NDIS Resources for Parents

Many parents struggle with NDIS plans that don't give their child enough support. If you feel your child's current funding is insufficient, you're not alone. The good news? There are proven strategies to successfully request plan adjustments during your annual plan review or through a mid-plan review.

Document Everything: Build Your Evidence Base

The NDIA makes decisions based on evidence. Start gathering documentation now:

• Keep a diary of your child's activities and how much support they need
• Collect therapy reports and progress assessments from all providers
• Document incidents where lack of hours affected your child's progress
• Take photos or videos showing your child's achievements with current supports
• Record how much time you spend on unpaid care and coordination

Get Professional Reports That Matter

The NDIA prioritises reports from qualified professionals. Request updated assessments from:

• Occupational Therapists (OT) - Document functional limitations and support needs
• Speech Pathologists - Assess communication barriers and therapy requirements
• Psychologists - Detail behavioural and developmental needs
• Medical specialists - Provide clinical evidence of your child's disability

Pro tip: Ask professionals to specifically comment on how your child's disability means they need more support than typically funded.

What the NDIA Actually Looks For

The NDIA assesses requests based on three key criteria:

• Relationship to disability: Can you clearly show how the disability creates the need for support?
• Reasonableness and necessity: Is the amount of support reasonable and necessary for your child to access everyday activities?
• Outcomes: How will this support help your child achieve their goals and participate in the community?

Link your requests directly to these criteria in your plan review meeting.

Work With Your Coordinator to Prepare

This is where choosing the right NDIS support coordinator makes all the difference. A good coordinator will:

• Help you organize all your evidence into a compelling narrative
• Prepare you for what questions the NDIA will ask
• Attend your plan review meeting and advocate for your child
• Follow up if your request is initially declined
• Help you appeal unfavourable decisions

Our service: At Always In Touch, we specialize in preparing families for plan reviews. We'll help you gather evidence, coordinate reports, and present your child's needs effectively. Book a free consultation to see how we can help your child get the support they deserve.

One of the most frustrating experiences in the NDIS is being let down by a coordinator who doesn't respond to your messages, cancels meetings without notice, or seems to have forgotten about your child altogether. If this sounds familiar, you have more power than you might think.

Signs You Have a Bad Coordinator

Some red flags that your coordinator isn't meeting your needs:

• Takes days or weeks to respond to messages
• Frequently cancels or reschedules meetings
• Doesn't follow through on promised actions
• Seems unfamiliar with your child's plan or goals
• Doesn't proactively prepare for plan reviews
• Makes you feel like a burden when you contact them
• Has no system for tracking your child's service bookings
• Dismisses your concerns without explanation

Know Your Rights

As a participant in the NDIS, you have clear rights regarding your coordinator:

• You can change coordinators at any time — they do not need to approve it
• You can request a different coordinator from the same organization
• You can switch to a completely different coordination provider
• Your NDIA planner can help you find a new coordinator if you ask
• You deserve regular communication and responsiveness

How to Switch Coordinators

Step 1: Document the Problems

Write down dates when your coordinator failed to respond, missed meetings, or didn't follow through. This helps when explaining why you want to change.

Step 2: Give a Formal Notice

Send an email or letter to your current coordinator stating you wish to end the coordination arrangement and specifying a date (usually 2 weeks' notice). Keep a copy for your records.

Step 3: Contact Your NDIA Planner

Tell them you're changing coordinators. They can recommend organizations or providers with good reputations in your area, or you can contact providers directly.

Step 4: Request a Transition Meeting

Ask your old coordinator to hand over all documents and update your new coordinator on your child's history, current services, and upcoming reviews.

What to Look for in a New Coordinator

Before signing up with a new provider, ask these questions:

• What is your average response time to messages? (Look for 24 hours or less)
• How many families do you work with? (Smaller caseloads mean better service)
• Do you have experience with my child's disability/diagnosis?
• How do you prepare families for plan reviews?
• Can you provide references from other families?

The Always In Touch Difference

We built our entire service around the opposite of ghosting. We promise:

• Maximum 24-hour response time on all messages
• Regular check-ins so you always know what's happening
• Personal relationship with you and your child
• Proactive coordination of all services and plan reviews

If you're currently with a coordinator who doesn't stay in touch, you don't have to accept poor service. Contact us to learn how we can provide the support your family deserves.

Support coordination is one of the most valuable parts of the NDIS, but it's also one of the most confusing. Many parents don't understand what it is, which level their child needs, or how it's funded. This guide cuts through the jargon.

What is Support Coordination?

Support coordination is the NDIS way of saying "help organizing all your child's supports." A support coordinator:

• Helps you find and book providers (therapy, school support, respite care, etc.)
• Makes sure providers understand your child's plan
• Handles scheduling and liaises with multiple services
• Prepares you for plan reviews
• Helps solve problems when things don't go as planned

The 3 Levels of Support Coordination Explained Simply

How Do I Know Which Level My Child Needs?

Ask yourself these questions:

• How many different services does your child use? (OT, speech, psychology, school support, respite, etc.)
• How complex are your child's needs? Are they straightforward or interconnected?
• Do you have capacity to do the coordination yourself, or do you need someone to do it for you?
• Do you have an upcoming plan review that needs preparation?
• Are there crisis or behavioural components that need specialist input?

If you're unsure, talk to your NDIA planner — they can advise based on your child's specific situation.

How is Support Coordination Funded?

The NDIA allocates a specific budget for support coordination in your child's plan. This is separate from their therapy and support budgets. Common allocations:

• Level 1 (Support Connection): $3,000–$4,000 per year
• Level 2 (Support Coordination): $8,000–$15,000 per year (varies by complexity)
• Level 3 (Specialist Support Coordination): $15,000–$25,000+ per year

These figures are indicative. Your actual funding depends on the NDIA's assessment of your child's needs. You can ask your NDIA planner how much has been allocated for support coordination in your child's plan.

Pro Tip: Support Coordination Can Save You Money

Many parents think support coordination is a cost. Actually, a good coordinator saves you time and money by:

• Preventing wasted provider sessions (they ensure everyone knows the plan)
• Helping you access all funding you're entitled to
• Managing plan reviews that may unlock additional funding
• Reducing the time you spend on administrative tasks

Learn more about our support coordination services across all three levels, and discover how we can coordinate your child's NDIS plan to maximize outcomes.

Choosing an NDIS coordinator is one of the most important decisions you'll make for your child. The difference between a coordinator who truly supports your family and one who just goes through the motions can be massive. Here are five key questions to ask before you sign up.

Question 1: What is Your Response Time to Messages?

This is the single best indicator of whether a coordinator will be responsive when you need them.

What to listen for: They should commit to a specific timeframe, like "within 24 hours" or "within one business day." If they say "it depends" or "we usually get back to people within a week," that's a red flag.

Why it matters: When your child's therapy session is cancelled, or you need to make a change to their plan, you need answers quickly. A coordinator who is genuinely responsive can prevent small issues from becoming big problems.

Follow-up test: After you sign up, send them a test message and see how fast they actually respond. Compare it to what they promised.

Question 2: What's Your Average Caseload Size?

This directly affects how much attention your child will get.

What to listen for: Ask "how many families do you work with on average?" A reasonable caseload for quality support coordination is 15–25 families per coordinator. If they're managing 50+ families, they simply don't have time to give your child proper attention.

Why it matters: A coordinator juggling 60 cases will treat your child like a case number. A coordinator with a smaller caseload can know your child by name, remember their preferences, and genuinely care about their progress.

Red flag: If they won't tell you their caseload size, or if it's very large, keep looking.

Question 3: Do You Have Experience With My Child's Diagnosis?

Experience matters, especially for children with complex or less common disabilities.

What to listen for: "Yes, I work with several children with autism/cerebral palsy/ADHD" is good. "I'm happy to learn" or "I've worked with lots of different disabilities" might be okay if they're willing to get up to speed quickly. "That's not my specialty" is a potential problem.

Why it matters: A coordinator who has worked with children like yours understands the landscape. They know which speech pathologists are good at autism, which OTs specialize in sensory needs, and how to argue for appropriate funding. They won't have to learn these things on your time.

Ask for examples: Request specific examples of how they've supported children with similar diagnoses to your own.

Question 4: How Do You Prepare Families for Plan Reviews?

Plan reviews are critical moments for your child's NDIS journey. A good coordinator proactively prepares; a bad one just shows up unprepared.

What to listen for: A good coordinator will say something like:

• "We start preparing 6–8 weeks before your review. I'll help you gather evidence, coordinate therapy reports, and work on your goals document."
• "I attend all plan review meetings and advocate for your child's needs."
• "If the NDIA offers something below what your child needs, I help you appeal."

Why it matters: Plan reviews are where your child's funding is decided. Preparation + advocacy can be the difference between your child getting the hours they need and being underfunded for another year.

Question 5: Can I Get References From Other Families?

There's no better test than hearing from real parents who've worked with this coordinator.

What to listen for: A good coordinator should be willing to provide 1–2 references from families they currently work with (with those families' permission). If they won't provide references, that's suspicious.

What to ask the references:

• Do they respond quickly when you contact them?
• Do they really know your child, or do they feel like a stranger?
• Have they helped you get more hours or better services?
• Would you recommend them to a friend?

Bonus: The Intangible but Critical Question

After you've asked all the practical questions, step back and ask yourself: Do I feel like this person genuinely cares about my child?

You can test this by:

• Do they ask about your child by name, or do they refer to "your case"?
• Do they seem interested in what makes your child unique, or just processing information?
• Would they go the extra mile for your child, or just do the minimum required?

At Always In Touch, we genuinely care about every child we support. We're responsive, experienced, and committed to preparing families for success. We'd love to answer any of these questions. Book a free consultation with us and see if we're the right fit for your family.

Your child's NDIS plan review is one of the most important meetings of the year. It's the moment where you can ask for more hours, change goals, or pivot to different supports. Too many families go into these meetings unprepared and miss opportunities. This checklist ensures you walk in ready to advocate for your child.

Preparation Timeline: Start 6–8 Weeks Before Your Review

What to Bring to Your Plan Review Meeting

• All therapy reports and assessments (organized by date and service)
• School reports or progress notes
• Medical reports or specialist assessments
• Photos or videos showing your child's achievements
• Your one-page written summary of the past year
• A clear list of your requests with evidence
• Current plan documents (so you can reference specific goals and funding)
• Notebook to write down what the NDIA planner says during the meeting

During the Meeting: Tips for Effective Advocacy

• Tell your child's story first: Begin by describing your child — their strengths, challenges, and what matters most to your family. This makes it personal, not just bureaucratic.
• Link requests to goals: Don't just say "we need more OT hours." Say "My child's goal is to improve fine motor skills for writing. Current hours aren't enough to make progress, so we're requesting X additional hours."
• Use evidence: Quote the therapist reports. Say things like "The OT assessment says your child needs intensive intervention in hand strength, so we need at least..."
• Ask clarifying questions: If the NDIA planner says "no," ask "why?" and "what evidence would support this request?" This helps you understand what you need for an appeal.
• Write it down: Note what was offered in your plan and any commitments or follow-up items the planner mentions.

After the Meeting: Follow-Up is Critical

• You should receive your new plan document within 10 business days
• Check it carefully — does it reflect what was discussed?
• If something is missing or incorrectly recorded, contact your NDIA planner immediately to request a change
• If you disagree with the decision, you have 90 days to appeal
• Your coordinator can help you prepare and lodge an appeal if needed

How a Good Coordinator Makes the Difference

This is exactly where quality support coordination shines. A good coordinator will:

• Proactively request reports on your behalf
• Help you organize evidence into a compelling narrative
• Attend your meeting and advocate alongside you
• Challenge the NDIA if they're missing something important
• Prepare appeals if your initial requests are denied
• Follow up to ensure your new plan reflects what was promised

Plan review season? We specialise in preparing families for successful plan reviews. Our coordinators help you gather evidence, tell your child's story compellingly, and advocate for the funding they deserve. Get in touch to discuss how we can support your upcoming review.