‘Fighting for her voice’: mother locked in legal battle with NDIS over daughter’s talker

Melanie Stephens is caught up in Administrative Appeals Tribunal case after being denied funding for a device to help Ella communicate

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A Victorian mother is locked in a battle with the National Disability Insurance Agency over her daughter's voice". At least that's how Melanie Stephens describes the talker" device her daughter Ella has been using for four years.

Ella, 11, lives with autism and the rare genetic syndrome cri du chat (5p-), which causes delayed physical development and intellectual disability. She is non-verbal.