4 things to know if your child’s NDIS planning meeting is coming up

If your child’s NDIS planning meeting is approaching, it’s natural to feel a little overwhelmed; and to have questions. Here, we answer four questions many parents ask when preparing for their child’s NDIS planning meeting.

1. What will happen at my child’s NDIS planning meeting

A NDIS representative (Early Childhood Partner, Local Area Coordinator or NDIS Planner) will ask you questions about your child’s life, including their goals, so they can work with you and your child to create their NDIS plan. If your child is under 7 years old the meeting will be with an Early Childhood Partner organisation.

At your planning meeting you will also be asked how you would like your child’s plan to be managed . This means how you want your child’s service providers and supports to be paid.

2. Do I have to take my child to their planning meeting?

You don’t have take your child to their planning meeting, but sometimes, having the planner meet your child is a good way for them to understand (and see first-hand) the overall needs of your child and family.

However some families may find taking their child to their planning meeting too distracting - it’s up to you.

3. What do I need to take to my child’s planning meeting?

You’ll need to gather information about your child and take it to their planning meeting, so the NDIS can get a full picture of your child and your family’s life. It’s a good idea to take as much ‘evidence’ as you have of your child’s life, disability, supports and support needs, including:

• reports from doctors or therapists
• existing health care plans
• anything you may have written down about your child’s behaviour or the effects of their developmental delay or disability, for example a diary recording incidents at school
• details about current funding (i.e. Early Childhood Intervention Services - ECIS), and
• You may also find preparing a carers statement useful for your child’s planning meeting.
• information about the things you’d like your child to do.

4. How do goals fit in to a planning meeting?

Your child’s NDIS plan will outline the funding they will receive for their supports under the NDIS. Their funding will be determined based on their goals, so you’ll need to have a conversation at the planning meeting about your child’s goals, their life and their needs.

It’s a good idea to develop goals in preparation. A good way to develop goals is to think about what’s important to your child’s development. This could include for your child to improve their communication or to access community activities. Alternatively, you could think about the support your child receives now (for example, speech therapy, occupational therapy) and develop your child’s goals from there.

Yooralla’s free guide on the National Disability Insurance Scheme for your child can help you to develop goals and prepare documentation to help you at your child’s planning meeting. You can also meet with Yooralla Connect one-on-one with any questions you have about the NDIS.