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To help NDIS participants and carers, we’ve created a glossary of key phrases and terms which are typically used when discussing the NDIS.
The form provides the NDIA with the information they need to work out whether a person can become a participant in the NDIS. It explains how the information will be used and stored and provides information about the NDIA's privacy policy. An Access Request Form and all sections of this form must be completed to apply to become a participant in the NDIS. Parents, legal guardians or representatives can fill in the form if requested by the potential participant.
The criteria someone must meet to become a participant in the NDIS. The access requirements are: Age: under 65 years. Residency: live in Australia and be an Australian citizen or have paperwork letting you live here permanently. Disability: your disability is permanent (will not go away) or you need early intervention (to be treated early that will help by reducing the future needs for supports).
A participant's plan that includes the participant statement of goals and aspirations and the supports required by the participant to attain their goals— informal, mainstream and NDIA-funded as approved by the CEO of NDIA.
Someone who provides personal care, support and help to a person with disability and is not contracted as a paid or voluntary worker, often a family member or guardian.
A participant has the right to make their own decisions about what is important to them. Participants have the right to decide who they will get support from and how this support will be delivered.
"The NDIA defines Support Coordination as: ‘Assistance to strengthen participants’ abilities to coordinate and implement supports and participate more fully in the community.’
It can include initial assistance with linking participants with the right providers to meet their needs, assistance to source providers, coordinating a range of supports both funded and mainstream and building on informal supports, resolving points of crisis, parenting training and developing participant resilience in their own network and community.
There are three items in the NDIA Price Guide that describe different layers of support coordination activity:
Whether a person can become a NDIS participant or not. This is determined using the information on the Access Request Form.
These supports need to be spent on specified supports such as equipment, home modifications and certain types of early intervention therapy services. Generally speaking, ‘fixed supports’ are those services deemed necessary to ensure participants’ goals or desired outcomes can be met, or those which require certain skills or qualifications from the provider involved. If a certain amount is allocated for a new power wheelchair, it will need to be spent on a new power wheelchair.
Include funding for recreational, community access and home-based support activities. They will be funded in more general terms, enabling participants to switch funding from one item to another, depending on their personal needs from week to week.
"The types of supports that the NDIS may fund for participants may include:
Supports the NDIS pays for through a participant’s plan. These supports must be reasonable and necessary. See ‘Support’.
Things a participant wishes they could do or achieve in the future, with the help of the NDIS.
A person in a formal caring role, acting for a person with a disability. Parents are usually guardians.
Informal supports are the arrangements already available to you through your family, friendship and community networks. Informal supports are part and parcel of family life. They are the natural connections you may have with friends and community services to assist you in everyday life. Informal supports are provided by families, carers, social networks, and the community.
The NDIA Outcomes Framework comprises eight domains: daily living, home, relationships, health and wellbeing, lifelong learning, work, social and community participation and choice and control. Each NDIS participant plan will include a general description of the supports the participant requires to achieve the outcomes outlined in their plan.
Are local organisations working in partnership with the NDIA, to help participants, their families and carers access the NDIS. LACs will help participants write and manage their plans and also connect participants to mainstream services and local and community-based supports.
The government systems providing services to the Australian public e.g. health, mental health, education, justice, housing, child protection and employment services.
NDIA staff members who work in locations around Australia to review NDIS access applications and decisions relating to a participant’s eligibility for the NDIS.
The Commonwealth government organisation administering the NDIS.
A new way of providing support for Australians with disability, their families and carers.
A person who is appointed to act and make decisions for a participant who does not have a parent or guardian.
A person who meets the NDIS access requirements.
A written agreement worked out with the participant, stating their goals and needs, and the reasonable and necessary supports the NDIS will fund for them. Each participant has their own individual plan.
Someone who has products or services to help participants achieve the goals in their plan. Participants can choose their providers and change providers at any time, this is also known as choice and control.
The supports that are funded under the NDIS Act that are reasonable and necessary to help a participant reach their goals, objectives and aspirations and enable the participant’s social and economic participation. It takes into account any informal supports already available to the individual (informal arrangements that are part of family life or natural connections with friends and community services) as well as other formal supports, such as health and education. Reasonable and necessary supports are funded by the NDIS in a range of areas, which may include education, employment, social participation, independence, living arrangements and health and wellbeing.
A participant may request to use a Registered Plan Management Provider, meaning you engage a business/ organisation to undertake some or all financial and administrative processes on your behalf. This includes such tasks as paying supplier/ provider invoices, developing service agreements with providers, assisting you with the hiring and paying of staff and preparing reports and reconciliations on how NDIS funds are being used.
A disability support provider that has met the NDIS requirements for qualifications, approvals, experience, capacity and quality standards to provide a product or service. See ‘Provider’.
Where funding and supports are managed by the participant and their family. (e.g. pay invoices)
Participants receive all or part of their NDIS funding and they manage their payments for supports and pay their providers directly.
A contract between the participant and the service provider they have chosen to deliver the supports in their participant plan.
There are 15 support categories in the NDIA Price Guide that align to the Outcome Domains. They may also be referred to as Support Budgets within your NDIS Plan.
Things to help a person undertake daily life activities and enable them to participate in the community and reach their goals.
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