So you’ve received your NDIS plan and your NDIS funding. The next step is one of the most important steps in your NDIS journey. Choosing your NDIS service providers.
A service provider is a person or company that you choose to support you to achieve your goals. Your NDIS funding is YOUR funding and it is your right to choose your own service providers out in the NDIS free market. You have choice and control over how your funding is used and which providers you choose to support you.
NDIS funding is very much based on the outcomes of your supports over time so the quality of your providers and the people around you will have a huge effect on not only whether you are able to achieve your goals or not, but also whether your funding is maintained or reduced in future years.
The NDIS have developed a booklet to help you use your NDIS plan and choose your service providers:
Booklet 3- Using your NDIS Plan
When picking a provider we recommend considering the following:
- Values alignment.
- Clear mission and purpose.
- Reputation.
- Integrity.
- Skills and qualifications.
- Experience.
- Location.
- Fees.
- Specialisation.
- Diversity of staff.
- Type of provider; sole trader, NFPs, charities, small businesses, large companies. Smaller providers can mean flexibility, adaptability and innovation. Larger providers can bring security and consistency.
- Emergency and disaster management protocols.
- Pros and cons of a NDIS registered provider vs an unregistered provider.
You can use the NDIS Provider Finder to search for NDIS registered service providers and use the filters to sort by location, type of support (registration group) and if they are an active provider or not. Using this tool will show you every provider in your area (which is usually a lot) which can become overwhelming to try and figure out which one to choose! Another downside of the tool is that it will only show NDIS registered providers.
Finding a good service provider for you involves several steps:
- Identifying what you need. If you don’t know what you are looking for you will not know when you’ve found it and are more likely to be influenced by a smooth sales pitch than a true match. What type of support do you require? When and how regularly do you need it? Is there a specific type of person that you would like to support you e.g. gender, age, personality preferences?
- Exploring all of your options (including registered and unregistered providers) through:
- Word of mouth.
- Online (read reviews and feedback from people that have already used the provider).
- Referrals to reliable and quality organisations from another service provider, a health professional or the NDIA.
- Online advertisements.
- Social media.
- Meeting with the provider. Schedule an initial obligation-free meeting to discuss your needs and goals and to determine if you are a good match. This can be done via phone or video but a face-to-face meeting will ensure you are best placed to get a sense of their values and approach to supporting people.
Ultimately, choosing a provider is a very individual decision. A provider that works well with someone you know may not align well with you. A provider you feel comfortable with and who really listens and responds to you is a great place to start.
