The NDIS stands for National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) the role of the NDIS is to help people with permanent and significant disabilities better participate in everyday activities. The basic premise behind the NDIS is to help individuals with disabilities live a more fulfiling and rich life with greater independence, involvement in community activities, higher likelihood of employment and improved well being.

NDIS participants all have goals around improving their life experiences and the NDIS helps them to do so by providing funds to help support its participant’s goals. The support provided by the NDIS is reasonable and necessary with the aim of improving participants everyday participation in the community and employment opportunities.

Types of supports funded by the NDIS include:

  • Daily personal activities
  • Transport to improve social participation in the community, economic and daily life activities
  • Employment support to get jobs and continued job retainment
  • Multiple therapeutic supports initiatives 
  • Help with household tasks to allow the participant to maintain their home environment
  • Help to a participant by skilled personnel in aids or equipment assessment, set up and training
  • Home modification design and construction
  • Mobility equipment
  • Vehicle modifications.

NDIS participants will need to meet a certain criteria in order to be eligible for NDIS funding. If you think you are eligible for the NDIS then you need to download the NDIS access request form.You then need to work with your health professionals to prepare all relevant documents.

Some of the eligibility criteria may includes;

  • Be aged between 7 and 65
  • Must be an Australian citizen or permanent visa holder
  • Have a permanent and significant disability that needs support
  • Have special equipment because of a permanent and significant disability
  • Need support now to reduce your future needs

The NDIS also helps to connect participants with NDIS registered providers. NDIS registered providers can be registered under the following registration groups. The registrations are governed by state governments so please check with your state requirements if you are looking to register as an NDIS provider;

Here is a list of registration groups NDIS providers can apply for with professions under each group

Assistance with daily life tasks in a group or shared living arrangement

This registration group incorporates assistance with and/or supervising tasks of daily life in a shared living environment, which is either temporary or ongoing, with a focus on developing the skills of each individual to live as autonomously as possible. This registration group includes short-term accommodation and assistance (e.g. respite care) 

Professions: Assistance with daily life tasks in a group or shared living arrangement 

  • Disability Support Worker (includes Mental Health orPeer Worker)
  • Welfare worker
  • Aboriginal Health Worker

Participation in community, social and civic activities

Assisting participants to participate actively in community, social and civic activities; includes supporting participants during these activities, and developing participants’ ability to partake in these activities.

Professions: Participation in community, social and civic activities 

  • Disability support worker (includes Mental Health orPeer Worker)
  • Welfare worker
  • Developmental Educator
  • Aboriginal Health Worker

Group and Centre Based Activities 

Assisting participants to participate in group based community, social and recreational activities.

Professions: Group and Centre Based Activities

  • Disability Support Worker (includes Mental Health or Peer Worker)
  • Welfare worker
  • Social Worker
  • Developmental Educator

Specialist Disability Accommodation 

Based on the NDIS website  SDA refers to accommodation for people who require specialist housing solutions, including to assist with the delivery of supports that cater for their extreme functional impairment or very high support needs.

Management of Funding for Supports

Plan management is the financial management of the plan supports including making payments to providers, expense claims processing, providing monthly statements for participants and claiming for payment from NDIA. Financial Intermediary funding applies to registered plan management providers who deliver plan management supports. A financial intermediary will typically possess good knowledge of providers and supports, developed through strong connections in the relevant community.

Professions: Management of Funding for Supports

  • Accountant / Bookkeeper

Assistance in coordinating or managing life stages, transition and supports

This registration group includes short and long-term supports that focus on strengthening the participant’s ability to coordinate their supports, and to assist them to live at home and participate in their community. 

Includes:  

  • support connection  
  • coordination of supports  
  • assistance with accommodation and tenancy obligations
  • Life transition planning including mentoring, peer support and individual skill development  
  • assistance with decision making, daily planning, budgeting 

Professions: Assistance in coordinating or managing life stages, transition and supports

  • Disability Support Worker (includes Mental Health or Peer Worker)
  • Welfare worker
  • Developmental Educator
  • Social Worker
  • Aboriginal Health Worker

Specialised Supported Employment 

Assistance in specialised supported employment/ADE 

Professions: Specialised Supported Employment 

  • Disability Support Worker (includes Mental Health or Peer Worker)  
  • Welfare Worker  
  • Teacher  
  • Aboriginal Health Worker

Accommodation/Tenancy Assistance  

Includes transition supports only  

Professions: Accommodation/Tenancy Assistance  

  • Social Worker  
  • Welfare Worker 

Assistance with Travel/Transport arrangements 

Includes rental of adapted vehicle  

Professions: Assistance with Travel/Transport arrangements 

  • Taxi/Bus driver  
  • Other

Household tasks  

Essential tasks that the participant is not able to undertake: meal preparation and delivery, house or yard maintenance, cleaning and linen).

Professions: Household tasks  

  • Cleaner  
  • Gardener  
  • Other

Specialised Driver Training 

Driver training using adapted equipment or vehicle modification. 

Professions: Specialised Driver Training 

  • Driving Instructor

Innovative Community Participation 

Activities not included under other community participation registration groups; for mainstream providers who want to enable participants to access mainstream activities. 

Specialist Positive Behaviour Support 

Specialised Positive Behaviour Support registration group includes support items provided by allied health professionals with specialist skills in positive behaviour support including assessment and the development of a comprehensive plan that aims to reduce and manage behaviours of concern. 

Professions: Specialist Positive Behaviour Support 

  • Occupational Therapist  
  • Psychologist  
  • Social Worker  
  • Other health professional 

Community Nursing Care

This is the provision of specialist care for participants who have high care needs requiring a high level of skill, and for the training of support workers to respond to the participant’s complex needs.   

Professions:Community Nursing Care

  • Registered Nurse

Interpreting and Translation

Interpreting and translation focuses on assistance to the participant to enable independent communication in essential personal, social or community activities where translation is not available from a mainstream service.

Profession: Interpreting and Translation

  • Interpreter/Translator

Early Intervention Supports for Early Childhood

Provision of a mix of therapies, and a key worker for the family. Supports all children 0-6 years with developmental delay or disability and their families to achieve better long-term outcomes, regardless of diagnosis. All children and families will be treated as individuals to ensure that they receive the right support to meet their goals and aspirations. The type of supports will be different for every child and their family according to their needs.

Profession: Early Intervention Supports for Early Childhood

  • Occupational Therapist  
  • Psychologist  
  • Physiotherapist  
  • Social Worker  
  • Speech Pathologist  
  • Teacher  
  • Developmental Educator  
  • Audiologist  
  • Music Therapist  
  • Counsellor  
  • Art Therapist  
  • Orthoptist  
  • Podiatrist

Custom Prostheses and Orthoses

Prescription and manufacture of customised prostheses or orthoses requiring specialist skills. 

Professions: Custom Prostheses and Orthoses

  • Occupational Therapist  
  • Pedorthist  
  • Podiatrist  
  • Orthotist/Prosthetist  
  • Physiotherapist

Support Co-ordination 

The provision of Support Coordination within a specialist framework necessitated by specific high level risks in the participant’s situation. Support is time limited and focuses on addressing barriers and reducing complexity in the support environment, while assisting the participant to connect with supports and build capacity and resilience. It may also involve development of an intervention plan which will be put in place by disability support workers.

Professions:Support Co-ordination 

  • Psychologist  
  • Occupational Therapist  
  • Social Worker  
  • Developmental educator, social or health science professional 

Therapeutic supports  

Therapeutic supports are provided to assist participants aged from 7 years to apply their functional skills to improve participation and independence in daily, practical activities in areas such as language and communication, personal care, mobility and movement, interpersonal interactions and community living. 

Professions: Therapeutic supports  

  • Art Therapist  
  • Audiologist  
  • Orthoptist  
  • Counsellor  
  • Music Therapist  
  • Occupational Therapist  
  • Podiatrist  
  • Psychologist  
  • Physiotherapist  
  • Social Worker  
  • Speech and Language Pathologist  
  • Developmental Educator  
  • Dietician  
  • Rehabilitation Counsellor

Exercise Physiology & Personal Well-being Activities

Physical wellbeing activities promote and encourage physical well-being, including exercise.

Professions: Exercise Physiology & Personal Well-being Activities

  • Exercise Physiologist  
  • Personal Trainer

Specialised Hearing Services 

This registration group is for future use for specialised hearing services for children and adults with complex needs. These services are currently provided through the Hearing 

Professions: Specialised Hearing Services

  • Audiologist

Hearing Services 

This registration group is for future use for hearing services. These services are currently provided through the Hearing Services Program only and this registration group is not available for registration

Professions: Hearing Services 

  • Audiologist  
  • Audiometrist

Home Modification Design and Construction

This registration group incorporates design and subsequent changes to the participant’s home. Home modification design and construction includes installation of equipment or changes to building structures, fixture or fittings to enable participants to live as independently as possible or to live safely at home.

Professions: Home Modification Design and Construction

  • Architect  Builder  
  • Building Inspector / Works Assessor  
  • Building Surveyor  
  • Building Work Supervisor 
  • Building Work Project Manager  
  • Carpenter / Joiner  
  • Electrician  Plumber / Gas Fitter / Drainer  
  • Tiler  
  • Occupational Therapist  
  • Rehabilitation Engineer

Vehicle modifications

Vehicle modifications include the installation of, or changes to, equipment in a vehicle to enable a participant to travel safely as a passenger or to drive.

Professions: Vehicle modifications

  • Mechanic  
  • Engineer

Assistive Equipment for Recreation 

Products used in competitive and non-competitive sports and other recreational pursuits.

Assistive Products for Household Tasks 

Products to enable cooking, cleaning, washing, home maintenance and other tasks.

Assist Products for Personal Care and Safety 

Products for personal care or safety including beds and pressure mattresses, toilet and bathroom equipment, specialised clothing and continence needs.

Communications & Information Equipment 

Products to assist with alternate communication or to access written or spoken communication via electronic or other means

Hearing Equipment 

Assistive listening devices (not hearing aids). 

Personal Mobility Equipment  

Products to enable mobility, such as equipment for walking, wheelchairs and transfer aids. 

Vision Equipment 

Products for navigation, orientation, braille, guide dogs, magnifiers and note taking equipment.

For NDIS providers eligibility, the criteria is similar for all states apart from WA. If you are in the ACT, NSW, NT, QLD, SA, TAS and VIC you need to follow the following process inorder to apply

  • Complete an online form via the NDIS commission where you provide your organisation details, structure, place of operation and key personnel. 
  • You then need to select your registration group as highlighted above then complete a self assessment against the NDIS practice standards
  • You then need to engage an approved quality auditor to review your organisation to see if it complies with the relevant NDIS Practice standards
  • Once the audit is completed the NDIS commission will review the outcome of the audit and conduct a suitability assessment of your organisation and personnel. 

For more information on NDIS provider applications see the NDIS commission website.

For additional NDIS information see the resources below