What will be funded in my child’s NDIS plan?

If your child is eligible for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), the NDIS will fund ‘reasonable and necessary’ supports that will help your child to meet their goals.

To be considered reasonable and necessary, the support must:

• be in your child’s NDIS plan as a goal
• be related to your child’s disability
• be value for money
• increase your child’s capacity to access the community, go to school and result in improved employment opportunities in the future
• be evidence-based (tried and tested, proven it works and does not cause harm), and
• include and acknowledge help from friends, family and the community (informal supports).

A planner will consider what mainstream supports are available, when determining reasonable and necessary supports. Mainstream services are the supports provided by the health and education systems and community supports, such as Scouts or playgroups.

The NDIS will fund:

• physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech pathologists, and psychologists  support to develop daily living skills like getting dressed and eating, or for participating in community activities
• family support and counselling
• support for family members (parents or siblings) to build their skills to manage the impact of the child’s disability on family life.
• continence products and equipment, or home and car modifications that improves accessibility.

The NDIS will not fund:

• supports not related to your child’s disability
• everyday expenses, such as food, school fees, petrol or Myki cards
• supports already funded by a mainstream service, such as the education or health system
• supports that are likely to cause harm to your child or pose a risk to others.

What’s funded elsewhere

• The early childhood education system will fund inclusion support (extra assistance) in kindergartens, childcare services, outside school hours programs – or modifications to these buildings.
• The education system will continue to fund teachers or standard classroom computers for example.

For more information

Yooralla’s free guide to NDIS for your child can support families with children who have a developmental delay or disability to prepare for the NDIS or contact Yooralla Connect on yooralla.connect@yooralla.com.au or 9666 4500.