An NDIS plan can contain unfamiliar terms, different kinds of budgets and a lot of information at once. You do not need to understand everything immediately. This guide gives you a calm place to begin.
Start with the big picture
Your plan is a record of your goals and the funded supports available to help you work towards them. Before looking at individual line items, read the plan as a whole. Notice what feels accurate, what needs clarification and what matters most to you.
It can help to keep a short list of questions as you read. You can discuss these with the people you trust and, where relevant, the people who help coordinate or manage your supports.
You can read your plan in smaller sections. Write down unfamiliar words and return to them when you have the right person available to help.
The parts of your plan
Plans can be presented differently, but you may see information about your personal details, goals and funded supports. Your goals help give context to the supports in your plan.
Goals and everyday priorities
Goals are personal. They may relate to home, relationships, learning, work, wellbeing or joining in with your community. A useful goal reflects what you want to work towards rather than what someone else expects of you.
“The best place to begin is with what a good day looks like for you, then consider what support could make more of those days possible.”
How funding is organised
Funding may appear in different support categories. Understanding the broad purpose of each category can make it easier to ask informed questions about how your budget may be used.
| Area | What it generally relates to |
|---|---|
| Core supports | Everyday activities and assistance that may help with daily life. |
| Capacity building | Supports intended to build skills, independence and participation. |
| Capital supports | Higher-cost equipment, technology or home modifications where included. |
This is not advice about a specific plan. Funding rules and individual circumstances can differ.
What to do next
- 1Read your goals first
Check that they reflect what is important to you.
- 2Mark anything unclear
Keep questions together so they are easier to discuss.
- 3Consider your support network
Decide who you would like involved in conversations and decisions.
Questions worth asking
- Do the goals sound like me and what I want?
- Which supports are flexible, and which have a specific purpose?
- Who can help me understand or manage different parts?
- Is there anything I want clarified before choosing supports?
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About the author
WSS Resources Team
Western Sydney Services.
