The people you might meet on your NDIS journey

You’ll come across people from a number of different organisations on your NDIS journey. Who you meet will depend on your age and needs, but here we describe some of the key roles in a participant’s NDIS journey.

Planners

Planners are staff nominated by the NDIS who work with NDIS participants to identify their goals and the supports they need to achieve their goals. Planners could be  NDIS planners (a person from the NDIS) or a Local Area Coordinator (LAC) from a NDIS partner organisation (see below).

The planner works with participants at the NDIS planning meeting, to create an individualised NDIS plan by asking questions about the participant’s life.

Local Area Coordinator (LAC)

A Local Area Coordinator (LAC) is someone who will work as a planner, with many adult NDIS participants (and children 7+) to confirm or assess their eligibility for NDIS, undertake NDIS planning, and review supports in NDIS plans when it is time for a person’s next NDIS plan.

Early Childhood Partner (ECP)

The NDIS has partnered with organisations experienced in providing early childhood intervention, known as an Early Childhood Partner (ECP). The ECP is the point of contact for parents who feel their child (aged 0-6) has developmental delay or disability.

Depending on a child’s needs, the ECP may refer them to mainstream and community services, and then monitor their progress.

If the ECP determines that a child is best supported by a NDIS plan, they will request NDIS access for the child. Once this is confirmed, the ECP will develop the child’s NDIS plan. The ECP will also contact parents with about six weeks to go of their child’s NDIS plan, to start the plan review process to develop their next NDIS plan.

Support Coordinator

If a participant is funded for Support Coordination in their NDIS plan, a Support Coordinator can help them to understand and implement their NDIS plan, find the right service providers for their needs and coordinate their supports. They can also help with the plan review process to develop the next NDIS plan.

Disability services provider

When a participant receives their NDIS plan, they need to choose who delivers their supports and services under the NDIS – they have choice and control. A services provider under the NDIS is the provider supports in a NDIS plan are purchased from, e.g. Yooralla.

Many providers are NDIS registered. This means they have had to meet criteria set out by the NDIS, including business registration and insurance, and a commitment to meeting quality and safeguards standards. Yooralla is a registered NDIS service provider.

Yooralla Connect

Yooralla Connect is committed to supporting people with disability and their carers with information throughout their NDIS journey. They do this by:

• meeting with NDIS participants one-on-one to discuss their specific circumstances. Participants can book their free one-one-one discussions.
• answering questions via telephone, email and in person, and
• providing information resources about the NDIS, including free guides to the NDIS.
• supporting participants to set up service agreements for Yooralla to deliver their NDIS supports once they get their NDIS plan.

Need more advice or help?

Download our free NDIS guides: To make the most of the NDIS, you can download Yooralla’s free guides for adults or careers with disability or for parents of children with disability to help prepare for the NDIS.

Book a free one-on-one NDIS discussion: To discuss your individual circumstances and better understand the NDIS, book in for a free one-on-one NDIS discussion with Yooralla Connect.

Contact us today: For more information or support email ndis.infohub@yooralla.com.au or contact us today.