THE inaugural meeting of a working group to investigate the lack of appropriate disability care will be held today. 

Member for Bendigo Lisa Chesters said the group would not fund housing but would develop strategies and identify needs to help bridge the gap. 

“The aim of this group is to share knowledge, ideas and come up with a plan locally to solve this ticking time bomb,” she said.

“We need to map and understand the unmet demand that we currently have here in Bendigo.

"Once we have a greater understanding of the local needs, we will have a clearer ask for local, state and federal governments."

State members Jacinta Allan and Maree Edwards will be part of the group along with Bendigo Mayor Peter Cox, parents of people with disabilities and representatives from local service providers. 

Quality Living Options president Noela Foreman said a collaborative approach by parents, government and disability service providers was needed.

"It's a matter of pooling our resources and seeing what can be done, what is realistic and perhaps what isn't realistic," she said. 

Quality Living Options is a group of elderly parents of people with disabilities.

The group is working to fund and build a supported housing facility for the children of its members. 

Dr Foreman said the group was still working to secure land and funding for the project.

 She said the need for appropriate housing for people with disabilities in Bendigo was dire. 

"The reality is there are hundreds of people in Bendigo needing accommodation and worry about the future and what is going to happen to their son or daughter," she said. 

Dr Foreman said the group's planned facility would cater for about 10 people.

Ms Chesters said many parents of people with disabilities were in a "desperate situation".  

"Many of them live with and care for their adult disabled children around the clock with little or no respite," she said. 

"It’s taking a huge toll on their families, finances, relationships with other children and their own health," she said.