age group of carer’. These service users were not required to complete this data item.
5.2	Older carers
In 2008–09, more than 11,000 service users reported having an informal carer aged 65 years or over, and around two-thirds (65%) of these carers were a parent of the service user. Mothers made up over half (55%) of all carers aged 65 and over, 16% were spouses and 10% were reported as other family (Table 5.6). Mothers aged 65 years or more comprised three-quarters of all older carers of service users aged between 25 and 44 years.
Fathers aged 65 years and older were less likely than mothers to be identified as a carer, accounting for less than 10% of service users with an older carer. 
Over half (60%) of service users aged 65 years or more with an older carer reported that their spouse was their informal carer. Spouses were identified as the informal carer for nearly 
one in six service users with an older carer.    

Table 5.6: Users of disability support services who received informal care from a carer aged 65 or over, relationship of carer to service user by age group of service user, 2008–09 
Relationship of carer to service user	Age group of service user (years)	
	0–14 	15–24 	25–44 	45–64 	65+ 	Total	
Spouse	—	—	62	342	1,368	1,772	
Mother	136	228	2,867	2,989	46	6,266	
Father	23	69	546	425	14	1,077	
Child	—	—	—	—	262	262	
Other family	134	258	263	301	174	1,130	
Friend/neighbour	6	22	48	63	127	266	
Not stated	45	29	59	114	305	552	
Total	344	606	3,845	4,234	2,296	11,325	
Note: Service user data are estimates after use of a statistical linkage key to account for individuals who received services from more than one service type outlet during the 12-month period. Service user data were not collected for all CSTDA service types (see Appendix 1.4 for details).
5.3	Carers and living arrangements
A ‘primary carer’ is defined as an informal carer who assists with one or more of the activities of daily living: self-care, mobility or communication (AIHW 2007a). In 2008–09, three-quarters of users with an informal carer identified the carer as being a primary carer (Table 5.7).
In 2008–09, nearly three-quarters (72%) of all informal carers were described as a co-resident with service users, and of these co-resident carers, nine in ten were reported as being the primary carer. Conversely, of the 82,600 primary carers identified, 87% were described as being co-resident.
For service users with an informal carer who was reported as not being a primary carer, less than half (43%) reported that the carer was a co-resident. 
Table 5.7: Users of disability support services with an informal carer, residency status by primary carer status, 2008–09
Residency status of carer	 Primary carer	Not a primary carer	Not stated/
not collected	Total	
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	
Co-resident 	71,509	86.6	5,575	43.1	1,601	11.0	78,685	71.5	
Non-resident 	9,214	11.2	6,283	48.6	499	3.4	15,996	14.5	
Not stated/not collected	1,840	2.2	1,079	8.3	12,504	85.6	15,423	14.0	
Total	82,563	100.0	12,937	100.0	14,604	100.0	110,104	100.0	
Notes
1.	Service user data are estimates after use of a statistical linkage key to account for individuals who received services from more than one service type outlet during the 12-month period. Service user data were not collected for all CSTDA service types (see Appendix 1.4 for details).
2.	‘Not stated/not collected’ includes both service users accessing only 3.02 services for whom informal carer data were not collected and other service users with no response. Service users who accessed employment services only (service types 5.01, 5.02 and 5.04) and did not submit a response are also included in the ‘Not collected’ category for ‘Primary status of carer’ and ‘Residency status of carer’. These service users were not required to complete this data item.
In 2008–09, just over half (51%) of all service users lived with family, 18% lived alone and 23% reported living with others (Table 5.8). 
The majority of service users accessing respite and community support services were service users reported as living with family, with over three-quarters (77%) of respite service users and over two-thirds (68%) of community support service users living with family.
Over half (56%) of service users accessing accommodation support services reported living with others. 
Table 5.8: Users of disability support services, living arrangements by service group, 2008–09
Service group	Lives alone	Lives with family	Lives with others	Not stated/
not collected	Total	
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	
Accommodation support	7,364	18.8	6,225	15.9	21,989	56.1	3,598	9.2	39,176	100.0	
Community support	10,360	8.6	81,996	68.0	17,553	14.5	10,736	8.9	120,645	100.0	
Community access	7,455	12.8	23,888	41.0	18,195	31.2	8,737	15.0	58,275	100.0	
Respite	1,656	4.8	26,447	77.0	3,639	10.6	2,604	7.6	34,346	100.0	
Employment	32,303	29.6	43,261	39.7	31,575	29.0	1,863	1.7	109,002	100.0	
Total	48,997	17.5	142,751	51.1	63,277	22.6	24,349	8.7	279,374	100.0	
Notes
1.	Service user data are estimates after use of a statistical linkage key to account for individuals who received services from more than one service type outlet during the 12-month period. Column totals may not be the sum of components because individuals may have accessed more than one service type during the 12-month period. Service user data were not collected for all CSTDA service types (see 
Appendix 1.4 for details).
2.	‘Not stated/not collected’ includes both service users accessing only 3.02 services (‘Recreation/holiday programs’) for whom living arrangement data were not collected and other service users with no response. 
Service users accessing accommodation support services were more likely to be living in other community settings (57%), followed by group homes (34%), when compared to institutional accommodation support types. This was the case in all states apart from 
New South Wales and the Northern Territory, where users were more likely to be using group home accommodation support (49% and 61% respectively) than other accommodation support services (Table 5.9).
New South Wales users were also more likely to access institutional accommodation support services than service users from other states, with one in five users (22%) accessing institutional support services compared to a national proportion of approximately one in ten (12%). Victoria (3%), the Australian Capital Territory (0%) and the Northern Territory (0%) were the least likely states to have service users accessing institutional accommodation service types. 

Table 5.9: Users of accommodation support services provided under the CSTDA/NDA, by accommodation support category and state/territory, 2008–09
Accommodation support category	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Total	
	Number	
Institutional accommodation	1,971	395	903	344	726	208	—	—	4,547	
Group homes	4,282	4,691	1,007	1,367	1,007	480	209	150	13,192	
Other community settings	2,883	8,901	4,610	1,791	3,374	540	223	107	22,422	
Total accommodation support	8,830	13,878	6,343	3,335	4,947	1,187	425	245	39,176	
	Per cent	
Institutional accommodation	22.3	2.8	14.2	10.3	14.7	17.5	—	—	11.6	
Group homes	48.5	33.8	15.9	41.0	20.4	40.4	49.2	61.2	33.7	
Other community settings	32.7	64.1	72.7	53.7	68.2	45.5	52.5	43.7	57.2

	
Total accommodation support	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	
Notes
1.	Service user data are estimates after use of a statistical linkage key to account for individuals who received services from more than one service type outlet during the 12-month period. Totals for Australia may not be the sum of the components because individuals may have accessed services in more than one state or territory during the 12-month period. Total for accommodation support (numbers and percentages) may not be the sum of components because service users may have accessed services from more than one of the accommodation support categories listed. 
2.	‘Institutional accommodation’ refers to service users accessing service types 1.01–1.03. ‘Group homes’ refers to service users accessing 
service type 1.04. 
6	Patterns of service use
This chapter examines the various aspects of service use in 2008–09, including:
•	 multiple service use—across service outlets, service types and service groups
•	hours of service received 
•	hours of service outlets provided (staff hours).
6.1	Multiple service use
Multiple service users
Almost one-third of service users (85,720) could be described as multiple service users during 2008–09; that is, people who accessed more than one service type outlet providing services under the CSTDA/NDA. By definition, service type outlets in the CSTDA NMDS may only provide one service type. These multiple service users may access the same type of service from different service type outlets, or two or more different types of service from different service type outlets. 
Of all multiple service users:
•	87% accessed more than one service type (for example, ‘Group homes’ and ‘Learning and life skills development’), including use of multiple service types within the same broad service group, or service types in different groups
•	13% accessed just one service type from two or more service type outlets
•	seven in ten accessed services from more than one service group (for example, ‘Accommodation support’ and ‘Community access’)
•	six in ten accessed two or more service types from within the same service group (for example two ‘Community support’ services) (Table 6.1).
The use of multiple service type outlets was most common among service users accessing behaviour/specialist intervention and centre-based respite, with an average of 3.7 outlets per user of these service types recorded (Table A2.37). In contrast, open employment users were least likely to access other service type outlets, accessing only 1.2 outlets per user on average. 
Overall, just over one in five of all service users (22%) accessed services across multiple groups (Table 6.1). Around 15% accessed services from two service groups, 5% from three and 1% from four service groups. Users of ‘Employment’ services accessed the lowest number of service groups on average (1.2) and ‘Accommodation’ support the highest (2.1) 
(Table A2.38).  

Table 6.1: Users of disability support services, multiple service use, 2008–09
	Service users (number)	Service users (%)	% of service users accessing more than one outlet	
One service type outlet	193,654	69.3	. .	
Two or more service type outlets	85,720	30.7	. .	
Total service users	279,374	100.0	. .	
Multiple service users				
Using one service type only	11,382	4.1	13.3	
Using more than one service type	74,338	26.6	86.7	
Using more than one outlet of the same service type(a) 	33,490	12.0	39.1	
Using more than one outlet of the same service group	52,731	18.9	61.5	
Using multiple service groups				
	Two	42,449	15.2	49.5	
	Three	15,211	5.4	17.7	
	Four	2,797	1.0	3.3	
	Five	202	0.1	0.2	
    Total using multiple service groups	60,659	21.7	70.8	
Total multiple service users	85,720	30.7	100.0	
(a)     Includes service users who accessed just one service type from more than one outlet, as well as service users who accessed 
one service type from more than one outlet as well as other service types.
Notes
1.      Service user numbers reflect use of any of five service groups: ‘Accommodation support’, ‘Community support’, ‘Community access’, 
‘Respite’ and ‘Employment’.
2.      Categories for multiple service users are not mutually exclusive.
3.      See Box 1.1 for definitions of service types, service groups and service outlets.
Multiple service type outlet use was most common among users with a primary disability reported as being ‘Deafblind’ (3.2 outlets per user) and ‘Intellectual’ (2.9), and least common among those with ‘Specific learning/ADD’ (1.2 outlets) (Table 6.2). Users aged 15–24 years tended to access multiple services more than those in other age groups (2.7 per user). People living in Remote and Very remote areas were less likely to access multiple outlets than those in other areas. As might be expected, users with the highest level of support need for ADL (3.2 outlets per user) were much more likely to access multiple outlets than service users with less frequent or no need for ADL assistance (1.5–2.3 outlets per user). 

Table 6.2: Users of disability support services, mean service use by selected demographics, 
2008–09
	Mean outlets used	Mean service groups used	
Primary disability group	
Intellectual	2.9	2.0	
Specific learning/ADD	1.2	1.1	
Autism	2.6	1.6	
Physical	2.1	1.5	
Acquired brain injury	2.1	1.6	
Neurological	2.3	1.5	
Deafblind	3.2	2.0	
Vision(a)	2.3	1.6	
Hearing	1.3	1.2	
Speech	1.3	1.1	
Psychiatric	1.5	1.4	
Developmental delay	2.0	1.1	
Age group (years)	
0–4	1.8	1.1	
5–14	2.5	1.5	
15–24	2.7	1.8	
25–44	2.3	1.7	
45–64	2.0	1.6	
65+	2.0	1.5	
Sex	
Male	2.3	1.6	
Female	2.3	1.6	
Indigenous status	
Indigenous	2.5	1.7	
Non-Indigenous	2.3	1.6	
Remoteness area	
Major cities	2.3	1.6	
Inner regional 	2.2	1.6	
Outer regional	2.2	1.7	
Remote	2.1	1.6	
Very remote	1.8	1.4	
ADL support needs	
Always needs help or unable to do	3.2	2.0	
Sometimes needs help	2.3	1.7	
None	1.5	1.3	
All service users	1.6	1.3	
(a)	In 2008–09, Victoria collected data for the first time from a service provider specifically for service users with a visual impairment.
Note: Means exclude ‘Not stated’ categories for all items.

Combinations of services accessed
The most commonly combined service groups were ‘Community support’ and ‘Community access’—19,900 people used this combination of services during 2008–09 (Table 6.3). This represents 17% of ‘Community support’ users, and 34% of ‘Community access’ users. Other common combinations were ‘Accommodation support’ with ‘Community access’ (18,000 users), ‘Respite’ with ‘Community support’ (16,600), and ‘Accommodation support’ with ‘Community support’ (14,300). Users of ‘Employment’ services were the least likely to access other service groups: 85% of ‘Employment’ users accessed only those services. Nearly two-thirds (66%) of ‘Community support’ users accessed services from that group only. 
Table 6.3: Users of disability support services, service use patterns across groups, 2008–09
	Accommodation support		Community support		Community access		Respite		Employment	
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	
Accommodation support	11,435	29.2	14,320	11.9	17,982	30.9	4,010	11.7	6,150	5.6	
Community support	14,320	36.6	79,426	65.8	19,903	34.2	16,634	48.4	8,856	8.1	
Community access	17,982	45.9	19,903	16.5	22,904	39.3	8,915	26.0	6,404	5.9	
Respite	4,010	10.2	16,634	13.8	8,915	15.3	12,712	37.0	3,242	3.0	
Employment	6,150	15.7	8,856	7.3	6,404	11.0	3,242	9.4	92,269	84.6	
Total 	39,176	100.0	120,645	100.0	58,275	100.0	34,346	100.0	109,002	100.0	
Notes
1.	Sum of components may exceed totals because individuals may have accessed more than one service group combination within the 
12-month period.
2.	Users along the diagonal from top left to bottom right represent people who accessed only that service group. For example, 79,426 users accessed community support services only (65.8% of all ‘Community support’ users).
3.	Service users accessing three, four or five service groups are included under all relevant combinations. 	
6.2	Measures of service quantity
Data relating to service quantity are collected in two ways:
•	hours of service received
•	hours of service provided (that is, staff hours).
Each of these data items was collected using two measures—hours in the reference week (generally the last week of the collection period) and hours in a typical, or average, week. Due to the incompleteness of typical week data (not reported by Victoria) and general concerns about the quality of the data that were collected, the following discussion focuses on hours of service received in the reference week and staff hours provided.
Hours received
Average hours of support received by all service users per outlet varied between service types (Table A2.39). Respite outlets provided the highest number of hours of support on average during 2008–09 (569 hours per outlet during the reference week). 
During the reference week:
•	on average, service users received nearly 11 hours of support
•	users of non-residential accommodation services received the most hours of support 
(16 hours on average per user), followed by users of respite services (13 hours)
•	case management, local coordination and development services delivered substantially fewer hours on average than other types (1 hour), indicating significantly lower direct contact hours involved with this service type (Table 6.4).
The available data indicate an increase in the average weekly hours of non-residential accommodation support per service user since 2004–05. However, it should be noted that it is not possible to compare the quantity of hours received due to data quality issues. 
Table 6.4: Users of disability support services, mean hours received per service user, by selected service type category, 2003–04 to 2008–09 
	2003–04	2004–05	2005–06	2006–07	2007–08(a)	2008–09(a)	
Mean hours per service user—reference week							
Non-residential accommodation support(b)	11.9	9.0	13.4	15.7	17.0	16.1	
Case management, local coordination and development	1.0	1.6	0.7	1.3	1.7	1.1	
Community access(c)	9.5	6.4	5.6	9.8	11.7	10.5	
Respite	12.1	8.4	10.1	10.6	10.5	12.5	
All services	8.1	7.1	7.7	10.4	11.4	10.6	
(a)	Linkage processes (to obtain unique service user counts) have changed from previous years. For further information see Chapter 1.
(b)     Includes ‘Attendant care/personal care’, ‘In-home accommodation support’ and ‘Alternative family placement’.
(c)     Excludes ‘Recreation/holiday programs’.
Hours provided
Service type outlets reported the total number of hours that both paid and unpaid staff worked within a one-week period. Hours provided include client contact, administration, training and other duties, and are presented here as full-time equivalent (FTE) staff (total hours worked per outlet by number of staff divided by 38). 
FTE staff hours have remained relatively stable overall between 2003–04 and 2008–09, averaging between 5.1–5.8 FTE staff per outlet (Figure 6.2). The FTE staff hours for ‘Community access’, ‘Respite’ outlets, and ‘Advocacy, information and alternative forms of communication’ outlets have declined over the same period. 
Figure 6.2: Service type outlets provided under the CSTDA, mean FTE staff per outlet in the reference week, 2003–04 to 2008–09
Stacked line chart showing, for service type, mean FTE staff on y-axis and year on x-axis.
Source: AIHW 2009b: tables A1.41 and A2.36.

Appendix 1: About the data collection
A1.1 Brief history
Since 1991, disability support services in Australia have been funded and provided under four national disability agreements. Under the first three of these, the Australian Government (the Commonwealth) was responsible for the planning, policy setting and management of employment services for people with disability, and the states and territories were responsible for all other disability support services (including ‘Accommodation support’, ‘Community access’, ‘Community support’ and ‘Respite’ services). Responsibility for ‘Advocacy, information and alternative forms of communication’ services was shared between the two levels of government. Services provided under the CSTDA were targeted at people with disability attributable to an intellectual, psychiatric, sensory, physical or neurological impairment or acquired brain injury, manifest before the age of 65, and where the disability was likely to be permanent and result in substantially reduced capacity in self-care, mobility and/or communication and a need for ongoing or long-term episodic support (CSTDA 2003).
The first Commonwealth/State Disability Agreement (CSDA) of 1991 aimed to reduce the amount of duplication and administrative complexity involved in disability services, and to minimise gaps in service provision (AIHW 1993). The second agreement was signed in 1998, and the third in 2002. Key changes in the disability services field over this period included changes in the nature of services, including a trend towards more flexible service delivery models, increased need for accountability and performance reporting, and increased use of technology in the disability services field (AIHW 2003). These issues were reflected in the third CSTDA, which also aimed to strengthen support for families and carers and improve cross-government linkages and access to generic services (CSTDA 2003). The third Agreement was due to expire in 2007, but was extended to 31 December 2008 to allow for the negotiation of a new National Disability Agreement (NDA).
The NDA replaced the CSTDA on 1 January 2009. Similar to previous Agreements, the NDA outlines state/territory and Australian Government roles and responsibilities, and provides agreed objectives, outcomes and national priorities for disability service delivery in Australia (COAG 2008a). Key reforms outlined in the NDA aim to improve the effectiveness, efficiency and equitability of disability services, with a focus on person-centred approaches, improved access and lifelong planning (COAG 2008b). The Agreement identifies 10 areas for reform in the disability service system: better measurement of need; population benchmarking for disability services; making older carers a priority; quality improvement systems based on disability standards; service planning and strategies to simplify access; early intervention and prevention, lifelong planning, and increasing independence and social participation strategies; increased workforce capacity; increased access for Indigenous Australians; access to aids and equipment; and improved access to disability care.
Since 1995, information relating to the services provided, and the people accessing services, under the CSTDA and now the NDA have been collected in the National Minimum Data Set (NMDS). For more information about the development and history of the CSTDA NMDS, see AIHW 2008a (Section 1.2) and AIHW 2003.
This report presents data from the final six months of the CSTDA data collection and the first six months of the NDA, and covers the period 1 July 2008 to 30 June 2009. Data presented are consistent with earlier AIHW annual reports on the CSTDA NMDS, except where noted in ‘Chapter 1 Introduction’.
A1.2 Scope of the collection
The 2008–09 CSTDA NMDS collection includes services that were received, or were purchased with, funding under the CSTDA from 1 July 2008 to 31 December 2008, or the NDA from 1 January 2009 to 30 June 2009. The scope of services varied in terms of programs that received CSTDA or NDA funding across jurisdictions. For example, in Victoria, Queensland in some cases in Western Australia, specialist psychiatric disability services were provided under the CSTDA/NDA. However, in all other jurisdictions specific mental health services were funded and provided under health, rather than disability, portfolios.
Table A.1 highlights the main areas where the borders between services provided under the CSTDA and NDA and services provided under other programs differed across jurisdictions. 
Table A.1: Scope of services included in the CSTDA NMDS collection, by state/territory, 2008–09
State/territory	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	
Specialist psychiatric disability services	cross	tick	tick	tick (a)	cross	cross	cross	 cross	
Early childhood intervention	tick	tick	tick	tick	tick	cross	tick	tick (b)	
(a)	CSTDA NMDS data were included for users of specialist psychiatric disability services in Western Australia who have psychiatric disability and at least one other disability group.
(b) 	Selected services only.
A1.3 Counts and definitions
The main counts of the NMDS collection are service users and service type outlets (see 
Box 1.1). A service type outlet is a unit of an agency that provides a particular CSTDA or NDA service type at, or from, a designated location. Data are collected, usually by agencies, for each service type outlet. 
An agency is an organisation that delivers one or more service types provided under the CSTDA or NDA to service users. Each agency has an administrative base from which services of one or more service types are delivered to service users, or from which a team operates when it delivers services to service users at other locations. 
For each service type (and therefore for each service type outlet), data are collected for every service user over the collection period (see Box 1.1). Box A1.2 provides definitions of each of the service groups (categories of service type) in the CSTDA NMDS collection, and Appendix 3 provides detailed definitions of each specific service type category. Note that service user data are not collected in relation to two of the seven service groups. 

Most service type outlets collected data electronically. The CSTDA NMDS 2008–09 collection forms used by those that did not are available from the AIHW website at :
<http://www.aihw.gov.au/disability/csda_public/index.cfm>.

Box A1.2: Service groups covered by the CSTDA/NDA
Accommodation support
Services that provide accommodation to people with disability and services that provide the support needed to enable a person with disability to remain in his or her existing accommodation or move to more suitable or appropriate accommodation.
Community support
Services that provide the support needed for a person with disability to live in a non-institutional setting (not including support with the basic needs of living, such as meal preparation and dressing, which are included under accommodation support).
Community access
Services designed to provide opportunities for people with disability to gain and use their abilities to enjoy their full potential for social independence. People who do not attend school or who are not employed full time mainly use these services.
Respite
Services providing a short-term and time-limited break for families and other voluntary caregivers of people with disability, to assist in supporting and maintaining the primary care-giving relationship, while providing a positive experience for the person with disability. Although there are therefore two ‘clients’—the carer and the person with disability—in the CSTDA NMDS collection, the person with disability is regarded as the client. Statistical tables in this report reflect this perspective.
Employment
There are three types of employment services which provide employment assistance to people with disability:
•	open employment provides assistance in obtaining and/or retaining paid employment in the open labour market
•	supported employment provides employment opportunities and assistance to people with disability to work in specialised and supported work environments
•	targeted support provides people with disability structured training and support to work towards social and community participation, or opportunities to develop skills, or retrain, for paid employment. 
Advocacy, information and alternative forms of communication
Advocacy services are designed to help people with disability increase the control they have over their lives, by representing their interests and views in the community. Information services provide accessible information to people with disability, their carers, families and related professionals. This service group also includes mutual support/self-help groups—special interest groups which promote self-advocacy—and alternative forms of communication—which includes alternative formats of communication for people who, by reason of their disabilities, are unable to access information provided in a print medium.
Other
Includes research and evaluation, training and development, peak bodies and any other support services completely outside any of the defined service types above.

A1.4 The statistical linkage key
The statistical linkage key enables the number of service users to be estimated from data collected from service outlets and agencies. During any given financial year, a service user can receive services from:
•	more than one service type outlet 
•	more than one agency
•	multiple jurisdictions—across state/territory borders, and/or a combination of Australian Government and state/territory services.
In each of these cases, unique service user counts can be estimated by using the statistical linkage key. The focus of this report is on these counts—that is, person-based estimates. 
To link records within NMDS, the statistical linkage key components of each record for a service received are compared electronically with the statistical linkage key components of all other records. Records that have matching statistical linkage keys are assumed to belong to the same individual service user and are ‘linked’. Some degree of false linking is expected. Because the statistical linkage key is not a unique identifier, there is a small probability that some of the linked records do not actually belong to the same individual and, conversely, that some records that did not link do belong to the same individual.
Missing or invalid statistical linkage keys cannot be linked to other records and so must be treated as belonging to separate individual service users. This may result in the number of service users being overestimated.
All counts of the number of service users depend on the accuracy of the statistical linkage key. A linkage key is considered to be invalid if any, or all, parts of the key are missing (excluding sex). The overall rate of invalid linkage keys in 2008–09 was 0.4%, ranging among jurisdictions from 0.0% to 1.3% of the total number of service user records (Table A1.2). 
For around 16% of the original service user records for Victoria, the appropriate letters of the first and last names were not collected. As for previous year data, where possible the ‘pseudo’ linkage key was used for Victoria for these cases. This consists of date of birth (not estimated), sex and postcode. Its use resulted in 5% of records being allocated a full valid linkage key, and another 9% being linked by using the pseudo linkage key. All these cases are included in the valid count in Table A1.2. The use of the pseudo linkage key increases the likelihood that some records could have been wrongly matched, or some records not matched when they should have been. 

Table A1.2: Validity and completeness of the statistical linkage key, 2008–09
	NSW	Vic(a)	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aus Gov	Total	
	Validity of statistical linkage keys	
Number of service user records (unlinked)	56,533	101,630	31,308	23,507	26,749	6,601	5,098	1,923	110,546	363,895	
Number with invalid linkage keys	—	1306	140	4	13	—	—	—	6	1469	
% of invalid linkage keys(b)	—	1.3	0.4	0.0	0.0	—	—	—	0.0	0.4	
	Completeness of statistical linkage keys (unlinked)	
Number of keys with date of birth estimates(b)	2,308	5,287	1,110	221	535	80	111	126	—	9,778	
Number of keys with missing sex(b)	123	144	7	—	10	—	—	—	—	284	
% of valid linkage keys with missing sex and/or date of birth estimates	4.3	5.3	3.6	0.9	2.0	1.2	2.2	6.6	—	2.8	
	Completeness of statistical linkage keys (linked)	
Number of keys with date of birth estimates(b)	2,282	4,658	1,081	218	492	79	110	122	—	9,042	
Number of keys with missing sex(b)	123	142	7	—	10	—	—	—	—	282	
% of valid linkage keys with missing sex and/or dob estimates	4.2	4.7	3.5	0.9	1.9	1.2	2.2	6.3	—	2.5	
(a)	For Victoria, ‘pseudo’ linkage keys are included as valid—see Appendix 1.4 for details.
(b)	Statistical linkage keys with estimated date of birth and/or missing sex are counted as valid.
A1.5 English proficiency groupings
An ‘English proficiency index’—a standard tool developed by the Bureau of Immigration, Multicultural and Population Research—was used to construct each of the English Proficiency (EP) Groups. Those countries consisting of immigrants who scored 98.5% or higher on this index and had an immigrant population of 10,000 or more were rated as 
EP Group 1. 
The EP index score was determined for the remaining EP Groups as follows:
•	countries with a ‘high’ level of English proficiency (84.5–98.5%, or above 98.5% but with an immigrant population of fewer than 10,000) were placed in EP Group 2
•	countries with a ‘moderate’ level of English proficiency (a rating of more than 57.5% but less than 84.5%) fell into EP Group 3
•	the remaining countries (that is, those with a rating on the EP index of less than 57.5%) were considered to have a ‘low’ level of English proficiency and placed in EP Group 4.
For further information see 2001 classification of countries into English Proficiency Groups (DIAC 2003).
A1.6 Data quality
Data quality should be taken into account when interpreting data in this report. Consideration of data quality is particularly important when making comparisons across jurisdictions and data collection periods. 
This section examines three important data quality considerations when analysing data in the CSTDA NMDS:
•	service type outlet response rates
•	service user response rates
•	rates of ‘Not stated’ and ‘Not known’ responses.
In general, high service type and service user response rates result in better data quality, while high ‘Not stated/not known’ response rates lead to less reliable data. These concepts are examined further below.
Service type outlet response rate
While every effort is made to incorporate responses from all service type outlets provided under the CSTDA and NDA in the annual data collection, each year a small number are not included. Jurisdictions report their service type outlet response rates, which are the proportion of outlets that contributed to the NMDS collection compared to the total number of outlets in the jurisdiction.
In 2008–09, the national service type outlet response rate was 96%(Table A1.3), the highest rate recorded since the series began in 2003–04. This reflects an overall trend since 2003–04 of increasing standards in data collection processes. The majority of jurisdictions had response rates between 99–100%, capturing nearly all CSTDA outlets, the exceptions being New South Wales and Victoria with lower response rates (92% and 93% respectively). As response rates from service outlets approach 100% data can be considered more reliable. 

Table A1.3: Response rates for service type outlets by jurisdiction, 2003–04 to 2008–09 (per cent)
	2003–04	2004–05	2005–06	2006–07	2007–08	2008–09	
New South Wales	80	85	89	89	90	92	
Victoria	94	92	90	90	93	93	
Queensland	97	99	99	100	100	99	
Western Australia	100	100	100	100	99	99	
South Australia	100	100	100	100	99	100	
Tasmania	100	96	100	100	100	100	
Australian Capital Territory	93	98	100	100	100	100	
Northern Territory	95	70	100	100	99	100	
Australian Government	100	100	100	100	100	100	
Total	93	94	94	94	95	96	
Notes
1.	Response rates are based on figures provided by jurisdictions. 
2.	The total response rate is based on the number of outlets in the data set divided by the number of total outlets that would have been in the data set if all jurisdictions had a 100% response rate.
3.	The response rate for the Australian Capital Territory in 2003–04 is based on agency response rates rather than service type outlets.
4.	In 2003–04, Queensland reported 38 and the Australian Capital Territory 35 service users as not providing consent for their data to be transmitted.
5.	In 2004–05, Queensland reported 133 and the Australian Capital Territory 36 service users as not providing consent for their data to be transmitted.
6.	The 2006–07 and 2007–08 New South Wales response rates are estimated. Because of the way New South Wales organises its funding allocations, particularly in relation to individualised funding arrangements and the limitations of the existing funding management system, it is impossible to accurately measure the rate of the return.
Service user response rate
Data quality can be considered more reliable as user response rates increase. It is recognised that some outlets do not report on all service users, due to administration or other errors, and it is not possible to accurately estimate the number of service users who may be missing from the data as a result. 
Particular services have a large number of service users who have minimal contact, such as information and referral services. These service types are not required to submit service user information to the CSTDA NMDS, and as a result users of these services are not included in totals.
All service type outlets are required to estimate the number of service users they assisted over the year; however, examination of these estimates and comparison with jurisdictional reports indicate that such estimations are of poor quality and are not reliable, so are not included in this report.  
 ‘Not stated/not known’ rates
In 2008–09, ‘Not stated/not known’ proportions vary across jurisdiction and service type (tables A1.2, A1.3 and A1.4). ‘Not stated/not known’ proportions are counted when a service user or service type outlet does not provide/collect information on a service user, or when information is unable to be derived by statistical linkage processes. In some instances particular service types are not required to submit data for all measures, and service users may be included in ‘Not stated’ figures in such instances. High proportions of ‘Not stated/not known’ responses reduce the validity and reliability of data, and items with high proportions should be considered with care, especially when comparing data across jurisdictions and collection years.
In 2008–09, the national ‘Not stated’ average was 12% which is skewed by comparatively high rates in Victoria, New South Wales and the Northern Territory with 28%, 14% and 12% respectively. All other jurisdictions had ‘Not stated’ proportions of less than 6% (Table A1.4). Tasmania has the lowest ‘Not stated’ proportion, approaching zero (0.2%). 
Particular data items are subject to larger ‘Not stated’ variation than others. Data items such as ‘Age’, ‘Date of birth’ and ‘Sex’ are almost fully collected, while other items such as ‘Receipt of carer allowance (child)’ have extremely high ‘Not stated’ proportions nationally, at 37%. ‘Receipt of carer allowance (child)’ also has relatively high ‘Not known’ proportions at 18% nationally. 

Table A1.4: ‘Not stated’ and ‘Not known’ response rates for service user data items, 2008–09 
(per cent)
Data item	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aus Gov	Australia	
Not stated		
Age	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	
Date of birth	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	
Sex	0.3	0.2	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	0.1	
Indigenous status	4.7	15.8	4.8	0.7	0.7	—	2.6	3.2	0.2	5.7	
Country of birth	5.4	14.8	4.4	2.4	0.5	0.1	3.3	1.9	0.4	5.6	
Need for interpreter services	9.3	27.3	4.8	0.1	0.5	0.1	3.2	4.8	6.0	11.7	
Method of communication	15.0	26.1	6.3	2.7	1.6	0.7	12.5	5.3	2.3	11.3	
Living arrangements	7.8	20.1	3.4	1.4	1.5	—	1.9	1.8	1.7	7.9	
Postcode of usual residence	—	5.1	2.0	0.1	1.5	—	1.1	0.7	—	1.7	
Residential setting	7.8	23.9	2.9	4.6	2.1	—	2.1	7.7	0.1	8.6	
Primary disability group	10.6	16.2	2.6	1.0	0.7	—	4.2	11.9	0.1	6.6	
Frequency of support or assistance needed	
Self-care	22.1	43.4	5.4	2.6	3.6	—	5.0	18.93	1.9	17.1	
Mobility	21.7	42.4	6.1	2.6	3.6	—	4.8	22.3	0.7	16.4	
Communication	20.7	42.4	5.8	2.6	3.7	—	3.2	31.2	0.3	16.1	
Interpersonal interactions and relationships	28.7	44.4	5.9	2.9	3.7	—	5.3	29.6	0.5	18.0	
Learning, applying knowledge and general tasks and demands	20.3	40.7	7.0	3.0	4.0	—	14.5	28.7	0.3	15.8	
Education	22.0	41.7	10.4	4.3	4.6	0.3	15.7	32.7	3.5	17.9	
Community (civic) and onomic life	23.1	41.0	8.5	3.1	4.3	0.1	22.3	26.8	3.7	17.8	
	Domestic life	30.1	38.8	7.9	2.6	3.9	0.1	2.9	14.7	4.2	18.0	
	Working	35.6	40.1	12.4	4.6	4.5	0.2	4.4	24.6	0.2	18.3	
Carer—existence of	10.4	18.1	3.3	2.2	0.8	—	3.9	12.3	—	7.1	
Carer—primary status	2.9	28.4	2.8	6.8	0.8	0.5	1.7	10.5	12.6	11.2	
Carer—residency status	7.7	29.2	2.8	1.3	2.3	2.3	0.9	14.9	14.6	12.3	
Carer—relationship to service user	9.4	24.7	2.4	1.2	1.7	—	1.2	3.4	4.3	10.2	
Carer—age group	18.6	36.8	5.7	4.3	7.3	0.7	10.3	5.2	24.9	19.0	
Main income source (adult)	16.7	42.0	6.6	2.8	1.3	0.1	3.0	2.7	—	13.7	
Receipt of Carer Allowance (Child)	36.3	69.0	7.6	5.7	17.6	—	17.0	1.9	—	37.2	
Labour force status	19.2	34.2	7.1	6.2	1.8	0.5	11.9	31.3	—	12.4	
Individual funding status	11.4	13.2	6.8	0.6	—	—	0.1	4.0	—	6.0	
Average ‘not stated’ rate	14.4	28.3	5.0	2.5	2.7	0.2	5.5	12.1	2.8	11.7	
Not known		
Main income source (adult)	4.8	—	3.4	4.7	17.2	2.9	8.7	13.4	0.5	2.5	
Receipt of Carer Allowance (Child)	26.5	1.0	21.8	19.3	7.9	46.9	50.1	64.0	43.7	17.5	
Notes
1.	Figures are the percentage of total data item responses for each data source.
2.	Service users accessing service type 3.02 were only required to report on data items relating to age and sex. Service users who accessed only this service type over the 12-month period are therefore excluded from calculations of ‘Not stated’ rates for all other data items.
3.	Service types 6.01–6.05 and 7.01–7.04 did not collect service user data and are therefore excluded from this table.
4.	Service types 5.01 and 5.02 were not required to collect data on ‘Carer—primary status’, ‘Carer—residency status’ and ‘Carer—age group’. ‘Not stated’ rate calculations therefore exclude service types 5.01 and 5.02 for these data items.
5.	‘Not stated’ rates for ‘Carer—primary status’, ‘Carer—residency status’, ‘Carer—relationship to service user’ and ‘Carer—age group’ are based only on those service users who answered ‘Yes’ to the item ‘Carer—existence of’. 

In general, across all jurisdictions information was collected for all ‘Service start date’ and ‘Date service last received’ items for all service users (Table A1.5). There was, however, significant variation between jurisdictions on the data item ‘Main reason for cessation of services’, with Tasmania reporting a ‘Not stated’ proportion of 0% and the Northern Territory recording a ‘Not stated’ proportion of 90%. Victoria also had a relatively high ‘Not stated’ proportion for this item, at 45%. Due to these high figures the national average has been skewed upward and is reported at 22%.
Table A1.5: ‘Not stated’ response rates for service use data items, for applicable service types, 
2008–09 (per cent)
Data item	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aus Gov	Australia	
Service start date	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	
Date service last received	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	
Main reason for cessation of services	11.0	44.7	0.3	24.2	0.8	—	11.1	89.5	—	21.7	
Notes
1.	Figures are the percentage of total data item responses for each data source.
2.	Service users accessing service types 3.02, 6.01–6.05 and 7.01–7.04 were not required to collect service use data, and are therefore excluded from this table.
3.	‘Not stated’ rates for main reason for cessation of services are based only on service users who entered a service exit date. Exit dates left blank were treated as indicating that the service user had remained with the service; therefore, the response rate for this item was 100%.
4.	A response of ‘0’ was considered as a ‘Not stated’ response.
In 2008–09, there were generally low proportions of reported ‘Not stated’ responses across service type outlet data items for all jurisdictions (Table A1.6). Victoria had above average ‘Not stated’ proportions for ‘Staff hours in the reference week’ (39%), ‘Operating weeks per year’ (12%), ‘Operating days per week’ (11%), ‘Operating hours per day’ (12%) and ‘Full financial year operation’ (5%) data items, while Western Australia had relatively high ‘Not stated’ proportions for ‘Staff hours in a typical week’ (13%).
The Australian Capital Territory, Northern Territory and Queensland had the lowest ‘Not stated’ proportions for ‘Service type outlet data’, approaching 0%.

Table A1.6: ‘Not stated’ response rates for service type outlet data items, 2008–09 (per cent)
Data item	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aus Gov	Australia	
Agency sector	—	0.3	—	—	—	—	—	—	0.2	0.0	
Service type	0.1	—	0.3	0.1	0.2	0.2	—	—	0.1	0.0	
Full financial year operation	—	4.5	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	0.1	
Staff hours in the reference week	6.5	38.6	—	—	5.2	—	—	—	3.9	11.7	
Staff hours in a typical week	13.0	—	0.5	12.9	7.5	1.8	—	0.6	4.2	8.1	
Operating weeks per year	—	12.3	—	—	—	—	—	—	3.9	3.2	
Operating days per week	—	10.8	—	—	—	—	—	—	3.9	2.9	
Operating hours per day	—	12.0	—	—	0.1	—	—	—	3.9	3.1	
Number of service users over the year	—	—	—	—	0.4	—	—	—	0.4	0.0	
Notes
1.	Figures are the percentage of total data item responses for each data source.
2.	Service types 7.01–7.04 were not required to report on the data item ‘Number of service users over the year’, hence these outlets are excluded from the ‘Not stated’ calculations for this data item. 
3.	Victoria did not collect data on staff hours in a typical week.
4.	A response of ‘0’ was considered as a ‘Not stated’ response, except for ‘Staff hours’ (for both reference week and typical week)—if only one ‘Staff hours’ (paid or unpaid) variable was missing, it was assumed to be validly recorded as zero.
A1.7 Calculation of potential population
To assess how well disability support services are meeting the needs of people with disability, it is useful to estimate the potential population for these services.
Tables A2.44 and A2.45 provide information on ‘potential population’ data, including calculations of these populations (Table A2.44) and the Indigenous factor (Table A2.45).
Potential population figures were calculated as follows:
•	National 5-year age- and sex-specific rates of severe/profound core activity limitation were calculated using data from the 2003 ABS Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (ABS 2006 and ABS 2009c) (number of people in Australia with a severe/profound core activity limitation in each sex and 5-year age group, divided by total population for each age group, by sex).
•	These rates were applied to (multiplied by) estimated resident population numbers in each state and territory, as at 30 June 2008, to produce estimates of the number of people with severe/profound core activity limitations in each 5-year age group, by sex. 
•	Five-year age group estimates were then summed into age categories (less than 65 years and 15–64 years) to produce an estimated number of people with a severe/profound core activity limitation in each state/territory as at 30 June 2008. 
•	An Indigenous factor was calculated (for people aged less than 65 years and 15–64 years) by weighting the Indigenous population with severe/profound core activity limitation at 2.4, and all other Australians with severe/profound core activity limitation at 1 (AIHW 2007a). 
•	Potential populations for accommodation support, community support and community access (less than 65 years) were calculated by multiplying the estimated number of people with a severe/profound core activity limitation aged less than 65 years by the Indigenous factor. 
•	Potential populations for respite were obtained as above, but by selecting only people from the 2003 ABS Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (ABS 2004) who had a primary carer.
•	Potential populations for employment (that is, 15–64 years) were calculated by multiplying the estimated number of people with a severe/profound core activity limitation aged 15–64 years by the Indigenous factor and by state/territory-specific labour force participation rates (ABS 2009b).
Thus the term ’potential population’ represents an estimate of the population with severe/profound core activity limitation in the Australian or relevant population.
A1.8 Further information
The AIHW has an interactive disability data site containing subsets of national information from the 2008–09 data collection, as well as previous data collections from 1999 onwards. This is available at <http://www.aihw.gov.au/disability/datacubes/index.html>, and allows anyone who has access to the internet to view data. People accessing this site can construct their own data tables according to their needs (see AIHW 2006b: Box 2.5 for more information).

Appendix 2
Table A2.1: Disability support service users, service type outlets and agencies by state/territory, 2008–09 (per cent)
	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Total	
Service users	27.7	34.5	15.6	8.1	9.4	2.6	1.9	0.7	100.0	
Agencies	29.1	25.2	17.8	8.1	8.7	5.4	3.0	2.6	100.0	
Outlets	36.3	24.2	16.9	8.5	8.1	2.3	2.1	1.7	100.0	
Note: Service user data are estimates after use of a statistical linkage key to account for individuals who received services from more than one service type outlet during the 12-month period. Totals for Australia may not be the sum of components because individuals may have accessed services in more than one state or territory during the 12-month period.

Table A2.2: Characteristics of disability support service type outlets, 2008–09
Data item	NSW(a)	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aus
 Gov	Total	
Agency sector(a)	
Australian/state/territory  government	1,381	700	480	214	228	25	87	13	4	3,132	
Local government	132	35	12	8	7	—	—	—	6	200	
Income tax exempt (charity)	2,117	1,478	197	620	48	35	117	162	1,026	5,800	
Non-income tax exempt	131	289	1,052	35	530	167	12	—	128	2,344	
Not stated	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	
Full 2008–09 financial year of operation	
Yes	3,231	2,442	1,639	847	737	211	200	166	1,105	10,578	
No	530	60	102	30	76	16	16	9	59	898	
Not stated	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	
Weeks of operation per year	
1–39 weeks	64	n.p.	14	40	30	7	n.p.	n.p.	6	164	
40–47 weeks	147	—	18	10	11	16	4	6	6	218	
48–51 weeks	1,190	—	522	131	143	50	63	18	540	2,657	
52 weeks	1,992	n.p.	1,025	586	606	150	137	140	564	5,200	
No regular annual pattern	368	n.p.	162	110	23	4	10	10	4	691	
Not stated	—	n.p.	—	—	—	—	—	—	44	44	
Days of operation per week	
1 day	38	28	12	8	10	6	3	—	26	131	
2 days	35	25	16	5	10	3	6	—	22	122	
3 days	105	25	13	8	9	6	n.p.	n.p.	16	185	
4 days	85	36	15	9	3	n.p.	3	4	18	175	
5 days	1,246	1,377	529	258	241	79	63	40	981	4,814	
6 days	45	16	22	10	n.p.	n.p.	n.p.	—	7	104	
7 days	1,716	699	910	426	493	114	129	116	30	4,633	
No regular weekly pattern	491	22	224	153	46	15	10	13	20	994	
Not stated	—	274	—	—	—	—	—	—	44	318	
Hours of operation per day	
Less than 3 hours	23	9	n.p.	3	6	n.p.	4	n.p.	n.p. 	52	
3–6 hours	664	306	68	67	52	29	23	5	37	1,251	
7–9 hours	787	787	504	221	223	72	49	43	1,044	3,730	
10–12 hours	36	18	58	10	7	n.p.	8	7	15	160	
13–18 hours	56	28	17	8	4	n.p.	n.p.	n.p.	n.p.	119	
19–23 hours	4	7	7	n.p.	n.p.	—	—	—	—	20	
24 hours	1,119	990	617	381	442	81	109	92	6	3,837	
No regular daily pattern	1,072	54	468	186	77	41	22	24	15	1,959	
Not stated	—	303	—	—	n.p.	—	—	—	44	348	
(continued)	

Table A2.2 (continued): Characteristics of disability support service type outlets, 2008–09
Data item	NSW(a)	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aus
 Gov	Total	
Staff hours in the reference week: paid staff	
Zero hours	831	63	31	145	51	23	6	145	8	1,303	
Less than 20 hours	614	96	173	65	102	19	34	13	106	1,222	
20 to less than 38 hours	305	104	170	49	54	22	28	4	36	772	
38 to less than 114 hours	604	288	397	167	178	57	51	7	262	2,011	
114 to less than 228 hours	688	510	476	181	194	37	53	4	284	2,427	
228 to less than 418 hours	382	273	296	181	132	25	32	—	233	1,554	
418 to less than 570 hours	32	40	75	21	20	9	n.p.	n.p.	88	289	
570 hours or more	56	58	123	67	40	34	n.p.	n.p.	102	490	
Not stated	249	1,070	—	n.p.	42	n.p.	—	—	45	1,408	
Staff hours in the reference week: unpaid staff	
Zero hours	2,812	980	1,194	786	255	150	191	25	783	7,176	
Less than 20 hours	306	285	345	55	94	34	15	31	118	1,283	
20 to less than 38 hours	23	56	88	8	11	8	3	18	33	248	
38 to less than 114 hours	17	44	74	16	19	14	4	31	34	253	
114 to less than 228 hours	3	6	22	7	n.p.	7	n.p.	35	6	91	
228 to less than 418 hours	5	n.p.	6	3	—	n.p.	n.p.	28	5	50	
418 to less than 570 hours	—	n.p.	3	—	—	n.p.	—	5	—	10	
570 hours or more	4	n.p.	9	n.p.	n.p.	—	—	n.p.	n.p.	22	
Not stated	591	1,128	—	—	429	12	—	—	183	2,343	
Staff hours in a typical week: paid staff	
Zero hours	271	—	13	113	15	13	—	n.p.	3	430	
Less than 20 hours	397	—	152	67	122	19	31	35	93	916	
20 to less than 38 hours	374	—	176	56	62	23	35	23	37	786	
38 to less than 114 hours	780	—	417	176	181	60	46	40	259	1,959	
114 to less than 228 hours	860	—	497	193	192	40	53	40	291	2,166	
228 to less than 418 hours	580	—	302	184	134	25	30	28	233	1,516	
418 to less than 570 hours	86	—	69	19	16	9	4	4	88	295	
570 hours or more	179	—	115	68	43	37	17	3	116	578	
Not stated	234	2,502	—	n.p.	48	n.p.	—	—	44	2,830	
Staff hours in a typical week: unpaid staff	
Zero hours	2,480	—	1,149	772	249	150	189	154	781	5,924	
Less than 20 hours	514	—	413	64	109	30	11	12	112	1,265	
20 to less than 38 hours	75	—	69	7	12	10	4	n.p.	39	218	
38 to less than 114 hours	61	—	71	23	20	16	6	n.p.	33	232	
114 to less than 228 hours	18	—	17	6	n.p.	8	n.p.	3	6	61	
228 to less than 418 hours	10	—	8	n.p.	n.p.	n.p.	n.p.	—	n.p.	27	
418 to less than 570 hours	6	—	n.p.	—	—	n.p.	n.p.	n.p.	—	11	
570 hours or more	6	—	12	3	3	—	—	n.p.	n.p.	27	
Not stated	591	2,502	—	—	418	11	—	—	189	3,711	
(continued)		

Table A2.2 (continued): Characteristics of disability support service type outlets, 2008–09
Data item	NSW(a)	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aus
 Gov	Total	
Service users over the 2008–09 year	
1–4 service users	1,434	479	584	226	275	73	113	110	61	3,355	
5–9 service users	838	830	215	227	152	32	31	28	60	2,413	
10–19 service users	431	245	248	108	71	26	15	8	112	1,264	
20–49 service users	441	395	359	128	99	46	23	9	251	1,751	
50–99 service users	208	250	192	63	59	17	13	12	253	1,067	
100 or more service users	392	303	135	107	123	28	15	5	422	1,530	
Zero or not stated	17	__	8	18	34	5	6	3	5	96	
(a) 	New South Wales counts and the national totals need to be treated with caution as there are coding errors in the sector information submitted by some New South Wales service type outlets.
Notes
1.	A service outlet may be a single outlet or an aggregation of two or more outlets of the same service type for an organisation.
2.	Data for CSTDA service outlets, including the data on service user numbers, were from the service form completed by funding jurisdictions and service providers. These data do not use a linkage key to estimate service user numbers. Service user numbers reflect the estimated number of people who received a service at the service outlet during the 2008–09 financial year.
3.	Service type outlets with a service type of ‘Research and evaluation’, ‘Training and development’, ‘Peak bodies’ and ‘Other support services’ (7.01–7.04) were excluded from the item ‘Service users over the 2008–09 year’, as they are not required to report this data item.

Table A2.3: Disability support service type outlets, remoteness area by service group, 2008–09
 	Major cities	Inner regional	Outer regional	Remote	Very remote	Subtotal	Not known	Total	
	Number	
Accommodation support	3,122	1,081	368	40	23	4,634	5	4,639	
Community support	926	368	161	29	23	1,507	26	1,533	
Community access	1,522	737	283	31	n.p.	2,582	n.p.	2,584	
Respite	655	343	164	37	n.p.	1,212	n.p.	1,215	
Employment	581	293	174	30	12	1,090	—	1,090	
Advocacy, information and alternative communication formats	195	70	19	5	n.p.	290	—	290	
Other support	101	15	6	n.p.	n.p.	125	—	125	
Total	7,104	2,906	1,175	172	83	11,440	36	11,476	
	Per cent	
Accommodation support	67.4	23.3	7.9	0.9	0.5	100.0	. .	. .	
Community support	61.5	24.4	10.7	1.9	1.5	100.0	. .	. .	
Community access	59.0	28.6	11.0	1.2	0.3	100.0	. .	. .	
Respite	54.1	28.3	13.5	3.0	1.1	100.0	. .	. .	
Employment	53.3	26.8	16.0	2.8	1.1	100.0	. .	. .	
Advocacy, information and alternative communication formats	67.4	24.1	6.4	1.7	0.4	100.0	. .	. .	
Other support	80.8	11.9	5.0	0.7	1.7	100.0	. .	. .	
Total	62.1	25.4	10.3	1.5	0.7	100.0	. .	. .	
Note: The number of outlets in each remoteness area (RA) was estimated based on outlets’ residential postcodes. Some postcode areas were split between two or more RAs. Where this was the case, the data were weighted according to the proportion of the population of the postcode area in each RA. Totals may not be the sum of the components because of rounding.

Table A2.4: Disability support service type outlets, service type by agency sector, 2008–09 
	Government(a)	Non-government(a)		
Service type	Aus Gov	State/
territory	Local	Sub-
total	Income tax exempt (charity)	Non-income tax exempt	Sub-
total	Not stated	Total	
Large residentials/institutions	—	26	—	26	16	13	29	—	55	
Small residentials/institutions	—	13	—	13	31	62	93	—	106	
Hostels	—	n.p.	—	n.p.	21	8	29	—	30	
Group homes	—	1,577	46	1623	1,145	362	1507	—	3,130	
Attendant care/personal care	—	23	5	28	64	90	154	—	182	
In-home accommodation support	—	128	13	141	471	361	832	—	973	
Alternative family placement	—	14	—	14	34	12	46	—	60	
Other accommodation support	—	12	5	17	66	20	86	—	103	
Total accommodation support	—	1794	69	1863	1848	928	2776	—	4639	
Therapy support for individuals	—	42	n.p.	43	115	40	155	—	198	
Early childhood intervention	—	94	10	104	191	24	215	—	319	
Behaviour/specialist intervention	—	101	n.p.	102	46	18	64	—	166	
Counselling (individual/family/group)	—	13	—	13	13	16	29	—	42	
Regional resource and support teams	—	125	—	125	4	3	7	—	132	
Case management, local coordination and development	—	262	10	272	233	82	315	—	587	
Other community support	—	18	4	22	51	16	67	—	89	
Total community support	—	655	26	681	653	199	852	—	1533	
Learning and life skills development	—	386	32	418	1,298	495	1793	—	2,211	
Recreation/holiday programs	—	22	10	32	86	64	150	—	182	
Other community access	—	28	n.p.	32	112	47	159	n.p.	191	
Total community access	—	436	n.p.	482	1496	606	2102	n.p.	2584	
Own home respite	—	8	5	13	34	46	80	—	93	
Centre-based respite/respite homes	—	125	3	128	155	116	271	—	399	
Host family respite/peer support respite	—	5	n.p.	6	26	11	37	—	43	
Flexible respite	—	64	39	103	386	143	529	n.p.	632	
Other respite	—	—	—	—	31	17	48	—	48	
Total respite	—	202	n.p.	250	632	333	965	n.p.	1215	
Open employment	n.p.	—	5	6	625	62	687	n.p.	693	
Supported employment	n.p.	n.p.	n.p. 	4	337	14	351	n.p.	355	
Targeted support	—	—	—	—	23	19	42	—	42	
Total employment	n.p.	n.p.	6	10	985	95	1080	n.p.	1090	
(continued)	

Table A2.4 (continued): Disability support service type outlets, service type by agency sector, 
2008–09
	Government(a)	Non-government(a)		
Service type	Aus Gov	State/
territory	Local	Sub-
total	Income tax exempt (charity)	Non-income tax exempt	Sub-
total	Not stated	Total	
Advocacy	—	—	—	—	66	49	115	—	115	
Information/referral	—	9	n.p.	10	47	44	91	n.p.	101	
Combined information/advocacy	—	4	n.p.	6	18	10	28	n.p.	34	
Mutual support/self-help groups	—	—	—	—	n.p.	23	25	—	25	
Alternative formats of communication	—	—	—	—	6	9	15	—	15	
Total advocacy, information and alternative communication	—	13	n.p	16	139	135	274	—	290	
Research and evaluation	—	n.p.	n.p.	n.p.	n.p.	n.p.	n.p.	—	n.p.	
Training and development	—	6	—	6	6	7	13	—	19	
Peak bodies	—	n.p.	—	 n.p.	6	6	12	—	14	
Other support services	—	19	n.p.	20	33	34	67	—	87	
Total other support	—	28	n.p.	30	47	48	95	—	125	
Total	n.p.	3,130	200	3332	5,800	2,344	8144	n.p.	11,476	
Per cent	0.0	27.3	1.7	29.0	50.5	20.4	71.0	0.0	100.0	
(a) 	New South Wales counts and the national totals need to be treated with caution as there are coding errors in the sector information submitted by some New South Wales service type outlets.
 
Table A2.5: State/territory-funded disability support service type outlets, service type by state/territory, 2008–09
Service type	NSW(a)	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Total	
Large residentials/institutions	25	3	11	5	8	3	—	—	55	
Small residentials/institutions	23	5	59	15	n.p.	n.p.	—	—	106	
Hostels	9	13	—	n.p.	n.p.	5	—	—	30	
Group homes	1,154	904	342	303	293	38	65	31	3,130	
Attendant care/personal care	58	n.p.	51	n.p.	28	27	n.p.	12	182	
In-home accommodation support	238	209	248	126	74	27	31	20	973	
Alternative family placement	41	n.p.	11	3	n.p.	—	—	3	60	
Other accommodation support	40	29	20	3	3	4	n.p.	n.p.	103	
Total accommodation support	1,588	1,164	742	457	412	105	103	68	4,639	
Therapy support for individuals	38	69	43	21	13	n.p.	n.p.	9	198	
Early childhood intervention	156	91	41	14	15	—	n.p.	n.p.	319	
Behaviour/specialist intervention	51	35	44	22	9	—	n.p.	3	166	
Counselling (individual/family/group)	n.p.	—	23	n.p.	14	—	n.p.	n.p.	42	
Regional resource and support teams	116	—	n.p.	4	7	4	—	—	132	
Case management, local coordination 
and development	81	231	146	53	29	8	26	13	587	
Other community support	47	4	3	9	15	—	4	7	89	
Total community support	491	430	301	124	102	14	37	34	1,533	
Learning and life skills development	1,077	542	343	116	78	14	26	15	2,211	
Recreation/holiday programs	72	13	24	21	41	6	n.p.	n.p.	182	
Other community access	47	70	11	n.p.	11	36	4	10	191	
Total community access	1,196	625	378	139	130	56	32	28	2,584	
Own home respite	9	14	36	n.p.	20	6	3	3	93	
Centre-based respite/respite homes	110	115	87	24	29	9	10	15	399	
Host family respite/peer support respite	14	12	4	—	6	n.p.	n.p.	5	43	
Flexible respite	287	131	98	68	26	4	5	13	632	
Other respite	n.p.	9	11	11	12	—	—	n.p.	48	
Total respite	422	281	236	105	93	20	19	39	1,215	
Advocacy	10	—	12	18	n.p.	6	3	n.p.	52	
Information/referral	15	n.p.	32	6	14	13	9	—	90	
Combined information/advocacy	20	n.p.	5	n.p.	—	5	n.p.	—	34	
Mutual support/self-help groups	—	—	13	n.p.	10	—	n.p.	—	25	
Alternative formats of communication	n.p.	—	6	n.p. 	n.p.	3	3	—	15	
Total advocacy, information and alternative comm.	47	n.p.	68	26	25	27	18	n.p.	216	
Research and evaluation	—	—	n.p.	—	—	n.p.	n.p.	n.p.	5	
Training and development	7	—	6	n.p.	n.p.	n.p.	3	—	19	
Peak bodies	5	—	3	—	n.p.	3	n.p. 	n.p.	14	
Other support services	5	—	5	25	49	—	n.p.	n.p.	87	
Total other support	17	—	16	26	51	5	7	3	125	
Total	3,761	2,502	1,741	877	813	227	216	175	10,312	
(a) 	New South Wales counts and the national totals need to be treated with caution as there are coding errors in the sector information submitted by some New South Wales service type outlets.

Table A2.6: Australian Government-funded disability support service type outlets, service type by state and territory, 2008–09
Service type	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Total	
Open employment 	239	159	138	50	68	19	10	10	693	
Supported employment	129	89	41	31	39	15	8	3	355	
Targeted support	16	8	9	6	—	—	n.p.	n.p.	42	
Total employment support	384	256	188	87	107	34	19	15	1,090	
Advocacy	14	20	n.p.	n.p.	n.p.	3	n.p.	n.p.	63	
Information/referral	3	n.p.	n.p.	n.p.	n.p.	—	n.p.	—	11	
Total advocacy, information and alternative comm.	17	22	8	10	7	3	4	3	74	
Total	401	278	196	97	114	37	23	18	1,164	

Table A2.7: Disability support service users and services received, by state and territory, 
2003–04 to 2008–09
	2003–04	2004–05	2005–06	2006–07	2007–08(a)	2008–09(a)	
	Number of service users	
State and territory services		
New South Wales	 26,846 	 28,521 	 31,897 	 34,583 	 36,003 	 42,466 	
Victoria	 53,195 	 60,069 	 64,515 	 67,986 	 69,540 	 77,079 	
Queensland	 15,710 	 16,432 	 18,190 	 19,202 	 20,998 	 22,544 	
Western Australia	 19,145 	 19,499 	 19,191 	 17,304 	 15,759 	 15,349 	
South Australia	 14,989 	 15,447 	 15,958 	 17,041 	 19,386 	 20,145 	
Tasmania	 3,825 	 3,658 	 3,902 	 3,839 	 4,175 	 4,555 	
Australian Capital Territory	 920 	 3,087 	 2,606 	 3,477 	 3,682 	 3,927 	
Northern Territory	 940 	 1,350 	 1,021 	 1,120 	 1,916 	 1,639 	
Australian Government services	 64,281 	 64,835 	 73,157 	 80,008 	 89,935 	 109,002 	
Total	 187,806 	 200,493 	 217,143 	 232,253 	 246,281 	 279,374 	
	Number of service type outlets accessed	
State and territory services		
New South Wales	 43,140 	 42,539 	 50,319 	 65,600 	 73,897 	 83,986 	
Victoria	 82,551 	 94,121 	 103,175 	 106,827 	 109,924 	 124,195 	
Queensland	 27,787 	 29,165 	 33,515 	 36,816 	 44,326 	 47,362 	
Western Australia	 37,180 	 38,336 	 36,874 	 31,404 	 30,980 	 32,988 	
South Australia	 25,627 	 26,020 	 27,463 	 30,116 	 37,361 	 36,195 	
Tasmania	 5,597 	 5,498 	 5,825 	 5,708 	 6,087 	 6,601 	
Australian Capital Territory	 1,260 	 3,651 	 3,351 	 4,331 	 4,943 	 5,540 	
Northern Territory	 1,306 	 1,804 	 1,286 	 1,573 	 2,584 	 2,165 	
Australian Government services	 67,367 	 67,566 	 76,736 	 82,767 	 95,592 	 110,552 	
Total	 291,815 	 308,700 	 338,544 	 365,142 	 405,694 	 449,584 	
	Average service type outlets accessed per user	
State and territory services		
New South Wales	1.61	1.49	1.58	1.90	2.05	1.98	
Victoria	1.55	1.57	1.60	1.57	1.58	1.61	
Queensland	1.77	1.77	1.84	1.92	2.11	2.10	
Western Australia	1.94	1.97	1.92	1.81	1.97	2.15	
South Australia	1.71	1.68	1.72	1.77	1.93	1.80	
Tasmania	1.46	1.50	1.49	1.49	1.46	1.45	
Australian Capital Territory	1.37	1.18	1.29	1.25	1.34	1.41	
Northern Territory	1.39	1.34	1.26	1.40	1.35	1.32	
Australian Government services	1.05	1.04	1.05	1.03	1.06	1.01	
Total	1.55	1.54	1.56	1.57	1.65	1.61	
(a)	Linkage processes (to obtain unique service user counts) have changed from previous years. For further information see Chapter 1.

Table A2.8: Users of disability support services, agency sector by state and territory and by 
service group, 2008–09
Service group	NSW(a)	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Total(a)	%	
Accommodation support	
Government	4,516	3,298	779	906	864	155	168	30	10,715	27.4	
Non-government	4,448	10,625	5,595	2,502	4,108	1,094	267	236	28,866	73.7	
Total	8,830	13,878	6,343	3,335	4,947	1,187	425	245	39,176	100.0	
Community support	
Government	15,972	17,541	10,617	9,363	11,970	1,237	3,266	708	70,486	58.4	
Non-government	13,922	31,695	4,579	5,608	4,333	1,717	390	407	62,549	51.8	
Total	27,074	45,360	13,803	12,385	14,951	2,870	3,496	1,094	120,645	100.0	
Community access	
Government	5,458	1,464	510	256	588	180	16	—	8,472	14.5	
Non-government	7,997	22,898	8,560	3,771	5,665	1,390	465	413	51,122	87.7	
Total	12,928	23,934	8,922	3,972	6,173	1,510	474	413	58,275	100.0	
Respite	
Government	4,152	2,631	595	429	51	202	224	—	8,272	24.1	
Non-government	4,805	14,423	4,660	2,414	1,797	138	182	197	28,589	83.2	
Total	7,876	16,092	5,039	2,665	1,842	327	370	197	34,346	100.0	
Total state/territory service users	
Government	23,168	22,326	10,937	9,629	12,332	1,418	3,396	723	83,678	44.7	
Non-government	26,732	64,209	16,931	10,568	11,809	3,824	949	1,077	135,829	72.6	
Total	42,466	77,079	22,544	15,349	20,145	4,555	3,927	1,639	187,030	100.0	
(a) 	New South Wales counts and the national totals need to be treated with caution as there are coding errors in the sector information submitted by some New South Wales service type outlets.
Table A2.9: Users of disability support employment services, agency sector by state and territory, 
2008–09
	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Australia	%	
Government	425	—	152	—	—	—	—	—	577	5.3	
Non-government	35,209	28,863	21,270	8,859	9,824	2,728	1,272	615	108,426	94.7	
Total	35,632	28,863	21,270	8,859	9,824	2,728	1,272	615	109,002	100.0	

Table A2.10: Characteristics of services accessed, disability support services, 2008–09

Service use item	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aus Gov	Total	
Start date	
Before 1980	7	455	—	8	11	39	—	—	—	520	
1980–1989	51	1,447	n.p.	n.p.	89	168	23	34	—	1,818	
1990–1999	322	8,184	130	2,425	880	1,114	214	119	—	13,388	
2000	825	1,667	25	759	191	254	231	34	—	3,986	
2001	210	2,095	54	986	240	172	118	n.p.	n.p.	3,921	
2002	1,505	5,938	425	1,114	297	573	204	89	—	10,145	
2003	2,423	6,176	1,491	999	465	231	192	71	40	12,088	
2004	1,582	6,498	896	905	658	289	369	57	216	11,470	
2005	1,435	7,675	1,026	1,011	1,374	418	367	53	15,641	29,000	
2006	2,016	9,535	1,679	2,483	1,044	481	501	137	13,720	31,596	
2007	5,991	12,878	3,981	1,916	9,449	553	1,133	105	19,560	55,566	
2008	45,369	40,058	26,000	15,787	15,176	1,268	1,479	861	38,362	184,360	
2009 (January–June)	19,843	20,707	10,307	2,211	3,338	710	620	407	23,011	81,154	
Date of last service 	
July 2008	1,959	3,092	1,068	529	891	107	727	69	2,434	10,876	
August 2008	1,786	2,467	1,035	358	790	129	151	102	2,290	9,108	
September 2008	3,651	4,454	2,245	458	818	236	110	109	2,517	14,598	
October 2008	1,941	3,471	1,120	585	830	140	154	104	3,245	11,590	
November 2008	1,743	3,118	1,136	672	950	147	129	77	2,703	10,675	
December 2008	5,018	6,500	2,157	1,051	780	265	155	94	2,772	18,792	
January 2009	1,691	2,691	1,216	1,054	797	207	130	43	2,443	10,272	
February 2009	1,725	3,375	1,534	1,015	918	237	152	130	2,794	11,880	
March 2009	4,773	5,913	3,707	1,180	1,165	385	282	185	3,401	20,991	
April 2009	3,981	4,015	2,098	1,713	1,353	290	281	142	3,140	17,013	
May 2009	4,950	3,952	3,161	2,580	2,003	406	424	181	3,145	20,802	
June 2009	48,361	80,265	25,540	19,412	21,917	3,721	2,756	775	79,668	282,415	
Exit date	
July 2008	751	1,416	247	92	223	7	601	35	2,434	5,806	
August 2008	759	966	131	107	199	24	73	64	2,290	4,613	
September 2008	889	5,753	249	116	199	76	50	24	2,517	9,873	
October 2008	773	1,544	166	205	190	51	72	34	3,245	6,280	
November 2008	719	1,383	137	171	184	20	47	45	2,703	5,409	
December 2008	974	7,890	227	284	194	66	69	32	2,772	12,508	
January 2009	647	1,201	161	269	199	76	68	19	2,443	5,083	
February 2009	702	1,324	194	316	168	141	45	73	2,794	5,757	
March 2009	887	7,767	249	246	226	150	48	72	3,401	13,046	
April 2009	879	1,641	206	179	277	114	85	78	3,140	6,599	
May 2009	1,062	1,405	210	282	211	85	63	111	3,145	6,574	
June 2009	3,517	9,050	349	247	291	280	107	242	3,329	17,412	
No exit date recorded (did not exit service)	69,020	81,973	43,491	28,093	30,651	5,180	4,123	1,182	76,339	340,052	
(continued)	

Table A2.10 (continued): Characteristics of services accessed, disability support services, 
2008–09
Service use item	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aus Gov	Total	
Main reason for cessation of services	
No longer needs assistance—moved to mainstream services	628	9,601	306	91	146	272	124	11	6,375	17,554	
No longer needs assistance—other reason	1,097	6,291	768	291	313	505	292	4	4,036	13,597	
Moved to residential, institutional or supported accommodation setting	182	173	184	167	95	8	11	n.p.	n.p.	825	
Needs have increased—other service type required	156	572	94	95	60	19	4	3	309	1,312	
Services terminated due to budget/staffing constraints	50	99	39	22	29	35	n.p.	7	n.p.	283	
Services terminated due to OHS reasons	21	19	14	n.p.	7	n.p.	—	n.p. 	n.p.	64	
Service user moved out of area	245	865	252	306	557	37	66	12	—	2,340	
Service user died	244	417	277	193	499	35	16	7	227	1,915	
Service user terminated service	114	1,034	156	438	66	75	35	3	784	2,705	
Other reason	8,324	3,798	430	288	770	103	631	37	22,479	36,860	
Not stated	1,498	18,471	6	622	19	—	147	742	—	21,505	
Hours received (reference week)	
Zero	—	128	20,135	10,247	—	—	1,114	614	n.a.	32,238	
Less  than 1 hour	557	1,678	26	700	64	72	46	34	n.a.	3,177	
1–11	3,346	8,210	9,543	3,933	4,627	1,035	606	169	n.a.	31,469	
12–23	1,939	1,890	2,410	1,006	679	389	157	41	n.a.	8,511	
24–47	3,306	3,734	1,925	470	762	515	82	45	n.a.	10,839	
48–71	492	187	369	201	113	31	19	10	n.a.	1,422	
72–103	301	101	163	116	49	20	7	6	n.a.	763	
104–135	171	35	154	48	17	3	6	8	n.a.	442	
136–167	86	34	298	89	22	n.p.	4	n.p.	n.a.	538	
168	350	63	342	100	165	9	13	27	n.a.	1,069	
Not stated	21,672	73,670	—	1,075	15,552	1,524	n.p.	n.p.	n.a.	113,495	
Notes
1.	Service use data were not collected for all CSTDA service types (see Appendix 4 for details).
2.	Service users accessing recreation/holiday programs (service type 3.02) were not required to report on any service use data items and are therefore excluded from this table.
3.	Service users accessing service types 1.01–1.04, 1.08, 2.01–2.05, 2.07, 3.02, 5.01, 5.02, 5.04, 6.01–6.05 and 7.01–7.04 were not required to report on the data item ‘Hours received (reference week)’ and are therefore excluded from analysis of this data item in this table.
4.	Counts of ‘Main reason for cessation of services’ only include records where a service date has been recorded.

Table A2.11: Service users per 1,000 potential population by service group and state and territory, 2008–09
	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Australia	
Accommodation support	
Number of service users	8,830	13,878	6,343	3,335	4,947	1,187	425	245	39,176	
Potential population(a) 	         241,631 	      178,441 	      153,795 	        77,476 	        55,008 	        18,020 	        11,934 	        10,986 	      747,404 	
Service users per 1,000 potential population	36.5	77.8	41.2	43.0	89.9	65.9	35.6	22.3	52.4	
Community support	
Number of service users	27,074	45,360	13,803	12,385	14,951	2,870	3,496	1,094	120,645	
Potential population(a)	         241,631 	      178,441 	      153,795 	        77,476 	        55,008 	        18,020 	        11,934 	        10,986 	      747,404 	
Service users per 1,000 potential population	112.0	254.2	89.7	159.9	271.8	159.3	293.0	99.6	161.4	
Community access	
Number of service users	12,928	23,934	8,922	3,972	6,173	1,510	474	413	58,275	
Potential population(a)	         241,631 	      178,441 	      153,795 	        77,476 	        55,008 	        18,020 	        11,934 	        10,986 	      747,404 	
Service users per 1,000 potential population	53.5	134.1	58.0	51.3	112.2	83.8	39.7	37.6	78.0	
Respite	
Number of service users	7,876	16,092	5,039	2,665	1,842	327	370	197	34,346	
Potential population(a)	           75,535 	        55,740 	        48,134 	        24,226 	        17,264 	          5,679 	          3,723 	          3,407 	      233,749 	
Service users per 1,000 potential population	104.3	288.7	104.7	110.0	106.7	57.6	99.4	57.8	146.9	
Employment	
Number of service users	35,632	28,863	21,270	8,859	9,824	2,728	1,272	615	109,002	
Potential population(a)	         139,592 	      105,578 	        90,866 	        47,694 	        32,980 	        10,308 	          7,739 	          5,902 	      441,073 	
Service users per 1,000 potential population	255.3	273.4	234.1	185.7	297.9	264.7	164.4	104.2	247.1	
(a)	This method differs slightly to that used to calculate the potential population for reporting against the National Disability Agreement 	performance indicators. The methodologies used to calculate potential population are under review, and may differ in future reports.
Note: Service user data are estimates after use of a statistical linkage key to account for individuals who received services from more than one service type outlet during the 12 months from 1 July 2006 to 30 June 2007. Totals for Australia may not be the sum of the components because individuals may have accessed services in more than one state or territory during the 12-month period.

Table A2.12: Characteristics of service users, disability support services, 2008–09
Service user characteristic	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aus
 Gov(a)	Total(a)	
Age (years)		
0–4	5,962	6,899	1,448	981	1,033	747	878	101	—	17,971	
5–14	10,594	10,686	4,000	4,832	3,130	812	1,789	235	15	35,936	
15–24	7,275	10,429	4,352	3,201	2,860	616	351	230	23,696	48,473	
25–44	9,032	20,639	6,781	3,403	4,566	1,069	567	419	47,047	85,425	
45–59 	6,294	13,638	4,460	2,118	4,404	941	275	283	32,132	60,607	
60–64 	1,272	3,051	784	375	1,163	177	44	70	5,353	11,914	
65–74	1,175	3,433	524	321	1,067	156	20	155	738	7,450	
75–84	598	3,977	140	87	939	34	n.p.	101	21	5,889	
85 and over	264	4,327	55	31	983	n.p.	n.p.	45	—	5,709	
Not stated	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	
Median age	20.0	35.0	29.0	19.0	39.0	26.0	8.0	37.0	38.0	20.0	
Sex		
Male	26,190	42,617	13,081	9,354	11,178	2,635	2,584	804	66,467	164,343	
Female	16,153	34,320	9,456	5,995	8,957	1,920	1,343	835	42,535	114,749	
Not stated	123	142	7	—	10	—	—	—	—	282	
Indigenous status		
Aboriginal	2,072	1,887	1,102	1,291	812	83	20	894	3,802	11,279	
Torres Strait Islander	41	87	168	19	13	n.p.	59	n.p.	40	405	
Aboriginal and 
Torres Strait Islander	164	355	162	78	32	12	n.p.	7	97	817	
Not Indigenous	38,209	62,285	19,685	13,849	18,385	4,294	3,709	597	104,796	249,292	
Not stated	1,965	12,117	1,070	102	134	n.p.	102	49	267	15,800	
Not collected 
(recreation/holiday programs)	15	348	357	10	769	161	33	88	—	1,781	
Country of birth		
Australia	37,116	57,114	19,806	13,583	17,248	4,274	3,609	1,436	89,761	228,073	
English Proficiency Group 1	699	2,731	844	667	1,000	56	49	35	5,983	11,391	
English Proficiency Group 2	704	2,270	339	276	382	34	52	30	4,100	7,831	
English Proficiency Group 3	926	2,542	208	236	562	25	45	17	6,212	10,426	
English Proficiency Group 4	161	721	31	38	83	n.p.	9	n.p.	2,546	3,524	
Not stated or not specified	1,278	8,499	500	502	530	5	56	41	750	15,561	
Not collected 
(recreation/holiday programs)	516	356	462	364	501	147	44	66	—	2,568	
(continued)	

Table A2.12 (continued): Characteristics of service users, disability support services, 2008–09

Service user characteristic	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aus
 Gov(b)	Total(b)	
Need for interpreter services		
For spoken language other than English	815	1,168	434	498	417	40	20	281	4,660	7,980	
For non-spoken communication	1,470	758	1,788	560	752	234	131	77	1,280	6,438	
Does not need an interpreter	35,651	53,896	18,909	14,271	18,099	4,115	3,619	1,119	96,491	230,117	
Not stated	3,862	20,902	1,060	20	96	5	124	74	6,571	32,400	
Not collected 
(recreation/holiday programs)	668	355	353	—	781	161	33	88	—	2,439	
Method of communication		
Spoken language (effective)	17,624	34,243	13,476	10,198	14,094	2,638	1,932	1,040	102,566	183,718	
Sign language (effective) 	540	4,461	391	162	279	48	19	37	1,177	6,634	
Other effective non-spoken 
communication	731	1,367	634	439	306	85	42	45	286	3,654	
Little, or no, effective communication	10,710	9,784	4,866	3,089	3,349	848	537	246	2,482	33,635	
Child aged under 5 years 
(not applicable)	5,962	6,902	1,448	981	1,033	747	878	101	—	17,974	
Not stated	6,235	19,972	1,381	394	314	31	486	82	2,491	31,262	
Not collected 
(recreation/holiday programs)	664	350	348	86	770	158	33	88	—	2,497	
Living arrangements		
Lives alone	2,253	9,105	2,701	1,218	3,439	510	174	156	32,303	48,997	
Lives with family	27,504	37,532	13,521	11,070	11,599	2,721	3,179	1,037	43,261	142,751	
Lives with others	8,776	14,672	5,225	2,744	4,033	1,162	467	330	31,575	63,277	
Not stated	3,268	15,417	743	200	293	n.p..	74	28	1,863	21,797	
Not collected 
(recreation/holiday programs)	665	353	354	117	781	161	33	88	—	2,552	
Residential setting		
Private residence	29,722	45,057	16,408	12,107	14,961	3,252	3,416	642	98,718	211,667	
Residence within an 
Aboriginal community	177	179	124	249	143	n.p..	n.p.	494	42	1,321	
Domestic-scale supported living facility	3,547	6,109	1,238	1,181	1,063	573	268	80	2,991	14,742	
Supported accommodation facility	3,098	2,531	1,787	600	1,483	464	68	136	1,868	10,472	
Boarding house/private hotel 	945	580	159	32	31	5	n.p.	5	4,526	6,039	
Independent unit within a retirement village	23	188	54	50	213	n.p..	n.p.	n.p..	59	570	
Residential aged care facility	222	407	207	89	676	36	14	15	134	1,753	
Psychiatric/mental health community care facility	41	909	177	15	32	15	—	5	235	1,257	
Hospital	139	86	289	84	66	5	22	6	27	698	
Short-term crisis, emergency or transitional accommodation	128	1,428	155	65	77	21	8	6	177	1,894	
Public place/temporary shelter	15	164	47	6	19	n.p..	n.p.	n.p..	36	264	
Other	558	744	896	71	189	16	8	35	64	2,576	
Not stated	3,233	18,343	645	675	411	n.p..	81	119	125	23,603	
Not collected (recreation/holiday programs)	618	354	358	125	781	161	33	88	—	2,518	
(continued)	

Table A2.12 (continued): Characteristics of service users, disability support services, 2008–09

Service user characteristic	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aus
 Gov	Total	
Primary disability group		
Intellectual 	18,102	17,802	8,858	8,122	7,368	1,768	942	370	27,000	79,319	
Specific learning/ADD	917	543	164	150	10	193	144	27	7,714	9,644	
Autism	3,639	3,639	2,483	2,438	1,380	237	404	55	3,695	17,014	
Physical	4,332	4,914	3,835	1,976	2,553	894	499	506	26,198	44,420	
Acquired brain injury	1,280	2,937	1,019	590	2,094	436	65	83	3,031	10,923	
Neurological	1,975	4,179	1,537	691	1,697	329	137	113	2,610	12,806	
Deafblind	125	355	43	34	30	n.p.	n.p.	n.p.	86	628	
Vision(b)	359	10,258	346	322	2,602	26	17	118	2,537	16,134	
Hearing	783	1,956	159	121	416	n.p.	7	18	2,931	6,224	
Speech	1,086	493	63	57	52	142	781	27	415	3,088	
Psychiatric	1,270	14,687	2,287	206	421	135	24	24	32,728	49,756	
Developmental delay	3,486	2,518	839	494	604	225	708	23	—	8,852	
Not stated	4,416	12,450	570	142	137	n.p.	164	184	57	2,454	
Not collected 
(recreation/holiday programs)	696	348	341	6	781	161	33	88	—	18,112	
Other significant disability groups 	
Intellectual 	3,776	5,773	3,070	766	903	311	298	112	3,768	16,881	
Specific learning/ADD	1,602	3,225	1,410	956	661	149	199	28	7,755	13,608	
Autism	2,427	4,054	1,420	623	1,084	220	159	23	1,358	10,337	
Physical	5,825	7,984	4,256	1,410	3,524	943	437	218	12,705	34,190	
Acquired brain injury	738	3,253	1,256	252	362	68	74	36	1,263	6,617	
Neurological	4,804	7,279	3,526	1,298	2,182	490	337	152	4,876	22,319	
Deafblind	868	994	109	99	75	29	29	5	230	2,246	
Vision(a)	2,827	4,273	2,019	810	1,228	243	178	82	2,561	12,753	
Hearing	882	2,047	1,295	471	1,511	132	152	69	2,070	7,643	
Speech	6,489	7,993	5,295	1,531	2,209	690	832	202	3,251	26,212	
Psychiatric	2,715	4,218	1,795	844	1,592	391	234	42	13,818	23,138	
Developmental delay	928	228	458	94	167	18	96	7	—	1,961	
(continued)	

Table A2.12 (continued): Characteristics of service users, disability support services, 2008–09

Service user characteristic	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aus  Gov	Total	
Income source		
Carer Allowance (child): 
child under 16 years		
Yes	3,966	4,557	3,368	4,114	2,935	259	213	48	119	19,406	
No	2,373	942	569	448	265	581	673	58	6	5,885	
Not known	4,513	177	1,241	1,176	345	742	1,348	199	97	9,792	
Not stated	6,179	12,601	425	347	755	—	456	6	—	20,737	
Not collected 
(recreation/holiday programs)	235	81	234	152	146	54	31	41	—	974	
Main income source: 
adult 16+ years		
Disability Support Pension	17,722	26,509	13,244	6,931	10,368	2,464	953	596	54,492	118,236	
Other pension/benefit	738	4,303	805	352	761	81	25	331	33,309	40,039	
Paid employment	300	1,447	264	326	460	73	46	61	3,373	5,836	
Compensation payments	114	157	49	53	142	51	n.p.	8	5	572	
Other income	83	670	177	78	314	31	7	23	1,509	2,808	
No income(b)	457	817	372	511	222	29	30	22	15,554	17,324	
Not known	1,186	17	559	516	2,599	80	105	166	538	5,737	
Not stated	4,119	24,514	1,091	244	197	n.p.	36	33	—	30,221	
Not collected 
(recreation/holiday programs)	481	287	146	101	636	107	n.p.	47	—	1,807	
Labour force status (ages 15+)		
Employed	4,514	6,974	2,350	3,190	3,201	470	358	180	57,588	65,582	
Unemployed	3,044	7,069	2,370	1,132	1,150	273	136	115	51,038	63,061	
Not in the labour force	12,961	24,937	10,998	4,522	10,716	2,120	612	565	361	67,216	
Not stated	4,870	20,217	1,200	561	275	14	150	392	—	27,667	
Not collected 
(recreation/holiday programs)	521	296	178	131	640	119	n.p.	51	—	1,940	
(a)	‘Australian Government’ and ‘Total’ includes 10,020 services users whose main source of income should be coded as ‘Paid employment’
	and 4,858 whose main source of income should be coded as ‘Not known/stated/collected’. 
(b)	In 2008–09, Victoria collected data from a new service provider, specifically for service users with a visual impairment.
Notes
1.	Service user data are estimates after use of a statistical linkage key to account for individuals who received services from more than one service type outlet during the 12-month period. Row totals may not be the sum of components because service users may have accessed services in more than one state/territory. Service user data were not collected for all CSTDA service types (see Appendix 1.4 for details).
2.	‘Not collected (recreation/holiday program service users)’ is a count of service users who accessed only services from this service type and did not provide a response for that particular data item.
3.	Service users with missing age who responded ‘Child aged under 5 years (not applicable)’ to the communication method data item were included in the 0–4 years age group.
4.	Service types 6.01–6.05 and 7.01–7.04 did not collect service user data and are therefore excluded from this table.
5.	The higher levels of ‘Not stated/not known’ on some data items for the Australian Capital Territory reflect in part the more limited data collection for some services within agencies.

Table A2.13: Users of disability support services, service type by state and territory, 2008–09
Service type	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Total	
Accommodation support	
Large residentials/institutions	1,696	183	340	129	663	108	—	—	3,119	
Small residentials/institutions	229	73	565	180	28	20	—	—	1,095	
Hostels	84	140	—	36	35	80	—	—	375	
Group homes	4,282	4,691	1,007	1,367	1,007	480	209	150	13,192	
Attendant care/personal care	689	—	523	12	745	222	6	30	2,227	
In-home accommodation support	1,971	8,587	4,205	1,760	2,708	215	182	62	19,686	
Alternative family placement	109	6	33	24	73	—	—	16	261	
Other accommodation	166	486	87	10	5	150	49	n.p.	955	
Total accommodation support	8,830	13,878	6,343	3,335	4,947	1,187	425	245	39,176	
Per cent of column total	11.9	13.7	15.3	15.4	18.0	0.2	8.6	11.4	14.0	
Community support	
Therapy support for individuals	3,736	12,402	2,213	4,726	1,498	255	1,634	526	26,966	
Early childhood intervention	6,914	9,976	2,291	1,342	1,113	—	1,251	83	22,909	
Behaviour/specialist intervention	1,259	1,887	1,521	1,646	581	—	116	94	7,103	
Counselling (individual/family/group)	86	—	714	97	1,540	—	13	65	2,515	
Resource teams/regional teams	13,699	—	351	166	3,219	1,568	—	—	18,997	
Case management, local coordination and development	4,339	27,157	10,171	8,956	10,161	1,364	743	333	63,097	
Other community support	1,683	342	520	1,572	1,048	—	97	93	5,355	
Total community support	27,074	45,360	13,803	12,385	14,951	2,870	3,496	1,094	120,645	
Per cent of column total	36.5	44.6	33.3	57.3	54.5	0.4	70.9	50.8	43.2	
Community access	
Learning and life skills development	10,371	15,600	7,713	2,052	4,000	257	373	251	40,588	
Recreation/holiday programs	2,260	834	1,292	2,265	2,715	329	89	154	9,937	
Other community access & day programs	1,021	7,952	241	71	428	1,041	28	24	10,805	
Total community access	12,928	23,934	8,922	3,972	6,173	1,510	474	413	58,275	
Per cent of column total	17.4	23.6	21.5	18.4	22.5	0.2	9.6	19.2	20.9	
Respite	
Own home respite	82	1,729	709	195	332	51	13	n.p.	3,115	
Centre-based respite/respite homes	3,524	5,263	2,708	1,087	808	227	277	70	13,941	
Host family/peer support respite	356	694	94	—	244	7	n.p.	19	1,415	
Flexible/combination respite	5,105	9,368	2,615	1,664	483	62	115	113	19,511	
Other respite	18	1,577	241	352	309	—	—	n.p.	2,501	
Total respite	7,876	16,092	5,039	2,665	1,842	327	370	197	34,346	
Per cent of column total	10.6	15.8	12.2	12.3	6.7	0.0	7.5	9.2	12.3	
(continued)
Table A2.13 (continued): Users of disability support services, service type by state and territory, 
2008–09
Service type	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Total	
Employment	
Open employment services	27,554	24,031	18,920	6,629	6,903	2,142	990	480	87,645	
Supported employment services	8,343	5,041	2,284	2,326	3,032	622	298	123	22,043	
Targeted support	106	49	161	48	—	—	n.p.	16	381	
Total employment	35,632	28,863	21,270	8,859	9,824	2,728	1,272	615	109,002	
Per cent of column total	48.0	28.4	51.4	41.0	35.8	0.4	25.8	28.6	39.0	
Total	74,233	101,617	41404	21,619	27,411	6,912	4,928	2,153	279,374	
Note: Service user data are estimates after use of a statistical linkage key to account for individuals who received services from more than one service type outlet during the 12-month period. Totals for Australia may not be the sum of service components because individuals may have accessed services in more than one state or territory during the 12-month period. Service group totals may not be the sum of service components because individuals may have accessed more than one service type outlet from a service group over the 12-month period. Grand totals may not be the sum of the service group components because individuals may have accessed more than one service group over the 12-month period. 

Table A2.14: Characteristics of Indigenous and non-Indigenous service users of disability support services, 2008–09

	Indigenous	Non-Indigenous	Not stated/
not collected	Total	
Service user characteristic	Number	Per cent	Number	Per cent	Number	Per cent	Number	Per cent	
Age (years)	
0–4	882	7.1	16,205	6.5	884	5.0	17,971	6.4	
5–14	2,122	17.0	31,073	12.5	2,741	15.6	35,936	12.9	
15–24	2,999	24.0	42,830	17.2	2,644	15.0	48,473	17.4	
25–44	3,733	29.9	77,635	31.1	4,057	23.1	85,425	30.6	
45–54 	1,549	12.4	40,484	16.2	1,957	11.1	43,990	15.7	
55–64 	783	6.3	26,337	10.6	1,411	8.0	28,531	10.2	
65 and over	433	3.5	14,728	5.9	3,887	22.1	19,048	6.8	
Median age	26.0		34.0		37.0		33.0		
Total	12,501	100.0	249,292	100.0	17,581	100.0	279,374	100.0	
Sex	
Male	7,446	59.6	147,768	59.3	9,129	51.9	164,343	58.8	
Female	5,049	40.4	101,355	40.7	8,345	47.5	114,749	41.1	
Not stated	6	0.0	169	0.1	107	0.6	282	0.1	
Total	12,501	100.0	249,292	100.0	17,581	100.0	279,374	100.0	
Living arrangements	
Lives alone	1,875	15.0	45,947	18.4	1,175	6.7	48,997	17.5	
Lives with family	6,916	55.3	131409	52.7	4,426	25.2	142751	51.1	
Lives with others	3,154	25.2	58,895	23.6	1,228	7.0	63,277	22.6	
Not stated/not collected	556	4.4	13,041	5.2	10,752	61.2	24,349	8.7	
Total	12,501	100.0	249,292	100.0	17,581	100.0	279,374	100.0	
Residential setting	
Private residence	9,025	72.2	198169	79.5	4,473	25.4	211,667	75.8	
Aboriginal community	1,033	8.3	242	0.1	46	0.3	1,321	0.5	
Domestic-scale supported living facility	602	4.8	13,908	5.6	232	1.3	14,742	5.3	
Supported accommodation facility	461	3.7	9,869	4.0	142	0.8	10,472	3.7	
Short-term crisis, emergency or transitional accommodation	807	6.5	12,983	5.2	563	3.2	14,353	5.1	
Other	38	0.3	605	0.2	55	0.3	698	0.2	
Not stated/not collected	535	4.3	13,516	5.4	12,070	68.7	26,121	9.3	
Total	12,501	100.0	249,292	100.0	17,581	100.0	279,374	100.0	
Remoteness area	
Major cities	4,616	36.9	159461	64.0	10,491	59.7	174,568	62.5	
Inner regional	3,228	25.8	58,844	23.6	3,430	19.5	65,502	23.4	
Outer regional	2,422	19.4	22,295	8.9	1,098	6.2	25,815	9.2	
Remote	870	7.0	2,254	0.9	29	0.2	3,153	1.1	
Very remote	1,134	9.1	568	0.2	9	0.1	1,711	0.6	
Not stated/not collected	231	1.9	5,870	2.4	2,524	14.4	8,626	0.0	
Total	12,501	100	249,292	100.0	17,581	100.0	279,374	100.0	
(continued)

Table A2.14 (continued): Characteristics of Indigenous and non-Indigenous service users of disability support services, 2008–09

	Indigenous	Non-Indigenous	Not stated/
not collected	Total	
Service user characteristic	Number	Per cent	Number	Per cent	Number	Per cent	Number	Per cent	
Use of services by service group	
Accommodation support	1,899
	15.2
	35,750
2	14.3
	1,527
	8.7
	39,176
	14.0
	
Community support	6,834	54.7	104,602	42.0	9,209	52.4	120,645	43.2	
Community access	2,068	16.5	49,764	20.0	6,443	36.6	58,275	20.9	
Respite	1,991	15.9	30,388	12.2	1,967	11.2	34,346	12.3	
Employment	3,939	31.5	104,796	42.0	267	1.5	109,002	39.0	
Total	12,501	100.0	249,292	100.0	9,209	100.0	279,374	100.0	
Primary disability group	
Intellectual 	4,104	32.8	73,862	29.6	1,353	7.7	79,319	28.4	
Specific learning/ADD	533	4.3	8,954	3.6	157	0.9	9,644	3.5	
Autism	541	4.3	16,162	6.5	311	1.8	17,014	6.1	
Physical	2,361	18.9	40,993	16.4	1,066	6.1	44,420	15.9	
Acquired brain injury	695	5.6	9,926	4.0	302	1.7	10,923	3.9	
Neurological	461	3.7	11,893	4.8	452	2.6	12,806	4.6	
Deafblind	32	0.3	571	0.2	25	0.1	628	0.2	
Vision(a)	297	2.4	11,916	4.8	3,921	22.3	16,134	5.8	
Hearing	256	2.0	5,652	2.3	316	1.8	6,224	2.2	
Speech	151	1.2	2,823	1.1	114	0.6	3,088	1.1	
Psychiatric	1,950	15.6	45,233	18.1	2,573	14.6	49,756	17.8	
Developmental delay	535	4.3	8,124	3.3	193	1.1	8,852	3.2	
Not stated/not collected	585	4.7	13,183	5.3	6,798	38.7	20,566	7.4	
Total	12,501	100.0	249,292	100.0	9,209	100.0	279,374	100.0	
Other significant disability groups	
Intellectual 	5,184	41.5	89,460	35.9	1,556	8.9	96,200	34.4	
Specific learning/ADD	1,329	10.6	21,671	8.7	252	1.4	23,252	8.3	
Autism	1,076	8.6	25,848	10.4	427	2.4	27,351	9.8	
Physical	4,074	32.6	73,040	29.3	1,496	8.5	78,610	28.1	
Acquired brain injury	1,136	9.1	15,676	6.3	728	4.1	17,540	6.3	
Neurological	1,671	13.4	32,530	13	924	5.3	35,125	12.6	
Deafblind	176	1.4	2,658	1.1	40	0.2	2,874	1	
Vision(a)	974	7.8	23,841	9.6	4,072	23.2	28,887	10.3	
Hearing	701	5.6	12,785	5.1	381	2.2	13,867	5	
Speech	1,735	13.9	26,948	10.8	617	3.5	29,300	10.5	
Psychiatric	2,938	23.5	67,277	27	2,679	15.2	72,894	26.1	
Developmental delay	677	5.4	9,892	4	244	1.4	10,813	3.9	
Not stated/not collected	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	
Mean number of disability groups	1.8		1.7		1.2		1.7		
Total	12,501	100.0	249,292	100.0	9,209	100.0	279,374	100.0	
(continued)

Table A2.14 (continued): Characteristics of Indigenous and non-Indigenous service users of disability support services, 2008–09

	Indigenous	Non-Indigenous	Not stated/
not collected	Total	
Service user characteristic	Number	Per cent	Number	Per cent	Number	Per cent	Number	Per cent	
Main income source (ages 16+)	
Disability Support Pension	5,431	58.5	111,515	55.9	1,290	9.4	118,236	53.1	
Other pension/benefit	2,015	21.7	37,850	19.0	174	1.3	40,039	18.0	
Paid employment	190	2.0	5,595	2.8	51	0.4	5,836	2.6	
Compensation payments	36	0.4	527	0.3	9	0.1	572	0.3	
Other income	74	0.8	2,709	1.4	25	0.2	2,808	1.3	
No income	580	6.2	16,725	8.4	19	0.1	17,324	7.8	
Not known/not stated/not collected	960	10.3	24,669	12.4	12,136	88.6	37,765	17.0	
Total	9,286	100.0	199,590	100.0	13,704	100.0	222,580	100.0	
Labour force status (ages 15+)	
Employed	1,907	20.1	63,302	31.3	373	2.7	65,582	29.1	
Unemployed	3,084	32.5	59,647	29.5	330	2.4	63,061	28.0	
Not in the labour force	3,572	37.6	62,541	31.0	1,103	7.9	67,216	29.8	
Not stated	921	9.7	15,838	7.8	10,908	78.2	27,667	12.3	
Not collected 
(recreation/holiday programs)	13	0.1	685	0.3	1,242	8.9	1,940	0.9	
Total
	9,497	100.0	202,014	100.0	13,956	100.0	225,467	100.0

	
(a)	In 2008–09, Victoria collected data for the first time from a service provider specifically for service users with a visual impairment.
Notes
1.	Service user data are estimates after use of a statistical linkage key to account for individuals who received services from more than one service type outlet during the 12-month period. Row totals may not be the sum of components because service users may have accessed services in more than one state/territory. Service user data were not collected for all CSTDA service types (see Appendix 1.4 for details).
2	Service types 6.01–6.05 and 7.01–7.04 did not collect service user data and are therefore excluded from this table.

Table A2.15: Users of disability support services per 1,000 potential population, by Indigenous status and state/territory, 2008–09

	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Australia	
Service users	
Indigenous 	3,597	2,598	2,323	1,683	1,046	222	100	1,064	12,501	
Non-Indigenous	68,519	86,494	37,636	19,799	25,460	6,512	4,689	952	249,292	
Not stated/not collected	2,117	12,525	1,445	137	905	178	139	137	17,581	
Total	74,233	101,617	41,404	21,619	27,411	6,912	4,928	2,153	279,374	
Potential population (0–64 years)	
Indigenous 	13,181	3,026	8,702	4,831	1,912	1,320	352	3,361	36,684	
Non-Indigenous	229,737	180,640	143,054	72,016	53,711	16,363	11,819	4,716	712,057	
Service users per 1,000 potential population (0–64 years)	
Indigenous 	273	859	267	348	547	168	284	317	341	
Non-Indigenous	298	479	263	275	474	398	397	202	350	
Notes
1.	Service user data are estimates after use of a statistical linkage key to account for individuals who received services from more than one service type outlet during the 12-month period. Totals for Australia may not be the sum of components because individuals may have accessed services in more than one state or territory during the 12-month period.
2.	In tables the term ‘Indigenous’ refers to service users who identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people. ‘Non-Indigenous’ refers to service users who reported not being of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander background.
3.	The Indigenous potential population is calculated by applying adjusted 10-year age-sex specific rates of severe/profound core activity limitation (from SDAC 2003) to the Indigenous population at 30 June 2008.
5.	Indigenous population figures are based on ABS Series B projections of the Indigenous population by state/territory for June 2008 (ABS 2009a).

Table A2.16: Users of disability support services, primary disability group by English Proficiency Group, 2008–09 (per cent)
Primary disability type	Australia	English Proficiency Group 1	English Proficiency Group 2	English Proficiency Group 3	English Proficiency Group 4	Not stated/ not 
collected	Total	
Intellectual 	32.2	15.0	17.2	13.8	10.7	6.2	28.39	
Specific learning/ADD	3.9	2.4	2.1	1.3	0.9	0.8	3.45	
Autism	6.9	3.2	3.3	1.9	1.2	1.9	6.09	
Physical	14.8	22.4	26.5	33.8	47.0	4.6	15.90	
Acquired brain injury	3.9	5.8	4.4	4.2	3.8	1.9	3.91	
Neurological	4.5	7.2	4.6	4.4	2.2	5.0	4.58	
Deafblind	0.2	0.4	0.3	0.3	0.1	0.2	0.22	
Vision(a)	4.6	9.5	8.4	6.6	3.9	17.1	5.78	
Hearing	2.1	3.7	3.8	2.8	2.4	1.4	2.23	
Speech	1.3	0.4	0.4	0.3	0.3	0.5	1.11	
Psychiatric	16.8	26.9	25.1	27.5	25.8	14.0	17.81	
Developmental delay	3.8	0.5	0.7	0.5	0.5	0.6	3.17	
Not stated/not collected	5.0	2.8	3.1	2.7	1.1	45.9	7.36	
Total	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	
Total number	228,073	11,391	7,831	10,426	3,524	18,129	279,374	
(a)	In 2008–09, Victoria collected data for the first time from a service provider specifically for service users with a visual impairment.
Notes
1.	Service user data are estimates after use of a statistical linkage key to account for individuals who received services from more than one 
service type outlet during the 12-month period. Service user data were not collected for all CSTDA service types (see Appendix 1.4).
2	‘Not stated/not collected’ includes both service users accessing only 3.02 services for whom ‘Primary disability’ and ‘Country of birth’ data were not collected (see Appendix 3) and other service users with no response. Refer to Table A2.1 for a breakdown of these two categories.

Table A2.17: Users of disability support services aged 15–64 years, labour force status, 2003–04 to 
2008–09
 	Employed	Unemployed	Not in the  labour force	Subtotal(a)	Not stated	Total	
 	No.	%(b)	No.	%(b)	No.	%(b) 	No.	No.	No.	
2003–04	41,227	37.6	22,804	20.8	45,573	41.6	109,604	26,192	135,796	
2004–05	49,427	38.3	32,322	25.0	47,457	36.7	129,206	14,687	143,893	
2005–06	50,905	35.8	39,650	27.8	51,769	36.4	142,381	15,863	158,187	
2006–07	57,250	38.3	40,622	27.1	51,803	34.6	149,675	20,933	170,680	
2007–08(c)	64,005	38.1	45,977	27.3	58,196	34.6	168,178	15,825	184,003
	
2008–09(c)	64,705
	34.8
	62,297
	33.5
	58,766
	31.6
	185,768	20,650	206,418	
(a)	Subtotal excludes not stated/missing values. For further information see Chapter 1.
(b)	Proportions based on total which includes not stated/missing values.
(c)	Linkage processes (to obtain unique service user counts) have changed from previous years. 
Notes
1.	Service user data are estimates after use of a statistical linkage key to account for individuals who received services from more than one service type outlet during the 12-month period. Total for all service groups may not be the sum of components because individuals may have accessed services from more than one service group over the 12-month period. Service user data were not collected for all CSTDA service types (see Appendix 1.4).
2.	Only those aged 15 years and over were asked to respond about labour force status. Includes those CSTDA service users in this age group or service users whose age was unknown but where a response was provided about labour force status.
3.	Please refer to AIHW 2007a for full definitions of ‘Employed’, ‘Unemployed’ and ‘Not in the labour force’.
4.	‘Not stated/not collected’ includes both service users accessing only 3.02 services for whom ‘Primary disability’ and ’Labour force status’ data were not collected (see Appendix 3) and other service users with no response. Refer to Table A2.1 for a breakdown of these two categories.

Table A2.18: Users of disability support services aged 16 years and over, main income source by primary disability group, 2008–09 (per cent)
Broad primary disability group	Disability Support Pension	Other pension or benefit	Paid employ- ment	Compen- sation payments	Other income	Nil income	Subtotal (a)	Not stated/
not collected	Total	
Number	
Intellectual/
learning	61,337	6,077	1,911	80	260	6,042	75,707	6,308	82,015	
Physical/
diverse	28,849	14,575	2,051	427	1,408	5,318	52,628	6,425	59,053	
Sensory/
speech	3,865	2,816	911	9	275	1,495	9,371	11,623	20,994	
Psychiatric	23,703	16,430	902	55	849	4,436	46,375	3,187	49,562	
Not stated/not collected	482	141	61	n.p.	16	33	734	10,222	10,956	
Total	118,236	40,039	5,836	572	2,808	17,324	184,815	37,765	222,580	
Per cent(b)	
Intellectual/
learning	74.8	7.4	2.3	0.1	0.3	7.4	92.3	7.7	100.0	
Physical/
diverse	48.9	24.7	3.5	0.7	2.4	9.0	89.1	10.9	100.0	
Sensory/
speech	18.4	13.4	4.3	0.0	1.3	7.1	44.6	55.4	100.0	
Psychiatric	47.8	33.2	1.8	0.1	1.7	9.0	93.6	6.4	100.0	
Not stated/not collected	4.4	1.3	0.6	0.0	0.1	0.3	6.7	93.3	100.0	
Total	53.1	18.0	2.6	0.3	1.3	7.8	83.0	17.0	100.0	
% of valid responses	64.0	21.7	3.2	0.3	1.5	9.4	100			
(a)	Subtotal excludes data where main income was not stated/collected.
(b)	Proportions based on total including not stated/missing values.
Notes
1.	Service user data are estimates after use of a statistical linkage key to account for individuals who received services from more than one service type outlet during the 12-month period. Service user data were not collected for all CSTDA service types (see Appendix 1.4).
2.	Only those aged 16 years and over were asked to respond about income other than Carer Allowance. Adults include those CSTDA service users in this age group or service users whose age was unknown but where a response was provided about income sources other than the Carer Allowance. 
3.	Service users of unknown age and income source were not included in this table.
4.	‘Not stated/not collected’ includes both service users accessing only 3.02 services for whom primary disability and income data were not collected (see Appendix 3) and other service users with no response. Refer to Table A2.1 for a breakdown of these two categories. 

Table A2.19: Users of open employment services aged 15 years and over by primary disability group and labour force status, 2008–09 (per cent)
Primary disability group	Employed	Unemployed	Total	
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	
Intellectual	8,037	66.8	4,000	33.2	12,039	100.0	
Specific learning	3,964	53.2	3,488	46.8	7,452	100.0	
Autism	1,699	54.4	1,426	45.6	3,126	100.0	
Physical	7,256	29.3	17,544	70.7	24,803	100.0	
Acquired brain injury	1,211	49.8	1,222	50.2	2,433	100.0	
Neurological	1,021	46.7	1,166	53.3	2,187	100.0	
Deafblind	21	58.3	15	41.7	36	100.0	
Vision	1,156	51.1	1,108	48.9	2,264	100.0	
Hearing	1,537	55.9	1,214	44.1	2,751	100.0	
Speech	202	52.6	182	47.4	384	100.0	
Psychiatric	10,498	34.8	19,665	65.2	30,166	100.0	
Total	36,602	41.8	51,030	58.2	87,632	100.0	

Table A2.20: Users of disability support services, new users by service type, 2008–09
Service type	New users	Total users	% of new users	
Accommodation support	
Large residentials/institutions	110	3,119	3.5	
Small residentials/institutions	45	1,095	4.1	
Hostels	19	375	5.1	
Group homes	578	13,192	4.4	
Attendant care/personal care	380	2,227	17.1	
In-home accommodation support	3,652	19,686	18.6	
Alternative family placement	30	261	11.5	
Other accommodation support	235	955	24.6	
Total accommodation support	4,957	39,176	12.7	
Community support	
Therapy support for individuals	5,841	26,966	21.7	
Early childhood intervention	9,428	22,909	41.2	
Behaviour/specialist intervention	969	7,103	13.6	
Counselling (individual/family/group)	837	2,515	33.3	
Regional resource and support teams	3,219	18,997	16.9	
Case management, local coordination and development	17,629	63,097	27.9	
Other community support	1,218	5,355	22.7	
Total community support	35,208	120645	29.2	
Community access	
Learning and life skills development	8,670	40,588	21.4	
Recreation/holiday programs	1,702	9,937	17.1	
Other community access	2,080	10,805	19.3	
Total community access	12,263	58,275	21.0	
Respite	
Own home respite	227	3,115	7.3	
Centre-based respite/respite homes	1,313	13,941	9.4	
Host family respite/peer support respite	173	1,415	12.2	
Flexible respite	3,271	19,511	16.8	
Other respite	558	2,501	22.3	
Total respite	5,318	34,346	15.5	
Employment	
Open employment	28,876	87,645	32.9	
Supported employment	1,057	22,043	4.8	
Targeted support	—	381	—	
Total employment	29,874	109002	27.4	
Notes 
1.	Service user data are estimates after use of a statistical linkage key to account for individuals who received services from more than one service type outlet during the 12-month period and totals may not be the sum of components.
2.	The calculation of new and continuing service users has changed from previous years to take into account users who exit a service but then returns in a later dataset.
 
Table A2.21: Users of disability support services, new users by service type and state/territory, 2008–09 
Service type	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Total	
Accommodation support	
Institutional accommodation	85	8	32	16	17	16	—	—	174	
Hostels	195	291	21	27	9	14	12	8	577	
Other	486	2,425	443	68	718	42	9	14	4,205	
Total accommodation support	755	2,723	491	108	742	72	21	21	4,933	
Community support	
Therapy support for individuals	806	3,923	134	380	179	32	263	117	5,833	
Early childhood intervention	3,218	4,303	621	394	368	—	505	21	9,423	
Behaviour/specialist intervention	113	404	125	228	71	—	n.p.	7	952	
Counselling (individual/family/group)	45	—	70	13	691	—	—	18	837	
Regional resource and support teams	2,053	—	32	10	297	827	—	—	3,219	
Case management, local coordination and development	1,612	12,156	1,976	566	799	188	145	142	17,567	
Other community support	763	140	130	53	85	—	13	32	1,216	
Total community support	8,040	18,640	2,810	1,274	2,120	1,031	921	327	35,124	
Community access	
Learning and life skills development	1,359	5,412	955	40	736	33	39	56	8,629	
Recreation/holiday programs	337	190	153	243	672	66	17	21	1,699	
Other community access	181	1,773	30	8	13	66	n.p.	n.p.	2,073	
Total community access	1,849	7,278	1,135	291	1,365	164	57	78	12,213	
Respite	
Own home respite	9	121	67	—	20	5	n.p.	n.p.	226	
Centre-based respite/respite homes	230	647	247	56	55	13	23	8	1,279	
Host family respite/peer support respite	42	91	9	—	19	n.p.	—	n.p.	165	
Flexible respite	763	1,896	260	185	70	15	12	43	3,244	
Other respite	8	457	35	48	6	—	—	—	554	
Total respite	1,031	3,104	562	265	162	35	36	52	5,247	
Employment	
Open employment	10,090	8,196	5,908	1,508	2,175	626	242	131	28,876	
Supported employment	517	203	71	60	149	30	15	13	1,057	
Total employment	10,573	8,388	5,974	1,567	2,318	655	256	144	29,874	
Total	21,700	35,153	10,332	3,403	6,125	1,928	1,252	598	80,424	
Notes
1.      Service user data are estimates after use of a statistical linkage key to account for individuals who received services from more than one service type outlet during the 12-month period and totals may not be the sum of components.
 2.     The calculation of new and continuing service users has changed from previous years to take into account users who exit a service but then return in a later dataset.

Table A2.22: Users of disability support services, new service users’ frequency of need for assistance with activities of daily living by service group, 2008–09 
Service group	Always or unable to do	Sometimes	None but 
uses aids	None	Not applicable/
not stated	Total	
Accommodation	724	1,533	224	1,011	1,441	4,933	
Community support	6,478	6,523	673	1,815	19,635	35,124	
Community access	1,005	2,579	669	1,464	6,496	12,213	
Respite	1,058	1,426	56	403	2,304	5,247	
Employment	1,043	13,488	41	15,278	24	29,874	
Note: The calculation of new and continuing service users has changed from previous years to take into account users who exit a service but then return in a later dataset.
Table A2.23: Users of disability support services, new and continuing users by age group, 
2008–09

Age group (years)	New users	Continuing users	
	No.	%	No.	%	
0–4	10,007	12.4	7,964	4.0	
5–14	7,417	9.2	28,519	14.3	
15–24	11,613	14.4	36,860	18.5	
25–44	20,288	25.2	65,137	32.7	
45–64	20,590	25.6	51,931	26.1	
65+	10,509	13.1	8,539	4.3	
Total	80,424	100.0	198,950	100.0	
Note: The calculation of new and continuing service users has changed from previous years to take into account users who exit a 
service but then return in a later dataset.
Table A2.24: Users of disability support services, new users by age group and state/territory, 
2008–09 (per cent)
Age group (years)	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Total	
0–4	15.8	11.5	6.0	13.9	7.6	28.4	33.5	5.9	12.4	
5–14	10.7	6.7	7.6	19.3	9.5	17.2	28.5	8.9	9.2	
15–24	17.2	11.1	20.9	15.6	13.6	14.3	10.8	11.4	14.4	
25–44	24.9	24.1	33.0	24.1	23.9	19.9	16.7	20.9	25.2	
45–64	27.0	23.2	31.2	24.4	30.6	18.7	9.9	30.1	25.6	
65+	4.4	23.5	1.4	2.7	14.7	1.6	0.6	22.9	13.1	
Total	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	
Notes
1.	Service user data are estimates after use of a statistical linkage key to account for individuals who received services from more 
than one service type outlet during the 12-month period. 
 2.	The calculation of new and continuing service users has changed from previous years to take into account users who exit a service 
but then return in a later dataset.

Table A2.25: Users of disability support services by primary and any significant disability, 
2008–09
Disability group	Number reporting as a    primary disability	Percentage 
of all service users	Number reporting 
 a significant
 other disability	Percentage
 of all service users	Total number reporting disability group	Percentage 
of all service users	
Intellectual 	79,319	28.4	16,881	6.0	96,228	34.4	
Specific learning/ADD	9,644	3.5	13,608	4.9	23,255	8.3	
Autism	17,014	6.1	10,337	3.7	27,357	9.8	
Physical	44,420	15.9	34,190	12.2	78,626	28.1	
Acquired brain injury 	10,923	3.9	6,617	2.4	17,544	6.3	
Neurological	12,806	4.6	22,319	8.0	35,130	12.6	
Deafblind	628	0.2	2,246	0.8	2,874	1.0	
Vision(a)	16,134	5.8	12,753	4.6	28,893	10.3	
Hearing 	6,224	2.2	7,643	2.7	13,869	5.0	
Speech	3,088	1.1	26,212	9.4	29,301	10.5	
Psychiatric	49,756	17.8	23,138	8.3	72,912	26.1	
Developmental delay	8,852	3.2	1,961	0.7	10,816	3.9	
Not stated/not collected	20,566	7.4	n.a.	n.a.	20,573	7.4	
(a)	In 2008–09, Victoria collected data for the first time from a service provider specifically for service users with a visual impairment.
Notes
1.	Service user data are estimates after use of a statistical linkage key to account for individuals who received services from more than one service type outlet during the 12-month period. Service user data were not collected for all CSTDA service types (see Appendix 1.4 for details).
2.	‘Not stated/not collected’ includes both service users accessing only 3.02 services for whom disability data were not collected (see Appendix 3) and other service users with no response. Refer to Table A2.1 for a breakdown of these two categories.

Table A2.26: Support needs of disability support services users, 2008–09

Support needs	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aus
 Gov	Total	
Support needed: self-care	
Always 	13,205	10,592	8,774	4,756	6,105	1,698	836	460	2,701	47,080	
Sometimes	13,516	16,052	7,674	6,810	6,639	1,656	1,483	441	12,089	58,899	
None, but uses aids	649	1,183	501	442	1,751	116	43	114	595	4,904	
None 	5,202	15,611	4,017	2,688	4,176	924	1,338	243	91,536	118,587	
Not stated	9,206	33,284	1,203	386	693	—	194	293	2,081	47,154	
Not collected 
(recreation/holiday programs)	688	357	375	267	781	n.p.	33	88	—	2,750	
Support needed: mobility	
Always 	8,412	7,772	6,531	2,674	4,916	1,417	603	366	3,139	34,075	
Sometimes	10,257	14,325	6,678	4,032	6,460	1,470	1,045	431	14,855	54,182	
None, but uses aids	1,625	2,582	1,116	1,087	2,541	208	96	155	1,064	9,626	
None 	12,420	19,572	6,503	6,903	4,755	1,299	1,965	253	89,221	133,620	
Not stated	9,063	32,471	1,341	386	692	—	185	346	723	45,120	
Not collected 
(recreation/holiday programs)	689	357	375	267	781	n.p.	33	88	—	2,751	
Support needed: communication	
Always 	12,023	8,140	7,211	3,487	5,018	1,344	732	336	5,219	41,549	
Sometimes	13,193	18,374	7,615	7,099	6,529	1,661	2,013	381	48,728	97,039	
None, but uses aids	553	1,408	425	425	1,066	97	48	40	486	4,157	
None 	7,362	16,297	5,643	3,691	6,035	1,290	977	311	54,242	89,540	
Not stated	8,646	32,503	1,276	382	716	n.p.	124	483	327	44,341	
Not collected 
(recreation/holiday programs)	689	357	374	265	781	n.p.	33	88	—	2,748	
Support needed: interpersonal interactions and relationships	
Always 	10,855	8,139	8,470	4,093	5,486	1,531	781	351	15,931	52,874	
Sometimes	14,637	23,501	9,089	8,155	7,438	1,980	1,924	422	55,978	112,109	
None, but uses aids	446	829	298	243	798	89	40	33	308	2,818	
None 	3,865	10,227	3,005	2,147	4,920	794	944	286	36,232	59,218	
Not stated	11,965	34,025	1,305	432	722	—	205	459	553	49,580	
Not collected 
(recreation/holiday programs)	698	358	377	279	781	n.p.	33	88	—	2,775	
Support needed: learning, applying knowledge and general tasks and demands	
Always 	13,477	10,479	9,178	3,913	5,448	1,257	658	329	18,493	59,243	
Sometimes	14,967	21,134	8,313	7,991	7,290	1,851	1,389	427	54,988	107,693	
None, but uses aids	462	1,195	336	367	1,064	84	34	45	382	3,624	
None 	2,246	8,992	2,311	1,322	3,891	482	383	211	34,858	52,460	
Not applicable	2,170	3,735	485	971	895	718	865	94	—	9,888	
Not stated	8,451	31,188	1,541	437	776	n.p.	565	445	281	43,626	
Not collected 
(recreation/holiday programs)	693	356	380	348	781	n.p.	33	88	—	2,840	
	(continued)	

Table A2.26 (continued): Support needs disability support services users, 2008–09

Support needs	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aus
 Gov	Total	
Support needed: education	
Always 	14,500	13,347	9,641	4,273	5,913	1,487	740	405	11,462	57,217	
Sometimes	12,878	17,481	6,672	7,519	6,763	1,628	1,303	299	39,396	84,571	
None, but uses aids	575	1,285	446	413	1,054	78	39	38	449	3,962	
None 	2,031	8,919	2,262	1,194	3,857	469	334	208	53,926	70,619	
Not applicable	2,622	3,737	833	971	893	721	865	94	—	10,687	
Not stated	9,165	31,954	2,304	625	884	11	613	507	3,769	49,464	
Not collected 
(recreation/holiday programs)	695	356	386	354	781	n.p.	33	88	—	2,854	
Support needed: community (civic) and economic life	
Always 	14,544	13,393	10,104	4,854	6,256	1,440	820	408	20,812	68,255	
Sometimes	12,014	19,943	7,240	7,144	7,250	1,707	983	428	52,941	99,675	
None, but uses aids	482	1,024	373	438	1,269	83	21	28	445	3,781	
None 	1,933	7,206	1,678	1,256	2,860	440	336	177	30,776	44,456	
Not applicable	3,172	3,740	900	972	892	721	865	94	—	11,299	
Not stated	9,628	31,419	1,866	451	837	n.p.	869	416	4,028	49,181	
Not collected 
(recreation/holiday programs)	693	354	383	234	781	n.p.	33	88	—	2,727	
Support needed: domestic life	
Always 	12,331	9,701	9,262	3,140	5,810	1,327	622	533	5,795	44,867	
Sometimes	11,353	16,886	7,083	4,750	7,070	1,275	484	418	23,601	63,458	
None, but uses aids	308	890	263	179	889	60	20	17	363	2,688	
None 	1,774	8,568	1,387	1,017	1,726	315	114	98	74,631	86,266	
Not applicable	3,428	10,990	2,435	5,759	3,119	1,414	2,541	257	—	29,798	
Not stated	12,561	29,746	1,737	376	750	n.p.	113	228	4,612	49,720	
Not collected 
(recreation/holiday programs)	711	298	377	128	781	n.p.	33	88	—	2,577	
Support needed: working	
Always 	14,624	16,691	9,978	4,571	7,838	1,856	655	554	20,219	69,040	
Sometimes	7,177	10,673	4,163	3,222	4,174	793	386	183	45,612	69,930	
None, but uses aids	317	740	279	197	745	52	19	20	40	2,387	
None 	1,160	6,892	1,297	740	2,494	209	95	142	42,913	53,278	
Not applicable	3,638	11,019	3,704	5,763	3,245	1,474	2,568	270	—	31,502	
Not stated	14,835	30,763	2,738	674	868	7	171	382	218	50,588	
Not collected 
(recreation/holiday programs)	715	301	385	182	781	n.p.	33	88	—	2,649	
Notes
1.	Service user data are estimates after use of a statistical linkage key to account for individuals who received services from more than one service type outlet during the 12-month period. Row totals may not be the sum of components because service users may have accessed services in more than one state/territory. Service user data were not collected for all CSTDA service types (see Appendix 1.4 for details).
2.	‘Not collected (recreation/holiday program service users)’ is a count of service users who accessed only services from this service type 
and did not provide a response for that particular data item.
3.	Service types 6.01–6.05 and 7.01–7.04 did not collect service user data and are therefore excluded from this table.
4.	The higher levels of ‘Not stated/not known’ on some data items for the Australian Capital Territory reflect in part the more limited data collection for some services within agencies.
Table A2.27: Users of disability support services, frequency of need for support in areas of activity by living arrangement, 2008–09
	Lives alone	Lives with family	Lives with others	Not stated	Total	
Frequency of support needed	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	
Activities of daily living 	
Always	3,154	6.8	39,685	32.6	17,088	28.2	897	18.1	60,824	26.1	
Sometimes	20,643	44.8	54,384	44.7	25,739	42.4	2,433	49.1	103,199	44.2	
Does not need help but uses aids	1,749	3.8	3,007	2.5	763	1.3	165	3.3	5,684	2.4	
Does not need help or use aids	20,581	44.6	24,650	20.3	17,062	28.1	1,465	29.5	63,758	27.3	
Subtotal	46,127	100.0	121,726	100.0	60,652	100.0	4,960	100.0	233,465	100	
Not stated	2,870		21,025		2,625		19,389		45,909		
Total	48,997		142,751		63,277		24,349		279,374		
Activities of independent living	
Always	8,599	18.7	49,704	41.5	24,880	41.2	1,274	26.2	84,457	36.6	
Sometimes	26,317	57.2	55,209	46.1	27,096	44.8	2,999	61.7	111,621	48.3	
Does not need help but uses aids	782	1.7	1,428	1.2	385	0.6	51	1.0	2,646	1.1	
Does not need help or use aids	10,303	22.4	13,448	11.2	8,055	13.3	535	11.0	32,341	14.0	
Subtotal	46,001	100.0	119,789	100.0	60,416	100.0	4,859	100.0	231,065	100.0	
Not stated	2,996		22,962		2,861		19,490		48,309		
Total	48,997		142,751		63,277		24,349		279,374		
Activities of work, education and community life	
Always	12,271	26.7	52,960	48.5	30,637	51.0	1,824	38.2	97,692	44.4	
Sometimes	22,359	48.7	42,219	38.6	21,167	35.2	2,330	48.8	88,075	40.0	
Does not need help but uses aids	804	1.8	1,535	1.4	390	0.6	66	1.4	2,795	1.3	
Does not need help or use aids	10,449	22.8	12,568	11.5	7,924	13.2	551	11.5	31,492	14.3	
Subtotal	45,883	100.0	109,282	100.0	60,118	100.0	4,771	100.0	220,054	100.0	
Not stated	3,114		16,469		2,968		18,798		41,349		
Total	48,997		125,751		63,086		23,569		261,043		
Notes
1.	Service user data are estimates after use of a statistical linkage key to account for individuals who received services from more than one service type outlet during the 12-month period. Service user data were not collected for all CSTDA service types (see Appendix 1.4 for details).
2.	‘Not stated/not collected’ includes both service users accessing only 3.02 services for whom living arrangement data were not collected (see Appendix 3) and other service users with no response. Refer to Table A2.12 for a breakdown of these two categories. 

Table A2.28: Support needs of Indigenous and non-Indigenous disability support 
service users, 2008–09

	Indigenous	Non-Indigenous	Total (a)	
Support needs	Number	Per cent	Number	Per cent	Number	Per cent	
Support needed: activities of daily living (ADL)	
Always 	3,619	28.9	55,858	22.4	60,824	21.8	
Sometimes	5,304	42.4	96,480	38.7	103,199	36.9	
Not stated/not collected	1,167	9.3	30,738	12.3	45,909	16.4	
Support needed: activities of work, education and community living (AWEC)	
Always 	4,854	38.8	78,579	31.5	84,457	30.2	
Sometimes	5,127	41	105,251	42.2	111,621	40	
Not stated/not collected	1,256	10	32,018	12.8	48,309	17.3	
Support needed: activities of independent living (AIL)	
Always 	5,245	45.1	91,375	39.2	97,692	37.4	
Sometimes	4,050	34.9	83,127	35.7	88,075	33.7	
Not stated/not collected	1,085	9.3	25,800	11.1	41,349	15.8	
(a)	Includes services users for whom Indigenous statues was ‘Not stated/collected’.
Notes
1.	Service user data are estimates after use of a statistical linkage key to account for individuals who received services from more 
than one service type outlet during the 12-month period. Service user data were not collected for all CSTDA service types (see 
Appendix 1.4 for details).
2.	Service types 6.01–6.05 and 7.01–7.04 did not collect service user data and are therefore excluded from this table.

Table A2.29: Characteristics of informal carers of disability support services users, 2008–09
Carer characteristic	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT(a)	NT	Aus
 Gov	Total	
Carer—existence of	
Yes	26,827	32,174	13,839	11,730	11,200	2,771	2,751	831	18,378	110,104	
No	10,685	30,720	7,621	3,108	8,007	1,623	991	530	90,624	146,981	
Not stated/not collected 	4,954	14,185	1,084	511	938	161	185	278	—	22,289	
Carer—primary status (excluding service users who only accessed 5.01, 5.02 and 5.04)	
Yes	22,884	17,065	11,453	9,772	10,568	2,578	2,522	662	7,031	70,121	
No	3,139	5,944	1,991	914	539	179	181	82	1,565	11,405	
Not stated/not collected	804	9,165	395	1,044	93	14	48	87	1,242	10,397	
Carer—residency status (excluding service users who only accessed 5.01, 5.02 and 5.04)	
Yes, co-resident carer	21,990	16,676	10,219	10,500	9,557	2,509	2,473	636	6,230	68,012	
No, non-resident carer	2,759	6,104	3,223	1,081	1,384	199	253	71	2,169	12,897	
Not stated/not collected	2,078	9,394	397	149	259	63	25	124	1,439	11,014	
Carer—relationship to service user	
Wife/female partner	285	1,800	398	210	802	89	22	56	1,205	4,636	
Husband/male partner	270	1,629	539	347	888	121	12	33	643	4,275	
Mother	21,402	13,549	10,088	9,292	7,180	2,202	2,375	305	11,579	71,103	
Father	1,119	1,284	1,089	605	762	147	185	23	1,303	5,770	
Daughter/daughter-in-law	128	858	104	82	254	22	n.p.	93	221	1,705	
Son/son-in-law	10	376	63	31	129	10	n.p.	13	93	704	
Other female relative	677	3,983	708	658	539	125	84	210	1,575	7,474	
Other male relative	217	280	193	133	153	24	27	36	447	1,316	
Friend/neighbour—female	187	336	239	171	222	26	n.p.	24	478	1,502	
Friend/neighbour—male	19	125	86	56	83	 n.p.	6	10	73	427	
Not stated/not collected	2,513	7,954	332	145	188	n.p.	33	28	796	11,192	
(continued)	

Table A2.29 (continued): Characteristics of informal carers of disability support services users, 
2008–09
Carer characteristic	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT(a)	NT	Aus
 Gov	Total	
Carer—age group (excluding service users who only accessed 5.01, 5.02 and 5.04)	
Under 15 years	61	63	15	12	6	7	5	n.p.	8	163	
15–24 years	701	241	233	173	161	118	42	55	62	1,650	
25–44 years	12,092	7,401	5,665	6,117	4,412	1,597	1,679	376	1,355	37,748	
45–64 years	6,611	8,801	5,445	3,787	4,254	765	526	304	4,577	25,826	
65 years and over	2,363	3,810	1,691	1,041	1,551	264	216	51	1,382	9,622	
Not stated/not collected	4,999	11,858	790	600	816	20	283	n.p.	2,454	16,914	
(a)	The higher levels of ‘Not stated/not known’ on some data items for the Australian Capital Territory reflect in part the more limited data collection for some services within agencies.
Notes
1.	Service user data are estimates after use of a statistical linkage key to account for individuals who received services from more than one service type outlet during the 12-month period. Row totals may not be the sum of components because service users may have accessed services in more than one state/territory. Service user data were not collected for all CSTDA service types (see Appendix 3 for details).
2.	‘Not stated/not collected’ includes ‘Recreation/holiday program service users’ which is a count of service users who accessed only services from this service type and did not provide a response for that particular data item.
3.	Service types 6.01–6.05 and 7.01–7.04 did not collect service user data and are therefore excluded from this table.
4.	Service types 5.01, 5.02 and 5.04 were not required to collect data on ‘Carer—primary status’, ‘Carer—residency status’, and ‘Carer—age group’. Service users that only accessed service types 5.01, 5.02 and 5.04 were not included in totals. Service users in 5.01, 5.02 and 5.04 with carer information that can be derived through linkage processes have been included in totals.   
5.	Service user frequencies for ‘Carer—primary status’, ‘Carer—residency status’, ‘Carer—relationship to service user’ and ‘Carer—age group’ are based only on those service users who answered ‘Yes’ to the item ‘Carer—existence of’. 

Table A2.30: Characteristics of carers of Indigenous and non-Indigenous disability support service users, 2008–09
	Indigenous	Non-Indigenous	Not stated	Total	
Characteristic of carer	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	
Carer—existence of	
Yes	 6,202 	49.6	 100,115 	40.2	 3,787 	21.5	 110,104 	39.4	
No	 5,640 	45.1	 132,770 	53.3	 8,571 	48.8	 146,981 	52.6	
Not stated/
not collected	 659 	5.3	 16,407 	6.6	 5,223 	29.7	 22,289 	8.0	
Total 	 12,501 	100.0	 249,292 	100.0	 17,581 	100.0	 279,374 	100.0	
Carer—primary status	
Yes	 5,003 	80.7	 75,760 	75.7	 1,800 	47.5	 82,563 	75.0	
No	 632 	10.2	 11,696 	11.7	 609 	16.1	 12,937 	11.7	
Not stated/
not collected	 567 	9.1	 12,659 	12.6	 1,378 	36.4	 14,604 	13.3	
Total carer—primary status	 6,202 	100.0	 100,115 	100.0	 3,787 	100.0	 110,104 	100.0	
Carer—residency status	
Yes, co-resident carer	 4,742 	76.5	 72,214 	72.1	 1,729 	45.7	 78,685 	71.5	
No, non-resident carer	 802 	12.9	 14,657 	14.6	 537 	14.2	 15,996 	14.5	
Not stated/
not collected	 658 	10.6	 13,244 	13.2	 1,521 	40.2	 15,423 	14.0	
Total carer— residency status	 6,202 	100.0	 100,115 	100.0	 3,787 	100.0	 110,104 	100.0	
Carer—relationship to service user	
Spouse	 361 	5.8	 8,142 	8.1	 408 	10.8	 8,911 	8.1	
Mother	 3,541 	57.1	 66,056 	66.0	 1,506 	39.8	 71,103 	64.6	
Father	 302 	4.9	 5,373 	5.4	 95 	2.5	 5,770 	5.2	
Child	 134 	2.2	 2,022 	2.0	 165 	4.4	 2,321 	2.1	
Other family	 1,027 	16.6	 7,363 	7.4	 488 	12.9	 8,878 	8.1	
Friend/neighbour	 188 	3.0	 1,693 	1.7	 48 	1.3	 1,929 	1.8	
Not stated/not collected	 649 	10.5	 9,466 	9.5	 1,077 	28.4	 11,192 	10.2	
Total carer—relationship to service user	 6,202 	100.0	 100,115 	100.0	 3,787 	100.0	 110,104 	100.0	
Notes
1.	Service user data are estimates after use of a statistical linkage key to account for individuals who received services from more than one service type outlet during the 12-month period. Service user data were not collected for all CSTDA service types (see Appendix 3 for details).
2.	Service types 6.01–6.05 and 7.01–7.04 did not collect service user data and are therefore excluded from this table.
3.	Service types 5.01, 5.02 and 5.04 were not required to collect data on ‘Carer—primary status’, ‘Carer—residency status’ and ’Carer—age group’. Service user frequencies for these data items therefore exclude users of these service types.
4.	Service user frequencies for ‘Carer—primary status’, ‘Carer—residency status’, ‘Carer—relationship to service user’ and ‘Carer—age group’ are based only on those service users who answered ‘Yes’ to the item ‘Carer—existence of’. 

Table A2.31: Users of disability support services, existence of an informal carer by remoteness, 2008–09
	Has an informal carer	Does not have an informal carer	Not stated/
not collected	Total	
Remoteness area	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	
Major cities	67,796	38.8	95,783	54.9	10,988	6.3	174,568	100.0	
Inner regional	27,307	41.7	34,035	52.0	4,160	6.4	65,502	100.0	
Outer regional	10,985	42.6	13,539	52.4	1,292	5.0	25,816	100.0	
Remote	1,523	48.3	1,548	49.1	83	2.6	3,154	100.0	
Very remote	1,018	59.5	623	36.4	68	4.0	1,710	100.0	
Not stated/collected	1,475	17.1	1,453	16.8	5,698	66.1	8,626	100.0	
Total	110,104	39.4	146,981	52.6	22,289	8.0	279,374	100.0	
Notes
1.	Service user data are estimates after use of a statistical linkage key to account for individuals who received services from more than one service type outlet during the 12-month period. Service user data were not collected for all CSTDA service types (see Appendix 3 for details).
2.	‘Not stated/not collected’ includes both service users accessing only 3.02 services for whom informal carer data were not collected (see Appendix 3) and other service users with no response. 
Table A2.32: Users of disability support services by existence of an informal carer by support always or sometimes needed for activities of daily living (ADL), by age group, 2008–09
Age group	Has informal carer	Does not have informal carer	Subtotal	Not stated/
not collected	 
Total	
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	No.	
Always or sometimes needs support with ADL	
Under 15	31,884	94.0	2,042	6.0	33,926	100.0	782	34,708	
15–24	20,459	62.7	12,147	37.3	32,606	100.0	574	33,180	
25–44	20,113	42.0	27,798	58.0	47,911	100.0	796	48,707	
45–64	12,007	30.3	27,609	69.7	39,616	100.0	760	40,376	
65+	3,083	45.0	3,765	55.0	6,848	100.0	204	7,052	
Total	87,546	54.4	73,361	45.6	160,907	100.0	3,116	164,023	
Notes
1.	Service user data are estimates after use of a statistical linkage key to account for individuals who received services from more than one service type outlet during the 12-month period. Service user data were not collected for all CSTDA service types (see Appendix 3 for details).
2.	The frequency of support needed for a service user in ADL is based on the highest support need category of the service user for that 
group. 
3.	‘Not stated/not collected’ includes both service users accessing only 3.02 services for whom support needs data were not collected 
(see Appendix 3) and other service users with no response.  

Table A2.33: Users of disability support services, existence of an informal carer by support always or sometimes needed for activities of independent living (AIL), by age group, 2008–09
Age group	Has informal carer	Does not have informal carer	Subtotal	Not stated/
not collected	 
Total	
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	No.	
Always or sometimes needs support with AIL 	
Under 15	31,044	95.1	1,610	4.9	32,654	100.0	723	33,377	
15–24	22,411	58.8	15,716	41.2	38,127	100.0	655	38,782	
25–44	23,167	36.5	40,360	63.5	63,527	100.0	956	64,483	
45–64	13,670	26.8	37,417	73.2	51,087	100.0	864	51,951	
65+	3,262	44.9	3,997	55.1	7,259	100.0	226	7,485	
Total	93,554	48.6	99,100	51.4	192,654	100.0	3,424	196,078	
Notes
1.	Service user data are estimates after use of a statistical linkage key to account for individuals who received services from more than 
one service type outlet during the 12-month period. Service user data were not collected for all CSTDA service types (see Appendix 3 
for details).
2.	The frequency of support needed for a service user in ‘Activities of work, education and community living’ (AWEC) is based on the highest support need category of the service user for that group. 
3.	‘Not stated/not collected’ includes both service users accessing only 3.02 services for whom support needs data were not collected 
(see Appendix 3) and other service users with no response. 
Table A2.34: Users of disability support by existence of an informal carer by support always or sometimes needed for activities of work, education and community living (AWEC), by age 
group, 2008–09
Age group	Has informal carer	Does not have informal carer	Subtotal	Not stated/
not collected	 
Total	
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	No.	
Always or sometimes needs support with AWEC	
Under 15	24,934	95.3	1,240	4.7	26,174	100.0	581	26,755	
15–24	22,420	59.2	15,449	40.8	37,869	100.0	660	38,529	
25–44	23,085	36.4	40,329	63.6	63,414	100.0	912	64,326	
45–64	13,370	26.2	37,567	73.8	50,937	100.0	828	51,765	
65+	3,091	44.2	3,903	55.8	6,994	100.0	196	7,190	
Not stated	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	
Total	86,900	46.9	98,488	53.1	185,388	100.0	3,177	188,565	
Notes
1.	Service user data are estimates after use of a statistical linkage key to account for individuals who received services from more than 
one service type outlet during the 12-month period. Service user data were not collected for all CSTDA service types (see Appendix 3 
for details).
2.	The frequency of support needed for a service user in AIL is based on the highest support need category of the service user for that 
group. 
3.	‘Not stated/not collected’ includes both service users accessing only 3.02 services for whom support needs data were not collected
(see Appendix 3) and other service users with no response.  

Table A2.35: Disability support service users with an informal carer, relationship of carer to service user by age group of carer, 2008–09
	Age group of carer (years)	
Relationship of carer to service user	0–14 	15–24	25–44	45–64	65+	Not stated/
not collected	Total	
	Number	
Spouse	—	120	2,084	4,083	1,772	852	8,911	
Mother	—	1,077	33,618	21,944	6,266	8,198	71,103	
Father	—	15	1,445	2,237	1,077	996	5,770	
Child	75	386	566	585	262	447	2,321	
Other family	16	156	1,380	3,195	1,130	3,001	8,878	
Friend/neighbour	14	32	506	841	266	270	1,929	
Not stated	66	108	978	819	552	8,669	11,192	
Total	171	1,894	40,577	33,704	11,325	22,433	110,104	
	Per cent	
Spouse	—	6.3	5.1	12.1	15.6	3.8	8.1	
Mother	—	56.9	82.8	65.1	55.3	36.5	64.6	
Father	—	0.8	3.6	6.6	9.5	4.4	5.2	
Child	43.9	20.4	1.4	1.7	2.3	2.0	2.1	
Other family	9.4	8.2	3.4	9.5	10.0	13.4	8.1	
Friend/neighbour	8.2	1.7	1.2	2.5	2.3	1.2	1.8	
Not stated	38.6	5.7	2.4	2.4	4.9	38.6	10.2	
Total	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	
Notes
1.	Service user data are estimates after use of a statistical linkage key to account for individuals who received services from more than one service type outlet during the 12-month period. Service user data were not collected for all CSTDA service types (see Appendix 3 for details).
2.	‘Not stated/not collected’ includes both service users accessing only 3.02 services for whom informal carer data were not collected (see Appendix 3) and other service users with no response. Service users who accessed employment services only (5.01, 5.02 and 5.04) and did not submit a response are also included in the ‘Not collected’ category for ‘Age group of carer’. These services were not required to complete this data item.
3.	Informal carer relationship categories are grouped as follows: ‘Spouse’ includes the categories ‘Wife/female partner’ and ‘Husband/male partner’; ‘Child’ includes ‘Daughter’ and ‘Son’; ‘Other family’ includes ‘Daughter-in-law’, ‘Son-in-law’, ‘Other female relative’ and ‘Other male relative’; ‘Friend /neighbour’ includes ‘Friend/neighbour—female’ and ‘Friend/neighbour—male’.

Table A2.36: Users of disability support services, reported primary disability group by residential setting, 2008–09
Residential setting	Intellectual/ learning	Physical/ diverse	Acquired brain injury	Sensory/ speech	Psychiatric	Subtotal	Not stated/ collected	Total	
Number	
Private residence	88,934	49,026	8,039	17,561	39,522	203,082	8,585	211,667	
Domestic-scale supported 	11,638	1,348	526	399	559	14,470	272	14,742	
Supported accommodation facility	7,267	881	637	151	1,420	10,356	116	10,472	
Other 	3,797	3,173	1,330	1,804	5,821	15,925	447	16,372	
Not stated	3,193	2,798	391	6,159	2,434	14,975	11,146	26,121	
Total	114,829	57,226	10,923	26,074	49,756	258,808	20,566	279,374	
Per cent	
Private residence	43.8	24.1	4.0	8.6	19.5	100.0	—	—	
Domestic-scale supported 	80.4	9.3	3.6	2.8	3.9	100.0	—	—	
Supported accommodation facility	70.2	8.5	6.2	1.5	13.7	100.0	—	—	
Other 	23.8	19.9	8.4	11.3	36.6	100.0	—	—	
Not stated	21.3	18.7	2.6	41.1	16.3	100.0	—	—	
Total	44.4	22.1	4.2	10.1	19.2	100.0	—	—	
Notes
1.	Service user data are estimates after use of a statistical linkage key to account for individuals who received services from more than one service type outlet during the 12-month period. Service user data were not collected for all CSTDA service types (see Appendix 3 for details).
2.	‘Not stated/collected’ includes both service users accessing only 3.02 services for whom support needs data were not collected
(see Appendix 3) and other service users with no response. 
3.	‘Other’ includes the categories of: ‘Residence within an Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander community’, ‘Boarding house/private hotel’, ‘Independent living unit within a retirement village’, ‘Residential aged care facility’, ‘Psychiatric/mental health community care facility’, ‘Hospital’, ‘Short-term crises, emergency or transitional accommodation facility’, ‘Public place/temporary shelter’, ‘Other’.

Table A2.37: Users of disability support services, service type by multiple service use, 2008–09
			Service users accessing more than one service type outlet	
	Number of service users 	Mean outlets per service user	Total accessing more than one  service type outlet	Multiple service types	Multiple service groups	Same service group	Same service type	
Service type			No.	%	%	%	%	%	
Accommodation support	
1.01 Large residentials/institutions 	3,119	2.4	2,518	80.7	80.4	79.4	6.1	1.3	
1.02 Small residentials/institutions	1,095	2.8	941	85.9	85.8	81.6	21.6	1.3	
1.03 Hostels	375	2.7	275	73.3	73.3	69.3	14.9	0.5	
1.04 Group homes	13,192	2.9	10,881	82.5	81.3	80.1	12.0	6.3	
1.05 Attendant care/personal care	2,227	2.9	1,435	64.4	63.8	61.4	23.0	3.1	
1.06 In-home accommodation support	19,686	2.6	13,425	68.2	67.0	65.7	13.0	6.7	
1.07 Alternative family placement	261	3.6	198	75.9	75.9	75.1	9.2	0.8	
1.08 Other accommodation support	955	2.8	670	70.2	69.3	57.8	39.3	2.8	
Total accommodation support	39,176	2.6	28,609	73.0	71.9	71.1	9.7	5.9	
Community support	
2.01 Therapy support for individuals	26,966	2.5	16,291	60.4	59.0	35.0	49.7	7.3	
2.02 Early childhood intervention	22,909	1.5	6,786	29.6	18.5	3.7	28.5	15.3	
2.03 Behaviour/specialist 	intervention	7,103	3.7	6,002	84.5	84.4	61.6	70.0	8.6	
2.04 Counselling 
(individual/family/group)	2,515	3.0	1,735	69.0	68.9	46.8	47.2	3.8	
2.05 Regional resource and 
support teams	18,997	2.9	13,834	72.8	57.9	41.9	59.4	41.0	
2.06 Case management, local 
coordination and development	63,097	2.4	39,402	62.4	57.4	44.6	38.7	16.6	
2.07 Other community support	5,355	3.1	3,676	68.6	67.8	52.9	54.9	6.6	
Total community support	120,6455	2.1	61,429	50.9	43.5	34.2	31.8	19.7	
Community access	
3.01 Learning and life skills 
development	40,588	2.6	27,606	68.0	65.6	64.4	18.0	11.9	
3.02 Recreation/holiday programs	9,937	2.9	6,500	65.4	64.8	61.8	26.3	5.8	
3.03 Other community access	10,805	2.0	6,045	55.9	54.3	52.0	14.5	7.1	
Total community access	58,275	2.5	37,096	63.7	61.6	60.7	14.5	10.4	
Respite	
4.01 Own home respite	3,115	3.5	2,402	77.1	77.0	71.0	40.2	2.6	
4.02 Centre-based respite/respite
 homes	13,941	3.6	11,301	81.1	79.8	74.6	42.0	16.0	
4.03 Host family respite/peer support respite	1,415	3.1	932	65.9	65.3	60.0	35.1	2.3	
4.04 Flexible respite	19,511	2.9	13,112	67.2	65.3	61.3	31.0	11.7	
4.05 Other respite	2,501	2.7	1,509	60.3	60.3	54.8	28.1	0.4	
Total respite	34,346	2.9	23,119	67.3	65.7	63.0	24.0	12.8	
(continued)	

Table A2.37 (continued): Users of disability support services, service type by multiple service use, 2008–09
		Service users accessing more than one service type outlet	
	Number of service users 	Mean outlets per service user	Total accessing more than one  service type outlet	Multiple service types	Multiple service groups	Same service group	Same service type	
Service type			No.	%	%	%	%	%	
Employment	
5.01 Open employment	87,645	1.2	7,889	9.0	9.0	8.2	1.2	—	
5.02 Supported employment	22,043	2.0	10,409	47.2	46.3	43.3	6.7	2.1	
5.04 Targeted support	381	3.2	306	80.3	80.3	80.3	0.5	0.0	
Total employment	109,002	1.3	17,537	16.1	15.9	15.3	1.4	0.4	
Total	279,374	1.6	85,720	30.7	26.6	21.7	18.9	12.0	
Notes
1.	Service user data are estimates after use of a statistical linkage key to account for individuals who received services from more than one service type outlet during the 12-month period. 
2.	Groups of users of multiple services are not mutually exclusive. For example, a service user can have accessed two outlets of the one service type and another outlet of a different service type, and would be included in those users accessing outlets of the same service type as well as those accessing multiple service types. Service users using three or more service types are included under all relevant combinations.
3.	‘Open and supported employment’ services (service type 5.03) ceased to be operational from 1 December 2004.
4.	‘Targeted support’ provides people with disability structured training and support to work towards social and community participation or opportunities to develop skills, or retrain, for paid employment.

Table A2.38: Users of disability support services, service type by use of other services, 2008–09
	Number of service users	Mean service groups per service user	Percentage of service users accessing other service groups (or types within groups)	Code of most frequent other service type	
Service type			Accom-modation support	Com-munity support	Com-munity access	Respite	Employ-ment		
Accommodation support	
1.01 Large residentials/institutions	3,119	2.0	4.8	27.0	62.0	1.5	10.8	3.01	
1.02 Small residentials/institutions	1,095	2.1	20.6	26.9	52.6	4.6	29.6	3.01	
1.03 Hostels	375	2.1	14.4	32.0	36.0	11.5	28.0	3.01	
1.04 Group homes	13,192	2.2	6.2	44.9	54.6	6.6	17.7	3.01	
1.05 Attendant care/personal care	2,227	2.0	20.6	50.9	27.0	18.1	8.0	2.06	
1.06 In-home accommodation support	19,686	2.0	6.9	32.7	40.6	13.7	16.4	2.06	
1.07 Alternative family placement	261	2.5	8.4	65.5	32.6	42.9	10.7	2.06	
1.08 Other accommodation support	955	1.9	37.9	32.8	30.5	11.8	18.6	1.06	
Total accommodation support	39,176	2.1	4.4	36.5	45.7	10.1	16.2	3.01	
Community support	
2.01 Therapy support for individuals	26,966	1.5	13.4	47.2	17.3	16.4	4.1	2.06	
2.02 Early childhood intervention	22,909	1.0	0.4	17.1	0.8	3.0	—	2.06	
2.03 Behaviour/specialist intervention	7,103	2.0	34.4	69.1	32.9	21.4	11.8	2.06	
2.04 Counselling (individual/family/group)	2,515	1.8	22.7	43.9	33.2	11.7	7.4	3.01	
2.05 Regional resource and support teams	18,997	1.6	14.5	30.4	18.7	22.0	6.8	3.01	
2.06 Case management, local coordination and development	63,097	1.6	14.1	27.9	21.4	17.9	10.8	3.01	
2.07 Other community support	5,355	1.9	26.8	53.0	30.2	19.3	12.1	2.06	
Total community support	120,645	1.5	11.8	18.7	16.5	13.8	7.4	2.06	
Community access	
3.01 Learning and life skills development	40,588	2.0	31.8	39.6	7.1	16.3	9.9	2.06	
3.02 Recreation/holiday programs	9,937	2.1	26.1	39.5	23.2	19.3	20.2	2.06	
3.03 Other community access	10,805	1.7	36.6	13.3	8.1	10.2	10.4	1.06	
Total community access	58,275	1.9	30.7	34.2	5.2	15.3	11.4	2.06	
Respite	
4.01 Own home respite	3,115	2.1	13.4	63.0	24.4	39.2	6.5	2.06	
4.02 Centre-based respite/respite homes	13,941	2.2	12.3	61.3	33.2	33.4	9.7	2.06	
4.03 Host family respite/peer support respite	1,415	1.9	11.7	45.7	24.9	33.9	10.8	2.06	
4.04 Flexible respite	19,511	1.9	11.3	45.6	26.0	24.0	9.1	2.06	
4.05 Other respite	2,501	1.9	14.3	41.5	18.3	27.9	15.3	2.06	
Total respite	34,346	2.0	11.6	48.4	26.0	16.3	9.6	2.06	
(continued)	

Table A2.38 (continued): Users of disability support services, service type by use of other services, 2008–09
	Number of service users	Mean service groups per service user	Percentage of service users accessing other service groups (or types within groups)	Code of most frequent other service type	
Service type			Accom-modation support	Com-munity support	Com-munity access	Respite	Employ-ment		
Employment									
5.01 Open employment	87,645	1.1	2.2	4.7	3.4	1.3	1.2	2.06	
5.02 Supported employment	22,043	1.7	19.7	22.7	16.3	9.9	4.8	2.06	
5.04 Targeted support	381	2.6	56.4	28.3	62.7	14.4	0.5	3.01	
Total employment 	109,002	1.2	5.8	8.2	6.1	3.0	1.0	2.06	
Total	279,374	1.3	. .	. .	. .	. .	. .	. .	
Notes
1.	Service user data are estimates after use of a statistical linkage key to account for individuals who received services from more than one service type outlet during the 12-month period.
2.	Where the service groups are the same, the ‘Percentage of service users accessing other service groups’ includes service users who use two or more different service types in that group. For example, 41.1% of the 22,689 service users who accessed a therapy support service (2.01) also accessed another type of community support.
3.	The overall ‘Mean service groups per service user’ does not equal the average across service groups. This is because service users accessing more than one service group are counted once in the overall mean, but are counted multiple times if all service group means 
are considered separately. 
4.	‘Targeted support’ provides people with disability structured training and support to work towards social and community participation or opportunities to develop skills, or retrain, for paid employment.

Table A2.39: Mean and median hours of service provided by disability support service type 
outlets during the reference week, June 2009 
Service type	Number of service type outlets	Mean hours in the reference week per outlet	
Median hours in the reference week per outlet	Mean number of service users with hours received in reference week	
Accommodation support	
1.05 Attendant care/personal care	162	192	61	10	
1.06 In-home accommodation support	734	401	101	16	
1.07 Alternative family placement	43	597	164	5	
Total accommodation support 	939	374	96	14	
Community support	
2.06 Case management, local coordination and development	424	167	52	48	
Community access	
3.01 Learning and life skills development	1,693	293	130	15	
3.03 Other community access	132	282	104	47	
Total community access	1,825	292	129	17	
Respite	
4.01 Own home respite	70	279	60	19	
4.02 Centre-based respite/respite homes	295	966	389	23	
4.03 Host family respite/peer support respite	22	192	75	27	
4.04 Flexible respite	337	319	87	28	
4.05 Other respite	31	428	79	37	
Total respite	755	569	158	26	
All services reporting hours	3,943	351	111	21	
Notes
1.	Service users who, according to their start date and date of last service received or exit date, were not receiving a service in the 
reference week were not included even if they had recorded hours received in the reference week. Service type outlets for which no 
service users had hours received in the reference week recorded were not included. Where a service type outlet had both service users 
with valid hours received and service users with missing hours received data, then the latter were assigned the average number of hours per service user for that outlet, before the total hours received for the outlet was calculated.
2.	Not all service types were required to collect data on ‘Hours received—reference week’. The following service types did not collect this 
data item: 1.01–1.04, 1.08, 2.01–2.05, 2.07, 3.02, 5.01, 5.02, 5.04, 6.01–6.05 and 7.01–7.04.
3.	Data are based on a reference week during June 2009; this may be different to a typical week.

Table A2.40: Mean and median hours of service provided by disability support service type outlets during a typical week, 2008–09
Service type	Number of 
service type outlets	Mean hours in a 
typical week per outlet	Median hours in a typical week per outlet	
Accommodation support	
1.05 Attendant care/personal care	181	275	60	
1.06 In-home accommodation support	746	463	120	
1.07 Alternative family placement	58	497	144	
Total accommodation support 	985	430	109	
Community support	
2.06 Case management, local coordination and development	356	239	108	
Community access	
3.01 Learning and life skills development	1,657	244	120	
3.03 Other community access	120	315	95	
Total community access	1,777	249	118	
Respite	
4.01 Own home respite	76	147	54	
4.02 Centre-based respite/respite homes	279	975	578	
4.03 Host family respite/peer support respite	31	357	151	
4.04 Flexible respite	489	354	121	
4.05 Other respite	37	199	65	
Total respite	912	521	165	
All services reporting hours	4,030	354	124	
Notes
1.	Service type outlets for which no service users have hours received in the typical week recorded were not included. Where a service type outlet had both ‘Service users with valid hours received’ and ‘Service users with missing hours received’ data, then the latter were assigned the average number of hours per service user for that outlet before the total hours received for the outlet was calculated.
2.	Not all service types were required to collect data on ‘Hours received—typical week’. The following service types did not collect this data item: 1.01–1.04, 1.08, 2.01–2.05, 2.07, 3.02, 5.01, 5.02, 5.04, 6.01–6.05 and 7.01–7.04.
3.	Victoria did not collect data on hours received in a typical week.

Table A2.41: Mean hours worked in the reference week by paid and unpaid staff for disability support service type outlets, by service group, 2008–09

Service group	Mean paid staff hours per outlet	Mean FTE paid staff 
per outlet	Mean unpaid staff hours 
per outlet	Mean FTE unpaid staff 
per outlet	Total mean FTE staff 
per outlet	Users per outlet	Mean FTE 
staff per user 	
Accommodation support	236	6.2	10.2	0.3	6.5	8.4	0.77	
Community support	135	3.5	3.8	0.1	3.6	78.7	0.05	
Community access	146	3.8	8.5	0.2	4.1	22.6	0.18	
Respite	116	3.1	9.9	0.3	3.3	28.3	0.12	
Employment 	269	7.1	4.7	0.1	7.2	100.0	0.07	
Advocacy, information and alternative forms of communication 	74	1.9	23.9	0.6	2.6	n.a.	n.a.	
Other support services	198	5.2	49.9	1.3	6.5	n.a.	n.a.	
All services	189	5.0	9.2	0.2	5.2	25.3(a)	0.21(a)	
(a)	Excludes ‘advocacy, information and alternative forms of communication’ and ‘other support services’. 
Notes
1.	Data for hours worked are the mean number of hours worked over one 7-day week in June 2009. 
2.	Data exclude 1,399 outlets where mean staff hours could not be calculated because of missing data. These were for outlets with both paid and unpaid staff hours in the reference week missing; if only one of these variables was missing, it was assumed to be zero.
3.	Full-time equivalent (FTE) staff numbers are based on a 38-hour working week.
4.	Service user counts are not available for ‘Advocacy, information and alternative forms of communication’ and ‘Other support services’.
5.	The ‘Other support services’ group in 2008–09 has a higher than expected ‘Mean FTE staff hours’ in the reference week. This is related to the number of South Australian outlets in this group with missing data for all staff hours in the reference week data items. These outlets are excluded from the calculation of the mean hours.
Table A2.42: Mean hours worked in a typical week by paid and unpaid staff for disability 
support service type outlets, by service group, 2008–09
Service group	Mean paid staff hours per outlet	Mean FTE paid staff per outlet	Mean unpaid staff hours per outlet	Mean FTE unpaid staff per outlet	
Accommodation support	318	8.4	9.1	0.2	
Community support	165	4.3	5.5	0.1	
Community access	185	4.9	10.9	0.3	
Respite	160	4.2	14.3	0.4	
Employment 	280	7.4	4.3	0.1	
Advocacy, information and alternative forms of communication 	98	2.6	28.9	0.8	
Other support services	261	6.9	58.8	1.5	
All services	243	6.4	10.2	0.3	
Notes
1.	Data for hours worked are the mean number of hours worked over one 7-day week in June 2009. 
2.	Data for Victoria are excluded, as they did not provide data on staff hours in a typical week.
3.	Data exclude 3,224 outlets where the mean staff hours could not be calculated because of missing data. These were for outlets with both paid and unpaid staff hours in a typical week missing; if only one of these variables was missing, it was assumed to be zero.
4.	Full-time equivalent (FTE) staff numbers are based on a 38-hour working week.

Table A2.43: Disability support service type outlets, period of operation by service group, 2008–09
	Accom-
modation support	Com-munity support	Com-munity access	Respite	Employ-ment	Advocacy, 
info. and alternative  commun- ication	Other	Total (no.)	Total (%)	
Hours of operation per day	
Less than 3 hours	15	18	n.p.	4	n.p.     	n.p.	n.p.	52	0.5	
3–6 hours	99	84	952	51	32	27	6	1,251	11.2	
7–9 hours 	293	1,014	917	229	977	218	82	3,730	33.5	
10–12 hours	52	17	56	17	14	n.p.	n.p.	160	1.4	
13–18 hours	71	n.p.	20	21	n.p.	n.p.	0	119	1.1	
19–23 hours	10	n.p.	n.p.	6	0	0	0	20	0.2	
24 hours	3,114	77	124	503	6	5	8	3,837	34.5	
No regular pattern	888	242	423	330	15	36	25	1,959	17.6	
Total	4,542	1,459	2,505	1,161	1,047	289	125	11,128	100.0	
Days of operation per week	
1 day	7	23	36	33	26	n.p.	n.p.	131	1.2	
2 days	13	27	33	22	21	n.p.	n.p.	122	1.1	
3 days	11	29	91	25	15	12	n.p.	185	1.7	
4 days	17	33	75	15	14	16	5	175	1.6	
5 days	623	1,038	1,707	240	914	214	78	4,814	43.1	
6 days	20	6	57	12	7	n.p.	n.p.	104	0.9	
7 days	3,627	118	254	584	30	7	13	4,633	41.5	
No regular pattern	250	187	252	232	20	28	25	994	8.9	
Total	4,568	1,461	2,505	1,163	1,047	289	125	11,158	100.0	
Weeks of operation per year	
1–39 weeks	52	21	38	32	5	12	4	164	1.9	
40–47 weeks	17	96	77	8	n.p.	n.p.	5	214	2.5	
48–51 weeks	84	419	1,259	206	354	149	32	2,503	28.9	
52 weeks	3,139	393	434	545	435	81	61	5,088	58.8	
No regular pattern	183	174	151	143	n.p.	n.p.	23	691	8.0	
Total	3,475	1,103	1,959	934	799	265	125	8,660	100.0	
Notes
1.	Missing data excluded.
2.	Data for Victoria for ‘Weeks of operation per year’ has been revised since the creation of the 2008–09 CSTDA NMDS. Therefore cross-tabulated data is not available for ‘Weeks of operation’ for Victoria. In Victoria in 2008–09 there were 361 outlets operating 1–39 weeks, 
82 outlets operating 40–47 weeks, 225 outlets operating 48–51 weeks, 1,532 outlets operating 52 weeks, 19 outlets with no regular annual pattern and 283 outlets that did not state their weeks of operation per year. National totals can be derived by adding the Victorian number of outlets in each weeks of operation category to the ‘Total’ column in this table.

Table A2.44: Calculation of potential populations: people aged less than 65 years and 15–64 years, by state and territory, 30 June 2008 
	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Australia	
People under 65 years	
All	6,052,628	4,608,469	3,782,139	1,919,165	1,358,524	423,189	311,920	209,396	18,667,686	
All (%)	32.4	24.7	20.3	10.3	7.3	2.3	1.7	1.1	100.0	
With profound or severe core activity limitation	242,495	183,545	151,505	76,530	55,547	17,640	12,160	7,982	747,404	
Potential population (accommodation support, community support, community access)	241,631	178,441	153,795	77,476	55,008	18,020	11,934	10,986	747,404	
With profound or severe core activity limitation and a primary carer	75,805	57,335	47,417	23,931	17,433	5,560	3,793	2,476	233,749	
Potential population (respite)	75,535	55,740	48,134	24,226	17,264	5,679	3,723	3,407	233,749	
People 15–64 years	
With profound or severe core activity limitation	185,480	141,185	114,550	58,255	43,168	13,489	9,454	5,756	571,338	
Labour force participation rate (%)	75.5	76.5	78.4	81.0	77.0	75.0	83.1	77.1	77.2	
Potential population (employment)	139,592	105,578	90,866	47,694	32,980	10,308	7,739	5,902	441,073	
Notes
1.	Data are estimates. Population estimates of 9,000 or less have a relative standard error of 25% or more.
2.	Data for all people are ABS-estimated resident populations at 30 June 2008 for people aged less than 65 years and 15–64 years.
3.	30 June 2008 data for people with profound or severe core activity limitation are estimates derived using the ABS 2003 Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers data (ABS 2004).
4.	The potential population for ‘Accommodation support’, ‘Community support’ and ‘Community access’ is the number of people aged less than 65 years with severe or profound core activity limitation, multiplied by the Indigenous factor (Table A2.45) for that jurisdiction.
5.	The potential population for ‘Respite’ is the number of people aged less than 65 years with severe or profound core activity limitation and a primary carer, multiplied by the Indigenous factor (Table A2.45) for that jurisdiction.
6.	The potential population for ‘Employment’ services is the number of people aged 15–64 years with severe or profound core activity limitation, multiplied by both the Indigenous factor (see Table A2.45) and the labour force participation rate for that jurisdiction.
7.	Owing to the adjustment used in calculating the potential populations in each case, the sum of the jurisdictions is not necessarily equal to the total population for Australia. Estimated resident population for Australia includes external territories. 
8.	This method differs to that used to calculate the potential population for reporting against the National Disability Agreement performance indicators. The methodologies used to calculate potential population are under review, and may differ in future reports. 
Sources: ABS 2009a, 2007, 2006, 2004; AIHW analysis of the ABS 2003 Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers data.

Table A2.45: Calculation of Indigenous factor, 2008–09
Age group	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Australia	
0–64 years	
Indigenous Australians	153,242	33,751	148,194	71,270	28,209	18,603	4,419	64,340	522,028	
Non-Indigenous Australians	5,899,386	4,574,718	3,633,945	1,847,895	1,330,315	404,586	307,501	145,056	18,145,658	
All people (weighted)	6,267,167	4,655,720	3,989,611	2,018,943	1,398,017	449,233	318,107	299,472	19,398,525	
All people 
(weighted per person)	1.04	1.01	1.05	1.05	1.03	1.06	1.02	1.43	1.04	
Indigenous factor	99.64	97.22	101.51	101.24	99.03	102.15	98.14	137.63	100.00	
15–64 years	
Indigenous Australians	94,830	21,270	90,787	45,313	17,861	11,851	2,836	41,668	326,416	
Non-Indigenous Australians	4,620,317	3,592,350	2,824,557	1,446,033	1,051,238	314,212	244,986	115,344	14,210,766	
All people (weighted)	4,847,909	3,643,398	3,042,446	1,554,784	1,094,104	342,654	251,792	215,347	14,994,164	
All people 
(weighted per person)	1.03	1.01	1.04	1.04	1.02	1.05	1.02	1.37	1.03	
Indigenous factor	99.68	97.75	101.18	101.08	99.22	101.89	98.51	132.97	100.00	
Notes
1.	Data are estimates. Figures for all people (weighted per person) and Indigenous factor are rounded to the nearest 0.01, although unrounded figures have been used for further calculations.
2.	Indigenous population figures are based on ABS Series B projections of Indigenous population by state/territory for June 2008 (ABS 2009a).
3.	Data for ‘All people (weighted)’ were calculated by multiplying the data for Indigenous Australians by a weighting of 2.4 and adding the data 
for non-Indigenous Australians. It has been estimated that Indigenous Australians are 2.4 times more likely than non-Indigenous Australians 
to need disability support services because of a higher rate of severe or profound core activity limitation, hence Indigenous Australians are weighted at 2.4 and non-Indigenous Australians at 1 (AIHW 2006a).
4.	Data for ‘All people (weighted per person)’ were calculated by dividing the ‘All people (weighted)’ data by the sum of the Indigenous Australians data and the non-Indigenous Australians data.
5.	‘All people (weighted per person)’ for each state/territory was divided by ‘All people (weighted per person)’ for Australia. The outcome is a 
state-specific Indigenous factor (multiplied by 100) which is relative to the reference Indigenous factor of 100 for Australia. An Indigenous 
factor that is greater than 100 for a state/territory means that state/territory has a relatively higher proportion of Indigenous people compared with the Australian population as a whole. The opposite is true for an Indigenous factor below 100. The Indigenous factor is applied (multiplied) to the ‘Severe/profound’ population counts, resulting in the potential population. In this way, the Indigenous factor accounts for the higher rate of service use for Indigenous people who have a ‘Severe/profound’ limitation, taking into account the relative Indigenous populations in each state/territory. 
6.	For more information see Table A2.5 and AIHW 2006a.
Sources: ABS 2009a, 2007, 2004.

Appendix 3: Service type classification
The following definitions are taken from the CSTDA NMDS 2008–09 data guide (AIHW 2008c).
Accommodation support
Services that provide accommodation to people with a disability and services that provide support needed to enable a person with a disability to remain in their existing accommodation or to move to more suitable or appropriate accommodation.
1.01	Large residentials/institutions (>20 places) 
Large residentials/institutions are usually located on large parcels of land and provide 
24-hour residential support in a congregate setting of more than 20 beds. In some cases a range of residential and vocational/day services, and/or respite services are provided on the one site. (Where this is the case, each additional service type should be funded and/or reported against under the CSTDA NMDS as a separate service type outlet.) 
1.02	Small residentials/institutions (7–20 places) 
Small residentials/institutions are usually located on large parcels of land and provide 
24-hour residential support in a congregate or cluster setting of 7 to 20 beds. In some cases a range of residential and vocational/day services, and/or respite services are provided on the one site. (Where this is the case, each additional service type should be funded and/or reported against under the CSTDA NMDS as a separate service type outlet.)
1.03	Hostels 
Hostels provide residential support in a congregate setting of usually less than 20 beds, and may or may not provide 24-hour residential support. Many are situated in an institutional setting and also have respite beds included on the premises. In contrast to residentials/institutions (1.01 and 1.02), hostels usually do not provide segregated specialist disability support services. (Where this is the case, each additional service type should be funded and/or reported against under the CSTDA NMDS as a separate service type outlet.)
1.04   Group homes (<7 places)
Group homes generally provide combined accommodation and community-based residential support to people in a residential setting. Usually no more than six service users are located in any one house, although this can vary. Group homes are generally staffed 
24 hours a day. The agency being funded to provide the service should generally have control of the residence, i.e. own, lease, hold in trust or in other ways be responsible for the residence, not just the support to enable the residents to remain in the residence. If the only service being provided is support to enable residents to remain in their existing accommodation, see service type 1.05 ‘Attendant care/personal care’ or 1.06 ‘In-home accommodation support’.
1.05	Attendant care/personal care
An attendant care program provides for an attendant(s) to assist people with daily activities that they are unable to complete for themselves because of physical, intellectual or any other disability. The service is provided to people to assist them to live in the community, and live on their own.
1.06	In-home accommodation support
Support involves individual in-home living support and/or developmental programming services for people with a disability, supplied independently of accommodation. The accommodation may be owned, rented or otherwise provided, but should be independent of the agency providing the in-home support service; otherwise see service type 1.04 ‘Group homes’. Where an in-home accommodation support service also provides some other limited assistance—for example, help with banking once a week or short-term respite for family members—then ‘In-home accommodation’ should be recorded, as it is the primary focus of the support provided.
1.07	Alternative family placement
Placements of a person with a disability with an alternative family who will provide care and support. Includes shared-care arrangements and host family placements.
1.08	Other accommodation support
Accommodation support services that provide short-term, one-off instances of accommodation such as:
•	accommodation provided so that individuals or families can access specialist services or further education
•	emergency or crisis accommodation support (e.g. following the death of a parent or carer)
•	houses or flats for holiday accommodation.
If the accommodation support is primarily for respite (i.e. it involves the separation of the service user from their usual support arrangements or the addition of extra support in their current environment) please refer to the relevant service type 4.01–4.05. 
Community support
Services that provide the support needed for a person with a disability to live in a non‑institutional setting. Support with the basic needs of living, such as meal preparation, dressing and transferring are included under accommodation support.
2.01	Therapy support for individuals
Specialised, therapeutic care services including occupational therapy, physiotherapy and speech therapy. These services are intended to improve, maintain or slow deterioration of a person’s functional performance, and/or assist in the assessment and recommendation of equipment to enable people to perform as independently as possible in their environment.
2.02   Early childhood intervention
Support services to assist children up to (but not including) six years of age with a developmental delay to integrate with peers into preschools and the wider community. This will include the full range of services that the child receives.
2.03	Behaviour/specialist intervention
These include the range of services relating to the management of challenging behaviours, including dangerous antisocial behaviour. Services include intensive intervention support, training and education in behaviour management, and consultancy services for other professionals. Behaviour/specialist intervention is often provided as a by-product of other services. 
2.04	Counselling (individual/family/group)
Services that provide counselling to individuals, families or groups.
2.05	Regional resource and support teams
Regional resource and support teams are generally interdisciplinary teams that provide a combination of services in service types 2.01, 2.02 and 2.03 that cannot be broken down into the component parts. Regional resource and support teams may also assist service users to access mainstream services and/or support mainstream-funded agencies. Except for early childhood intervention teams, these teams usually have an individual, rather than a family, focus.
2.06	Case management, local coordination and development
This is a broad service type category, including elements of individual or family-focused case management and brokerage, as well as coordination and development activity within a specified geographical area. Services assist people with disabilities to maximise their independence and participation in the community by working with the individual, family and/or carers in care planning and/or facilitating access to appropriate services. If the service provided is community development only (i.e. the service is not working with an individual), then it should be classified under service type 2.07 ‘Other community support’.
Case management services are targeted to individuals who require assistance for a period of time, to access necessary supports, including help with service coordination and with assisting services to respond to their service needs. Brokerage is one method of purchasing appropriate supports for an individual and should be included in this category. 
Other forms of local coordination and development generally involve working with the individual, family and/or carers, and at the community level, to facilitate positive changes that assist people with a disability to live and participate in the community and assist families in their continued provision of care. Local coordination does not generally involve management of individuals’ funds and does not generally involve ongoing case management. However, discretionary funds are sometimes available for one-off purchases (e.g. respite, therapy) to enable a quick response until longer-term supports can be put in place.
2.07	Other community support
Community support services other than those outlined above (i.e. other than 2.01–2.06). If community development is provided as part of working with an individual, then the service should be classified under service type 2.06 ‘Case management, local coordination and development’.
Community access
Services designed to provide opportunities for people with a disability to gain and use their abilities to enjoy their full potential for social independence. People who do not attend school, or who are not employed full-time, mainly use these services.
The key features are that the services:
•	are flexible and responsive to personal needs and interests
•	range from educational to leisure and recreational pursuits
•	range from facility to home-based activities
•	include supervision and physical care, and models which link people into activities which are offered to the whole community
•	range from long-term day support to time-limited and goal-oriented education that maximises personal independent functioning, and may complement other community services.
3.01	Learning and life skills development
These programs provide ongoing day-to-day support for service users to gain greater access and participate in community-based activities. Programs may focus on continuing education to develop skills and independence in a variety of life areas (e.g. self-help, social skills and literacy and numeracy) or enjoyment, leisure and social interaction. They are often called day programs. 
3.02	Recreation/holiday programs
Recreation services and holiday programs aim to facilitate the integration and participation of people with disabilities in recreation and leisure activities available in the general community. These services may also enhance the capacity and responsiveness of mainstream sport and recreation agencies and community organisations to provide for people with disabilities. 
3.03	Other community access 
Community access services other than those outlined above (i.e. other than 3.01–3.02). For example, services offering activities designed to improve service users’ physical, cognitive and perceptual abilities; encourage self-esteem growth; and provide opportunities to socialise. This service should only be recorded where service types 3.01 and 3.02 are not suitable. 
Respite
Respite services provide a short-term and time-limited break for families and other voluntary caregivers of people with disabilities, to assist in supporting and maintaining the primary caregiving relationship while providing a positive experience for the person with a disability.
4.01	Own home respite
Respite care provided in the individual’s own home location.
4.02	Centre-based respite/respite homes
Respite care provided in a community setting similar to a ‘group home’ structure and respite care provided in other centre-based settings. This service type includes respite care provided in any of the accommodation settings 1.01–1.04. 
4.03	Host family respite/peer support respite
Host family respite provides a network of ‘host families’ matched to the age, interests and background of the individual and their carer. Peer support is generally targeted at children or young adults up to 25 years of age, and matches the individual with a peer of similar age and interests, usually for group activities. Usually provided on a voluntary basis. 
4.04	Flexible respite
Respite services that offer any combination of own home and host family/peer support respite (service types 4.01 and 4.03). Includes respite where day outings and camping trips are taken (this service type is distinguished from service type 3.02 ‘Recreation/holiday programs’ because the primary purpose is respite). Flexible respite to meet an individual’s needs may include brokerage for respite only when the funding dollars come from respite resources. Outlets providing centre-based respite services should be recorded separately under service type 4.02 and not under this service type.
4.05	Other respite
Respite services other than those outlined above (i.e. other than 4.01–4.04), including:
•	crisis respite
•	holidays for the person with the disability where the primary intention of the service is to provide respite support (rather than primarily a holiday experience) and the service user is generally separated from their usual support arrangements (e.g. family). 
Employment
5.01	Open employment
Services that provide employment assistance to people with a disability in obtaining and/or retaining paid employment in the open labour market.
5.02	Supported employment
Services that provide employment opportunities and assistance to people with disabilities to work in specialised and supported work environments.
5.03	Open and supported employment
This is now a defunct service type code. Prior to 1 December 2004, these were services that provided a combination of both open and supported employment services.
5.04 	Targeted support
Targeted support services provide people with disability structured training and support to work towards social and community participation or opportunities to develop skills, or retrain, for paid employment.  
Advocacy, information and alternative forms of communication
6.01	Advocacy
Services designed to enable people with a disability to increase the control they have over their lives through the representation of their interests and views in the community. Examples include:
•	self-advocacy/individual advocacy
•	citizen advocacy
•	group advocacy
•	system/systematic advocacy.
6.02	Information/referral 
Information services provide accessible information to people with disabilities, their carers, families and related professionals. This service type provides specific information about disability-specific and generic services and equipment, and promotes the development of community awareness. Information includes contact by phone, print or email that recommends a person to another service.
6.03	Combined information/advocacy
Services that offer both information and advocacy services to individuals where these two components cannot reasonably be separated.
6.04	Mutual support/self-help groups
Focus or special interest groups to provide support and assistance for people with disabilities, their families and carers. These groups promote self-advocacy through the provision of information, support and assistance. 
6.05	Alternative formats of communication
Includes alternative formats of communication for people who by reason of their disabilities are unable to access information provided in the standard format. May include interpreter services, radio and alternative formats of print medium (e.g. TTY and braille).
Other support
7.01	Research and evaluation
Research and evaluation with respect to the provision of services provided under the CSTDA for people with disabilities. This includes the investigation of the need for new services or enhancement of existing services, and the measurement of outcomes for people with disabilities using these services. Responsibility for this service type is shared between the Australian Government and state/territory governments.
7.02	Training and development
Training and development services may be funded, for example, to train disability-funded agencies to deliver higher quality or more appropriate services to people with disabilities or to develop materials or methods that promote service system improvements.
7.03	Peak bodies
Peak bodies are generally funded to support non-government disability–funded agencies in achieving positive outcomes for people with disabilities.
7.04	Other support services
Services that are completely outside any of the defined service types above (that is, outside service types 1.01–1.08, 2.01–2.07, 3.01–3.03, 4.01–4.05, 5.01–5.02, 5.04, 6.01–6.05 and 
7.01–7.03). This service type also includes the provision for one-off funding for a defined event (e.g. for promotional activities) or for the purchase of aids and equipment for a community facility (not for an individual). 
Appendix 4: Data items requiring collection by various service types
Table A4.1: Information requested according to CSTDA/NDA NMDS service type, 2008–09

Service type classification	Service type outlet—details required (except for those provided by the jurisdiction)	Service user—details required	Services accessed by each service user in the reporting period—details required	
Accommodation support	
1.01 Large residential/institution (>20 people)—24 hour care	All 	All	All (except for data items on ‘Hours received’—items 17e–17f)	
1.02	Small residential/institution
(7–20 people)—24 hour care	All 	All	All (except for data items on ‘Hours received’—items 17e–17f)	
1.03	Hostels—generally not 24-hour care	All 	All	All (except for data items on ‘Hours received’—items 17e–17f)	
1.04	Group homes (<7 people)	All 	All	All (except for data items on ‘Hours received’—items 17e–17f)	
1.05	Attendant care/personal care	All 	All	All	
1.06	In-home accommodation support	All 	All	All	
1.07	Alternative family placement	All 	All	All	
1.08	Other accommodation support	All 	All	All (except for data items on ‘Hours received’—items 17e–17f)	
Community support	
2.01	Therapy support for individuals	All 	All	All (except for data items on ‘Hours received’—items 17e–17f)	
2.02	Early childhood intervention	All 	All	All (except for data items on ‘Hours received’—items 17e–17f)	
2.03	Behaviour/specialist intervention	All 	All	All (except for data items on ‘Hours received’—items 17e–17f)	
2.04	Counselling (individual/family/group)	All 	All	All (except for data items on ‘Hours received’—items 17e–17f)	
2.05	Regional resource and support teams 	All 	All	All (except for data items on hours received—items 17e–17f)	
2.06 Case management, local coordination and development	All	All (except for ‘Community development activity’ within this service type)	All (except for ‘Community development activity’ within this service type)	
2.07	Other community support	All 	All	All (except for data items on ‘Hours received’—items 17e–17f)	
Community access	
3.01	Learning and life skills development 	All 	All	All	
3.02	Recreation/holiday programs(a)	All 	Linkage key elements only (items 2a–2e)	Items 17a–17b (‘Service start date’ and ‘Date service last received’) 	
3.03	Other community access 	All 	All	All	
			(continued)	
Table A4.1 (continued): Information requested according to CSTDA/NDA NMDS service type, 2008–09
Service type classification	Service type outlet –details required (except for those provided by the jurisdiction)	Service user – details required	Services accessed by each service user in the reporting period – details required	
Respite	
4.01	Own home respite	All 	All	All	
4.02	Centre-based respite/
respite homes	All 	All	All	
4.03	Host family respite/
peer support respite	All 	All	All	
4.04	Flexible respite	All 	All	All	
4.05	Other respite	All 	All	All	
Employment				
5.01	Open employment	All 	All (except for ‘Carer—primary status, residency status, age group’— items 12b, 12c, 12e)	All (except for data items on ‘Hours received’—items 
17e–17f)	
5.02	Supported employment	All 	All (except for ‘Carer—primary status, residency status, age group’—items 12b, 12c, 12e)	All (except for data items on ‘Hours received’—items 
17e–17f)	
5.04 Targeted support	All	All (except for ‘Carer—primary status, residency status, age group’—items 12b, 12c, 12e)	All (except for data items on ‘Hours received’—items 
17e–17f)	
Advocacy, information and alternative forms of communication				
6.01	Advocacy	All	None 	None	
6.02	Information/referral	All	None 	None	
6.03	Combined information/advocacy	All	None 	None	
6.04	Mutual support/self-help groups	All	None 	None	
6.05	Alternative formats of communication	All	None 	None	
Other support				
7.01	Research and evaluation	All (except number of service users—item 7)	None	None	
7.02	Training and development	All (except number of service users—item 7)	None	None	
7.03	Peak bodies	All (except number of service users—item 7)	None	None	
7.04	Other support services	All (except number of service users—item 7)	None	None	
(a) Some jurisdictions require the collection of other service user/services accessed data items for this service type in addition to those listed here.
Source: AIHW 2008a.
References
ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) 2004. Disability, ageing and carers: summary of findings. ABS cat. no. 4430.0. Canberra: AGPS.
ABS 2006. Census data. Canberra: ABS. Viewed 25 June 2009, <http://www.abs.gov.au/websitedbs/D3310114.nsf/home/Census+data>.
ABS 2007. Australian demographic statistics, June 2007. ABS cat. no. 3101.0. Canberra: AGPS.
ABS 2008. Labour force characteristics of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, estimates from the Labour Force Survey, 2007. ABS cat. no. 6287.0. Canberra: AGPS.
ABS 2009a. Experimental estimates and projections, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, 1991 to 2021. ABS cat. no. 3238.0. Canberra: AGPS.
ABS 2009b. Labour force, Australia, detailed electronic delivery, December 2008. ABS cat. no. 6291.0.55.001. Canberra: ABS. Viewed 26 March 2009, <www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage/6291.0.55.001Dec%202008?OpenDocument>.
ABS 2009c. Population by age and sex, regions of Australia, 2009. ABS cat. no. 3235.0. Canberra: ABS. Viewed 16 December 2010, <http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/3235.0>.
ABS & AIHW (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare) 2008. The health and welfare of Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, 2008. ABS cat. no. 4704.0, AIHW cat. no. AIHW 21. Canberra: ABS.
AIHW 1993. Australia’s welfare 1993. Cat. no. AUS 41. Canberra: AIHW.
AIHW 2003. Australia’s national disability services data collection: redeveloping the Commonwealth State/Territory Disability Agreement National Minimum Data Set. Disability series. Cat. no. DIS 30. Canberra: AIHW.
AIHW 2005. Disability support services 2003–04: national data on services provided under the Commonwealth State/Territory Disability Agreement. Disability series. Cat. no. DIS 40. Canberra: AIHW.
AIHW 2006a. Disability rates among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people: updating the Indigenous factor in disability services performance indicator denominators. Disability series. Cat. no. DIS 45. Canberra: AIHW.
AIHW 2006b. Disability support services 2004–05: national data on services provided under the Commonwealth State/Territory Disability Agreement. Disability series. Cat. no. DIS 46. Canberra: AIHW.
AIHW 2007a. Data guide: data items and definitions 2007–08. Commonwealth State/Territory Disability Agreement National Minimum Data Set collection. Canberra: AIHW.
AIHW 2007b. Disability support services 2005–06: national data on services provided under the Commonwealth State/Territory Disability Agreement. Disability series. Cat. no. DIS 51. Canberra: AIHW.
AIHW 2008a. Disability support services 2006–07: national data on services provided under the Commonwealth State/Territory Disability Agreement. Disability series. Cat. no. DIS 52. Canberra: AIHW.
AIHW 2008b. Disability in Australia: intellectual disability. Bulletin no. 67. Cat. no. AUS 110. Canberra: AIHW.
AIHW 2008c. Disability Services National Minimum Data Set collection: data guide—data items and definitions 2008-09. Viewed 16 December 2010, <http://www.aihw.gov.au/disability/csda_public/08-09_data/data_guide_08-09.doc>.
AIHW 2009a. Australia’s welfare 2009. Australia’s welfare series no. 9. Cat. no. AUS 117. Canberra: AIHW.
AIHW 2009b. Disability support services 2007–08: national data on services provided under the Commonwealth State/Territory Disability Agreement. Disability series. Cat. no. DIS 56. Canberra: AIHW.
AIHW: Benham C, Gibson D, Holmes B & Rowland D 2000. Independence in ageing: the social and financial circumstances of older overseas-born Australians. Cat. no. AGE 15. Canberra: Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs & AIHW.
COAG (Council of Australian Governments) 2008a. Fact sheet: National Disability Agreement. Canberra: COAG. Viewed 12 May 2009, <http://www.coag.gov.au/coag_meeting_outcomes/2008-11-29/docs/20081129_national_disability_agreement_factsheet.pdf>.
COAG 2008b. National Disability Agreement: intergovernmental agreement on federal financial relations. Canberra: COAG.  Viewed 15 December 2010, <http://www.coag.gov.au/intergov_agreements/federal_financial_relations/docs/IGA_FFR_ScheduleF_National_Disability_Agreement.pdf>.
CSTDA (Commonwealth State/Territory Disability Agreement) 2003. Commonwealth State/Territory Disability Agreement, in relation to disability services in relation to disability services) 2002–2007. Canberra: Department of Families and Community Services.
DIMIA (Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs ) 2003. 2001 classification of countries into English Proficiency Groups. Statistical focus C01.2.0. Canberra: DIMIA.
DPRWG (Disability Policy and Research Working Group) forthcoming. Commonwealth State/Territory Disability Agreement annual public report 2005–06 (prepared by Australian Healthcare Associates). Canberra: Australian Government Department of Family and Community Services (FaHCSIA). 
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List of tables
Table 2.1:	Disability support services agencies by state and territory, 2003–04 to 2008–09
Table 2.2:	Disability support service type outlets, service group by agency sector, 2008–09
Table 2.3:	Agencies providing services under the CSTDA/NDA, by funding source and state and territory, 2008–09
Table 2.4 :	Users of disability support services, service type outlets and average service users per service type outlet, by service group, 2003–04 to 2008–09
Table 2.5:	Users of disability support services, by service group and state and territory, 2008–09
Table 2.6:	Users of disability support services, service types outlets accessed and average service type outlets accessed per service user, by service group, 2003–04 to 2008–09
Table 2.7:	Disability service users by service group per 1,000 potential population, 
2003–04 to 2008–09
Table 2.8:	Expenditure on disability support services by Australian, state and territory governments, by service group, 2008–09
Table 2.9:	Real expenditure on disability support services by Australian, state and territory governments, by service group, 2003–04 to 2008–09
Table 3.1:	Users of disability support services, number and proportion by age group, 2003–04 to 2008–09
Table 3.2:	Users of disability support services aged under 65 years, Indigenous status and proportion of Indigenous Australians aged under 65 years in the population by state/territory, 2008–09
Table 3.3:	Users of disability support services by 10 most common countries of birth, 2003–04 to 2008–09
Table 3.4:	Users of disability support services, service user remoteness by state/territory, 2008–09
Table 3.5:	Users of disability support services aged 15–64 years, labour force status by service group, 2008–09
Table 3.6:	Users of disability support services aged 16–64 years, labour force status by main source of income, 2008–09
Table 3.7:	Characteristics of users of open and supported employment services, 2008–09
Table 3.8:	Users of open and supported employment services by disability group, 
2008–09 (per cent)
Table 3.9:	Users of disability support employment services by main source of income and service type, 2008–09
Table 3.10:	Users of open employment services aged 15–64 years, labour force status by primary disability, 2008–09
Table 3.11:	Users of disability support services, new and continuing service users by selected demographics, 2008–09
Table 3.12:	Service users with an exit date, main reason for cessation of services by service group, 2008–09
Table 4.1:	Users of disability support services, sex and primary disability group by age group, 2008–09
Table 4.2:	Users of disability support services, primary disability group with or without other significant disability group, 2008–09
Table 4.3:	Users of disability support services, life area by need for support in life areas, 2008–09
Table 4.4:	Users of disability support services, service group by need for support in life areas, 2008–09
Table 4.5:	Users of disability support services, primary disability group by most effective method of communication, 2008–09 (per cent)
Table 4.6:	Users of disability support services, need for interpreter services by primary disability, 2008–09
Table 5.1:	Users of services provided under the CSTDA, existence of an informal carer, 2003–04 to 2008–09
Table 5.2:	Users of disability support services, existence of an informal carer by service group, 2008–09
Table 5.3:	Users of disability support services with an informal carer, access to selected support services, 2008–09
Table 5.4:	Users of disability support services with an informal carer, carer relationship to service user by age of service user, 2008–09
Table 5.5:	Users of disability support services with an informal carer, age of service user by age of carer, 2008–09
Table 5.6:	Users of disability support services who received informal care from a carer aged 65 or over, relationship of carer to service user by age group of service user, 2008–09
Table 5.7:	Users of disability support services with an informal carer, residency status by primary carer status, 2008–09
Table 5.8:	Users of disability support services, living arrangements by service group, 2008–09
Table 5.9:	Users of accommodation support services provided under the CSTDA/NDA, by accommodation support category and state/territory, 2008–09
Table 6.1:	Users of disability support services, multiple service use, 2008–09
Table 6.2:	Users of disability support services, mean service use by selected demographics, 2008–09
Table 6.3:	Users of disability support services, service use patterns across groups, 2008–09
Table 6.4:	Users of disability support services, mean hours received per service user, 
by selected service type category, 2003–04 to 2008–09
Table A.1:	Scope of services included in the CSTDA NMDS collection, by state/territory, 2008–09
Table A1.2:	Validity and completeness of the statistical linkage key, 2008–09
Table A1.3:	Response rates for service type outlets by jurisdiction, 2003–04 to 2008–09 
(per cent)
Table A1.4:	‘Not stated’ and ‘Not known’ response rates for service user data items, 
2008–09 (per cent)
Table A1.5:	‘Not stated’ response rates for service use data items, for applicable service types, 2008–09 (per cent)
Table A1.6:	‘Not stated’ response rates for service type outlet data items, 2008–09 (per cent)
Table A2.1:	Disability support service users, service type outlets and agencies by state/territory, 2008–09 (per cent)
Table A2.2:	Characteristics of disability support service type outlets, 2008–09
Table A2.3:	Disability support service type outlets, remoteness area by service group, 2008–09
Table A2.4:	Disability support service type outlets, service type by agency sector, 2008–09
Table A2.5:	State/territory-funded disability support service type outlets, service type by state/territory, 2008–09
Table A2.5:	State/territory-funded disability support service type outlets, service type by state/territory, 2008–09
Table A2.6:	Australian Government-funded disability support service type outlets, service type by state and territory, 2008–09
Table A2.7:	Disability support service users and services received, by state and territory, 2003–04 to 2008–09
Table A2.8:	Users of disability support services, agency sector by state and territory and by service group, 2008–09
Table A2.9:	Users of disability support employment services, agency sector by state and territory, 2008–09
Table A2.10:	Characteristics of services accessed, disability support services, 2008–09
Table A2.11:	Service users per 1,000 potential population by service group and state and territory, 2008–09
Table A2.12:	Characteristics of service users, disability support services, 2008–09
Table A2.13:	Users of disability support services, service type by state and territory, 2008–09
Table A2.14:	Characteristics of Indigenous and non-Indigenous service users of disability support services, 2008–09
Table A2.15:	Users of disability support services per 1,000 potential population, by Indigenous status and state/territory, 2008–09
Table A2.16:	Users of disability support services, primary disability group by English Proficiency Group, 2008–09 (per cent)
Table A2.17:	Users of disability support services aged 15–64 years, labour force status, 
2003–04 to 2008–09
Table A2.18:	Users of disability support services aged 16 years and over, main income source by primary disability group, 2008–09 (per cent)
Table A2.19:	Users of open employment services aged 15 years and over by primary disability group and labour force status, 2008–09 (per cent)
Table A2.20:	Users of disability support services, new users by service type, 2008–09
Table A2.21:	Users of disability support services, new users by service type and state/territory, 2008–09
Table A2.22:	Users of disability support services, new service users’ frequency of need for assistance with activities of daily living by service group, 2008–09
Table A2.23:	Users of disability support services, new and continuing users by age group, 2008–09
Table A2.24:	Users of disability support services, new users by age group and state/territory, 2008–09 (per cent)
Table A2.25:	Users of disability support services by primary and any significant disability, 2008–09
Table A2.26:	Support needs of disability support services users, 2008–09
Table A2.27:	Users of disability support services, frequency of need for support in areas of activity by living arrangement, 2008–09
Table A2.28:	Support needs of Indigenous and non-Indigenous disability support service users, 2008–09
Table A2.29:	Characteristics of informal carers of disability support services users, 2008–09
Table A2.30:	Characteristics of carers of Indigenous and non-Indigenous disability support service users, 2008–09
Table A2.31:	Users of disability support services, existence of an informal carer by remoteness, 2008–09
Table A2.32:	Users of disability support services by existence of an informal carer by support always or sometimes needed for activities of daily living (ADL), by age group, 2008–09
Table A2.33:	Users of disability support services, existence of an informal carer by support always or sometimes needed for activities of independent living (AIL), by age group, 2008–09
Table A2.34:	Users of disability support by existence of an informal carer by support always or sometimes needed for activities of work, education and community living (AWEC), by age group, 2008–09
Table A2.35:	Disability support service users with an informal carer, relationship of carer to service user by age group of carer, 2008–09
Table A2.36:	Users of disability support services, reported primary disability group by residential setting, 2008–09
Table A2.37:	Users of disability support services, service type by multiple service use, 
2008–09
Table A2.38:	Users of disability support services, service type by use of other services, 
2008–09
Table A2.39:	Mean and median hours of service provided by disability support service type outlets during the reference week, June 2009
Table A2.40:	Mean and median hours of service provided by disability support service type outlets during a typical week, 2008–09
Table A2.41:	Mean hours worked in the reference week by paid and unpaid staff for disability support service type outlets, by service group, 2008–09
Table A2.42:	Mean hours worked in a typical week by paid and unpaid staff for disability support service type outlets, by service group, 2008–09
Table A2.43:	Disability support service type outlets, period of operation by service group, 2008–09
Table A2.44:	Calculation of potential populations: people aged less than 65 years and 
15–64 years, by state and territory, 30 June 2008
Table A2.45:	Calculation of Indigenous factor, 2008–09
Table A4.1:	Information requested according to CSTDA/NDA NMDS service type, 
2008–09
List of boxes and figures
Box 1.1:	CSTDA NMDS collection definitions and scope
Box A1.2:	Service groups covered by the CSTDA/NDA

Figure 2.1 Service users per 1,000 potential population by service group, disability support services, 2003-04 to 2008-09
Figure 3.1: Disability support service users by age group and sex, 2008-09
Figure 5.1: Users of services provided under the CSTDA/NDA, existence of informal carer by service group, 2008-09
Figure 6.2: Service type outlets provided under the CSTDA, mean FTE staff per outlet in the reference week, 2003–04 to 2008–09