What is Support Coordination in the NDIS?
The official NDIS definition - “a capacity building support to implement all supports in a participant’s plan, including informal, mainstream, community and funded supports” - can be difficult to translate into a day-to-day understanding of what exactly Support Coordination does for an NDIS participant.
Support Coordinators are people who have been trained in the NDIS, so they can help you understand what services and funds are available to you. Although everyone is entitled to ask for Support Coordination to be included in their NDIS plan, not everyone receives it.
What does a Support Coordinator do?
The role of a Support Coordinator is challenging, as they are limited by the number of hours they can spend with a Participant based on that Participant's funding.
I'm sure that all Support Coordinators will agree that they never have enough funding for the time they want to spend with a Participant. They make the best of what is available and will prioritise your most needed support.
Here is an over view of what a Support Coordinator CAN do for you:
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Support you to understand and implement the funded supports in your plan
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Help you to 'optimise' your plan ensuring that you are getting the most out of your funded supports
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Help build your ability to exercise choice and control, coordinate supports and access your local community
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Help link you to community, mainstream and other government services
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Focus on supporting you to build your skills and independence (the fancy word to describe this is 'capacity building')
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Find and connect you with NDIS providers
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Assist you in negotiating with providers about what they will offer you and how much it will cost out of your plan
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Ensure service agreements and service bookings are completed
- Assist you in planning ahead to prepare for your plan review
How can I get Support Coordination in my NDIS Plan?
Support Coordination is not available to all NDIS participants. The NDIS only funds Support Coordination in cases where participants…
- Are likely to develop the skills and confidence needed to be able to navigate the NDIS independently. This is called capacity building and it’s an important part of the NDIS and Support Coordination – but more on that later.
- Don’t have an informal support network that could otherwise provide a similar style of support. So, if you don’t have family, friends or other contacts with the time and knowledge to help you find and connect with service providers, the NDIS might fund a Support Coordinator to provide that support.
- Are likely to gain a tangible benefit from having the assistance of a Support Coordinator.
- Are new to the NDIS and receiving their first plan or going through a significant life change? We’ll take a closer look at the role timing plays in Support Coordination eligibility shortly.
The NDIS assesses each participant on a case-by-case basis to see whether they are eligible or not. If you request funding for Support Coordination in your planning meeting, the NDIS looks at your individual situation to decide whether you meet the criteria.
Find Support Coordinators
The MyCareSpace Connection Team can connect you with a Support Coordinaor that has experience with your disabiity and who is in your local area.
MyCareSpace resources may be shared provided they are credited to MyCareSpace with backlinks to the original resource.
