What is the NDIS?

In Australia, there are approximately 4.3 million individuals who have a disability. These individuals are valued members of our society who need specialised care and support in their everyday lives.

Recognizing this important need, since 2013 the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) has been improving the life experiences of Australians with a disability, their families and carers. This program seeks to foster an inclusive society that enables people with disabilities to fulfil their potential as equal citizens and achieve their individual goals.

Here at Australia National Care (ANC), we’re passionate about providing care and support services that make a big difference in people’s lives. We’ve put together this blog to go through a bit more details about the important role the NDIS plays, and how you can get the most out of your personalised NDIS plan.

What Does it Stand For?

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is Australia’s first national scheme aimed at providing support for Australians with a significant and permanent disability, and their families and carers.

The overall goal of the scheme is to ensure that Australians with a disability have the necessary support they need to live an ordinary life. This covers support in areas such as independence, education, employment, health & wellbeing, and greater involvement in the community.

The scheme focuses on early intervention to improve outcomes later in life and provides a framework to develop skills and capabilities to achieve a greater degree of independence.

Am I Eligible?

To be eligible for the NDIS you must satisfy the following criteria:

If you have any further questions on eligibility or any requirement for the provision of evidence to satisfy the criteria, here at ANC we’re more than happy to answer any of your queries.

How Do I Apply?

Once you have checked your eligibility, you’re now in a position to apply for the scheme. This can be done through either.

● Verbal application by calling 1800 800 110
● Completion of an Access Request Form

Note for the Access Request form option, this is divided into two sections. The first section should be completed by the applicant, while the second section needs to be completed by a treating professional. You will also be required to provide any necessary evidence to support your application. 

Creating Your NDIS Plan

It’s important to note that everyone’s plan is different, your NDIS plan will be all about you and your individual goals. It will outline your goals and establish an integrated approach where you will receive support from the NDIS, the community and other government support.

As part of the plan, you will need to list your goals. Your plan should then be structured around two key questions:

● How will I achieve my goals?
● How will I be supported?

With this key information in hand, the goals in your plan can then be matched up with different funded supports (i.e. core, capacity-building and capital) and determine overall budget considerations.

Here at ANC, we can help you establish a plan that is the right fit for you and provide guidance throughout the whole process. We’ll work with you to formulate a path to achieve your goals and determine which support functions will work best for your circumstances.

Once we have a clear understanding of your goals, we can then couple them with appropriate funding support and develop a plan that has been customised to your unique needs.

Using Your Plan

Once your plan has been approved, it needs to be carefully managed to ensure it’s continuing to support your needs.  There are three options available to help use your plan:

It’s important to note that specialist support coordination is a higher level of support coordination. It is an option for people whose situations are more complex and who need specialist help to coordinate their “Supports” and Services.

If you’re after that extra level of support and guidance you can rely on us here at ANC, we understand how overwhelming utilising your NDIS plan can be. Our experienced consultants have years of experience behind them and will guide you through each aspect, they will help to ensure your plan is providing you with the support you deserve.

Reviewing Your Plan and Goals

Like anything in life, things don’t stay static for too long. With changing circumstances and developments your plan will need to be re-examined and updated to reflect how you’re progressing and any changes in your circumstances.

As your plan progresses the following milestones are generally observed:

There are further intricacies surrounding the delivery of plan variations, early childhood provider reports for children younger than 7, and plan cutover dates. We’re more than happy to go into further details and provide tailored advice that is more applicable to your situation.

The NDIS is an invaluable initiative providing support to people who need it the most. It recognises the importance of ensuring access to mainstream services and opportunities so that people with disability enjoy the same rights and opportunities as everyone else. 

This includes access to information and connections to services in their communities such as doctors, sporting clubs, support groups, libraries and schools, as well as support to suit their own specific needs.

We hope this blog has been informative and will provide more clarity as you navigate the NDIS program. If you need further support or expert guidance, look no further than us here at ANC. With years of valuable experience behind us, we take an empathic and caring approach to looking after your needs every step of the way. We provide comprehensive NDIS support services from initial plan start-up to monitoring and review, all the while making sure your plan is providing exactly the type of value you deserve.

For any of your NDIS support needs, why not contact us today.