Broker supports and services

Design support approaches

Support coordinators should help a participant design the right mix of supports and services to help them pursue their goals. This should include NDIS-funded, informal, community and mainstream supports.

A participant’s supports should be tailored to their circumstances, needs and preferences in line with the funding available in their plan.

Support coordinators should help the participant:

identify their support preferences based on their goals
design a schedule of services which is in line with expected plan spend, and will help participants to pursue their goals and meet their needs
identify providers who can meet the participant's needs
explore and trial different support options
evaluate the effectiveness of different support options in meeting the participant’s needs and helping the participant to pursue their goals
navigate and work with multiple providers.

Tammy’s sister has been caring for her and supporting Tammy in her daily activities.

Tammy wants to rely less on her sister and participate more in the community.

Tammy has recently joined the NDIS. Tammy has connected with a support coordinator to help her work out how to make the most of her plan.

Working with Tammy and her sister, the support coordinator explores what Tammy needs the most support with at home and what activities Tammy enjoys.

The support coordinator works with Tammy and her sister to design a weekly schedule of at-home care and capacity building supports.

The schedule is designed to be adjusted over time as Tammy builds her confidence and skills to do tasks herself. It is also designed to let Tammy and her sister adjust to a new routine.

Tammy’s support coordinator knows the local community have volunteer-run activities and paid programs run by local providers that Tammy might enjoy.

The support coordinator works with Tammy to trial a few of these activities and programs, and explore what suits Tammy.

Over time Tammy becomes more independent in her day-to-day life and joins a mix of community and paid programs.

Tammy’s sister also begins working part-time at the local café when Tammy is taking part in these activities.

Establish supports

To establish a participant’s supports, a support coordinator should help a participant:

create service agreements and service bookings that reflect their support needs and preferences, including helping the participant to negotiate level and price of supports and services
understand the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits, including travel and cancellation policies
identify any potential barriers and risks to plan implementation and identify strategies to overcome these.

To maintain a participant’s supports, a support coordinator should also work with participants to:

regularly check to make sure their supports are still meeting their needs
develop a plan for addressing unexpected interruptions to supports, including how to manage:
- provider cancellation or withdrawal of services
- situations where a participant is not satisfied with their supports or service provider.
find new providers or change providers where needed, including helping to facilitate a smooth handover to the incoming provider to ensure the participant continues to get the support they need.

Support coordinators should make participants aware they can make a complaint about the quality or safety of NDIS supports and services to the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission .

Joah lives in Ballarat, Victoria. He has a degenerative condition that requires support from highly skilled support workers.

Recently, Joah has been informed his current provider will no longer provide supports in his area and Joah has to find new care workers in a few months.

Joah’s support coordinator has been helping him find a new provider.

While there are some support workers in the local area, Joah and his support coordinator are unable to find a provider with suitably skilled care workers in the local area.

After considering their options, Joah and his support coordinator expand their search area.

Joah and his support coordinator reach out to providers in neighbouring towns. They talk to the providers about what Joah needs and arrange trials with providers who are willing to travel to provide support to Joah.

With help from his support coordinator, Joah is able to find a suitable provider from a neighbouring town who can meet his needs.

Joah’s new provider, and those from neighbouring towns, see an opportunity with the exit of Joah’s previous provider. These providers begin expanding their operations to support other people in Ballarat.

Broker supports and services

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Design support approaches