Addressing Gaps in Social Inclusion
Mar 05, 2026 7:50 AM
Anthony Carrigan (CEO) The Little Kings Movement
Addressing Gaps in Social Inclusion
Discussion Topic – Addressing Gaps In Social Inclusion – The Little King’s Effort_Disconnect between NDIS and Broader Social/Community Supports
1. The NDIS was originally designed as one part of a broader “ecosystem” of supports
(mainstream services, local community services, etc.). But many stakeholders say that
ecosystem isn’t working as intended. (NDIS Review)
2. There is a “growing gap” in what supports exist inside NDIS-funded plans vs what
mainstream/community programs provide. (NDIS Review)
3. Under NDIS “reasonable and necessary” criteria, not all social or recreational supports are
automatically approved. (Our Guidelines)
4. There’s limited support for people with “emerging” or lower-intensity disability needs (e.g.,
early intervention, prevention) who may not meet full NDIS eligibility but still need inclusive
community supports. (NDIS Review)
5. Extends, in part, to mainstreaming of education for people with disability.
BIO:
Anthony (AJ) Carrigan is Chief Executive Officer of The Little King's Movement - a local charity that does community building for people with disability. The Little King's Movement occupies an interesting (and longstanding) space in the disability support landscape in Brisbane. They are not an NDIS provider or an Archdiocesan entity - they’re a privately funded organisation focused on inclusion through social interaction and targeted commercial support.
AJ is their first full-time employee and first CEO since inception in 1967. AJ has spent a career in major change management including
nearly 20 years in international development.
He has worked with Governments, private sector companies, and civil society organisations around the world on projects from immediate post-disaster or post-conflict support through capacity building to impact investing and has focused on improving the lives of individuals worldwide through areas such as health, education, disaster risk reduction, democracy, sustainability, and economic development.