How Goodo verifies people, and what a badge does and doesn't mean

Goodo is a video community for the NDIS. Everyone on it has a verified identity and a verified role. This guide explains what that means, and what it does not.

Why we verify

The NDIS community has many kinds of people. There are participants, carers and nominees, plan managers, support coordinators, support workers and allied health professionals. Online, anyone can say they are any of these.

Verification helps you know that a person is real, and that their role has been checked. It also helps keep out scams and fake accounts. Everyone must be 16 or older.

What a badge means

A badge means one thing: on the date we checked, the person met the requirements listed for that badge. That is all.

A badge is not:

• a recommendation or endorsement
• a quality rating
• a guarantee about someone's conduct
• a guarantee that their services are safe
• a statement from the NDIA or the NDIS Commission

You can tap a badge in the app to see what we checked and the date.

What we check

Everyone first goes through an identity check. This uses the Australian Document Verification Service through an identity partner. We store the result and a reference. We do not keep your ID or your date of birth.

Then we check the role.

Participants. Identity, plus either NDIS plan evidence reviewed by a person, or a vouch from a verified plan manager or support coordinator.

Carers and nominees. Identity, a declaration of the relationship, and either the participant's plan evidence or a vouch.

Registered providers and staff. Identity, a match to the NDIS provider register with status Approved, and confirmation that the organisation says the person works there.

Plan managers. The above, plus the organisation holds the plan management registration group.

Support coordinators. Either a registered organisation with the support coordination group, or an unregistered route: an active ABN, an NDIS Worker Screening clearance, the Worker Orientation Module and insurance.

Support workers. Identity, an active ABN or an employer who authorises them, a Worker Screening clearance, and the Worker Orientation Module.

Allied health professionals. Identity and registration with AHPRA, checked on the public register.

Read about the pieces in how to check if an NDIS provider is registered, NDIS Worker Screening Check explained and the NDIS Worker Orientation Module.

Why we ask more than the law does

For some workers, the law does not require a Worker Screening Check. For example, an unregistered sole trader may not need one. On Goodo, we require it for the Verified support worker badge anyway. We think participants should be able to expect it.

What we cannot check

We want to be honest about limits.

• We cannot query the NDIS Worker Screening Database. We review the evidence a person gives us. If a clearance is withdrawn, we might not know straight away.
• We are not a regulator. We cannot do criminal history checks.
• We cannot see how someone behaves. A badge says nothing about whether you will get along.
• Vouches rely on a person's word. We watch for patterns and can act against people who vouch falsely.

Because of these limits, we re-check things. We check expiry dates every day. We refresh the NDIS provider register every month. We ask badge holders to tell us quickly about changes.

What happens when a badge expires

Every credential has an expiry date. When it passes, the badge comes off. The person can still look around and keep their videos up. But they cannot post new videos, create groups or events, or join role-restricted spaces until they renew.

If we find a problem, such as a provider whose registration is suspended, we can remove a badge at once.

Your privacy

We keep as little as we can.

• We do not keep identity documents or dates of birth.
• Evidence files, such as a screening clearance or insurance certificate, go to a private area. Only you and trained reviewers can open them. We delete them after a decision, and keep the outcome, a reference, dates and a record of what was reviewed.
• Staff can only see evidence for the cases they review, and every view is logged.

Paying does not buy a badge

Goodo does not take referral fees. A fee never changes a verification decision. Reviewers do not know whether an applicant is a paying customer. Our Conflict of Interest Statement explains more. See also conflicts of interest for support coordinators.

Using badges wisely

Use badges as one tool, not the only one.

1. Look at the badge and tap it to see what it covers.
2. Read the person's profile and any disclosures.
3. Meet more than one provider before deciding. See how to choose a support worker.
4. Trust your instincts. If something feels wrong, you can report it in the app or contact the NDIS Commission.

Who does the checking

Some checks are automatic. Examples are the identity check, the ABN lookup, the provider register match and the AHPRA lookup. If an automatic result is unclear or does not match, a person looks at it.

Other checks are done by trained Goodo staff. They look at documents such as a screening clearance or an insurance certificate. A reviewer cannot review their own application or one from someone they know. A second reviewer checks a sample of decisions each month.

If we reject a document, we tell you why in plain words, and you can send better evidence. You can also appeal a rejection or a removal within seven days. A different reviewer then looks again.

About this guide

Goodo is independent. We are not part of, or endorsed by, the NDIA or the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. This is general information, not advice. Rules change, so check ndis.gov.au or call the NDIS on 1800 800 110 about your own situation.