Who’s who in the NDIS and what do they do?
The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) exists to support people with disability to live an ‘ordinary’ life – one shaped by their own goals, choices and needs.
But turning that idea into something that actually works to support you day to day involves a few different people. real, From those working within the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA), to support coordinators, providers and advocates across the sector, they each play a different part in helping things come together smoothly.
In this article, we'll walk you through who’s who in the NDIS, what they do, and how they fit together, so you can feel more confident and in control navigating the people you might meet on your NDIS journey.
Local Area Coordinator
Local Area Coordinators (LAC) are your first port of call for support to understand and access the NDIS. They work with people with disability between the ages of nine and 65.
If you’d like to apply for access to the NDIS or want help understanding the Scheme's eligibility requirements, you can contact your local LAC office. You may also be referred to a LAC by your GP or another medical professional. If you’re not eligible for the NDIS or don’t want to apply, a LAC can link you to other mainstream services in the community (like community centres and volunteer transport services).
Once you've become an NDIS participant, a LAC may contact you to arrange a planning meeting – a fact-finding opportunity that helps the NDIA learn about your life and the supports you need. This information helps the LAC to create a draft of your NDIS plan. LACs can't approve NDIS plans, but they can put forward recommendations in a draft to the NDIA.
To help you understand your plan and start using your funding, you can request an implementation meeting with your LAC. You can also ask questions about your plan during check-in calls or meetings.
If you don’t agree with what’s in your plan, or it doesn’t meet your needs, your LAC can talk you through your options and help you to plan your next steps. Although they can't approve new plans, they can submit requests to change them. Whether you're seeking simple updates to contact information, small variations to your current plan, or a plan reassessment, your LAC is a great starting point.
Click here to find your closest LAC office.
Early Childhood Partner
Early Childhood Partners (ECP) can connect children and their families or guardians to mainstream and community services like playgroups, childcare providers, and support groups. They can also provide practical information about childhood development and education.
ECPs use observations and information from assessments and reports to understand the impact of a child’s delay or disability, but they don’t complete assessments for diagnosis. They can identify if a child is likely to benefit from support and, where appropriate, provide short term early intervention supports to help children and their families.
ECPs can also assist parents and guardians to apply for access to the NDIS on their child’s behalf.
Once your child becomes an NDIS participant, their ECP will contact you to arrange a planning meeting where they'll gather information to create your child's NDIS plan. The draft plan will be sent to the NDIA for consideration.
ECPs conduct plan reassessment meetings where they explore your child's goals, what’s working well for them, and what needs to change (if anything). They also conduct check-ins from time to time to see how everything is going.
An ECP can help you understand your child’s plan and what their funding is intended for. If you don't agree with what’s in your child's plan or it doesn’t meet their needs, an ECP can also help you to identify your review rights and next steps.
If you have concerns about your child’s development, you can speak to their doctor, a child health nurse, or another health professional to ask that they connect you with an ECP.
NDIA planner
Some NDIS participants are linked with an NDIA planner as soon as they join the Scheme. Your planner will work with you to identify and review your goals and support needs, so they can determine the structure and funding required for your NDIS plan.
NDIA planners can help you to understand and implement your plan if you don’t have a LAC. They also conduct check-ins, run plan reassessment meetings, and approve plans and plan changes drafted by LACs and ECPs.
Once you’ve met access requirements, the NDIA may directly link you with a planner or allocate you to a LAC.
Support coordinator
NDIS support coordinators have an expansive role. Some of the things they support participants to do include:
- understand what's in their NDIS plan and how it can be used
- connect with providers and establish service agreements
- help you learn to choose supports and make decisions that work for you
They also prepare progress reports for plan reassessments, which the NDIA reviews when it's making decisions about your NDIS plan.
Support coordination is a funded support, which means you can only work with a support coordinator if you've got support coordination funded in your NDIS plan. If you do have that funding, here's some helpful information about finding a support coordinator.
Plan manager
An NDIS plan manager is a financial intermediary who can support you to manage the funding in your NDIS plan. A plan manager (like My Plan Manager) will work with you to:
- track your funding
- process your NDIS claims and your provider invoices
- navigate the rules of the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits
Plan managers also provide accurate and compliant financial reporting across the lifetime of an NDIS plan and can give independent guidance and advice.
Plan management is a funded support, and it's something every participant has the right to request access to. You can ask for it in the early stages of your NDIS journey at your planning meeting, or at any other stage by contacting the NDIA.
So, who’s on your team?
There are many people involved in the NDIS. The important thing to remember is you’re not alone, there’s a whole network of support around you – and now you have a clearer idea of who can support you, no matter what comes up.
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