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
- NDIS website – https://www.ndis.gov.au/
- NDIS Commision – https://www.ndiscommission.gov.au/
- NDIS Department of social services – https://www.dss.gov.au/disability-and-carers/programmes-services/for-people-with-disability/national-disability-insurance-scheme