Key challenges we face

The Government recognises that people with a disability currently face many inequalities and barriers to participating in the community. These barriers are the challenges that need to be addressed, so that the Government’s vision can become a reality for all people with a disability in Victoria.

Some of the key challenges that people with a disability and their parents, families and carers have told the Government about are:

• Enabling disability supports to be provided earlier and to respond better to people’s individual needs, as well as to the needs of their families and carers.
• Ensuring that disability supports enable and empower people with a disability, so that they can participate in the community and pursue a lifestyle of choice.
• Valuing families, carers and volunteers for the contribution they make towards meeting the support needs of children and adults with a disability.
• Supporting families so that all children and young people can live in a family environment and can develop relationships fostering the social, emotional and physical well-being of all family members.
• Strengthening rural, regional and urban communities, so that they are more accessible and more inclusive of people with a disability.
• Raising the community's awareness of disability, so that all people with a disability can be respected and valued for who they are.
• Developing more effective strategies to respond to the increasing demand for disability supports.
• Improving access to physical environments, including public transport and buildings.
• Creating more opportunities for inclusive education and lifelong learning.
• Increasing employment opportunities for people with a disability, to enable people to fulfil their personal aspirations and so that all Victorians can contribute to Victoria’s growth.
• Building more opportunities for people with a disability to participate in arts, cultural, sport and leisure activities. End of key challenges list

The Government will continue to listen to Victorians and provide leadership to the Victorian community. But the Government cannot achieve all that needs to be done by working alone. Governments, service providers and communities will need to work in partnership with each other to address these challenges and build a more inclusive Victorian community.

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