A support coordinator is a guide for your NDIS plan. They help you turn your funding into real supports. This guide explains what they do, and how to tell if they are doing it well.
The main job
A support coordinator helps you use your plan. They are not a decision-maker. You decide what you want. They help you make it happen.
According to the NDIS, support coordinators help you to:
- understand your plan and your goals
- find providers and community supports
- link up with mainstream and government services
- build your skills and confidence to manage supports yourself
They often write reports. These show how the plan is working and may be used when your plan is reviewed.
The three levels
The NDIS describes three levels of support coordination. Which level you get depends on your needs.
Level 1: support connection. Short-term help to understand your plan and link up with providers and community services. It also builds your confidence to manage on your own.
Level 2: support coordination. More active help to put a mix of supports in place and keep them working. This is about helping you direct your own life, not only your services.
Level 3: specialist support coordination. For people with more complex situations. A specialist support coordinator helps manage challenges in the support environment and keeps services steady and joined up.
The names can vary a little between NDIS pages. Check your plan for the exact wording.
What a good week might look like
Here is an example of what a support coordinator might do.
- Call you to ask how things are going.
- Help you compare two occupational therapists and book a first visit.
- Set up a service agreement with a new support worker.
- Find a local community group that suits your interests.
- Check that a provider is registered, if you need that.
- Write notes for your plan review.
Not every week is the same. At the start, there may be a lot to do. Later, you may only need a check-in now and then.
What they should not do
A support coordinator should not:
- make decisions for you
- pressure you to use a certain provider
- ask you for money, gifts or favours
- share your information without your consent
- tell you the NDIS "approves" a provider
They must follow the NDIS Code of Conduct, whether or not they are registered. See NDIS Code of Conduct in plain English.
Conflicts of interest
Some support coordinators work for organisations that also provide other supports. This is a risk. They might steer you to their own services.
The NDIS says a conflict of interest can happen when someone's advice is shaped by their own gain. A good support coordinator tells you about any link, gives you more than one option, and reminds you that the choice is yours. NDIS Commission guidance says to aim for at least three options where possible.
Read more in conflicts of interest for support coordinators.
How to tell if yours is doing a good job
Ask yourself:
- Do I understand my plan better than I did?
- Do I know what happens next?
- Do they return my calls and messages?
- Do they explain things clearly?
- Do I feel like I'm in charge?
- Have I been offered real choices?
If you answer "no" to many of these, speak to your coordinator. If nothing changes, you can change to someone else. You can also talk to the NDIS Commission. See what to do if something goes wrong with a provider.
How to find one
Your NDIS planner can send a request to up to four support coordinators for you. You can also search for providers and ask people you trust.
Meet more than one. Ask about costs, experience with people like you, who you would actually work with, and cancellation rules. Check if they are registered. Our guide how to check if an NDIS provider is registered helps.
Registered support coordinators have been through a Commission process, including an audit against the Practice Standards. Registration is optional. Many good coordinators are unregistered.
Getting the most from support coordination
You can help your support coordinator help you.
- Set goals together. Tell them what you want from the next few months.
- Agree how to talk. Phone, text, email or video. How often?
- Share what matters. Tell them your preferences, so they do not suggest things that will not suit you.
- Ask for a plan. What will be done, by whom and by when?
- Check progress. Ask for a short update every so often.
- Learn as you go. Ask them to show you how things are done, so you can do more yourself over time.
Remember the aim. Good support coordination should build your skills and confidence, not make you depend on someone forever, unless you need long-term help.
When support coordination ends
Your plan may not include support coordination forever. Ask your coordinator to prepare a handover. This can include a list of your providers, key contacts, how to claim, and what to watch for. Keep copies of your service agreements.
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.
Frequently asked questions
What does a support coordinator do?
They help you understand your plan, find and set up providers, connect with community services, and build skills to manage your supports. They also write progress reports about how your plan is working.
Are there different types of support coordination?
Yes. The NDIS describes three levels: support connection, support coordination, and specialist support coordination. The names differ slightly on some NDIS pages. The levels reflect how much help a person needs.
Do I need to pay for a support coordinator?
If support coordination is in your plan, it is paid from that funding. It is not paid from your own money. You only get it if the NDIS includes it in your plan.
Can I change my support coordinator?
Yes. You choose your support coordinator and you can change at any time. Plan the handover so your supports do not stop.
Should a support coordinator also provide my other supports?
It can create a conflict of interest. They should tell you if their organisation provides the supports they recommend, and give you real choices.
Sources
Goodo is independent