National Disability Insurance Scheme explained
The NDIS provides individualised supports and services to people with a permanent and significant disability. It focuses on what a person with a disability will need across their lifetime.
The NDIS enables people with disability to choose how they receive support, and control how the support is provided.
The focus is on early intervention to help participants complete everyday activities and live a meaningful life in their community and reach their full potential.
What the NDIS provides
The NDIS provides:
- ongoing funding for all ‘reasonable and necessary’ disability equipment, care and support services for people aged 0 – 65 years
- funding to cover the cost of prostheses, aids and equipment, home modifications, some therapy services and other resources – what is funded depends on a child’s needs and goals
- regular meetings with an NDIS Planner to help to work out a child’s needs and goals
- ongoing support once a child reaches 18 years.
To stay up to date with NDIS information and changes visit www.ndis.gov.au
Don’t hesitate to contact Limbs 4 Life at any time if you have any questions about the NDIS.
NDIS funding explained
NDIS funding is provided under 3 clusters – core support, capital support and capacity building.
Core support for everyday activities
Core support enables a participant to complete daily activities and split across 4 categories:
- assistance with daily living (e.g. showering)
- transport (e.g. specialised transport to access the community, employment or studies)
- consumables (e.g. prosthetic liners, gels or lubricants)
- social and community participation (e.g. classes and learning programs).
Capital support for accommodation, modifications or equipment
Capital support covers funding across 4 categories:
- assistive technology (e.g. prosthetics, wheelchairs and mobility aids - including assessment, delivery and maintenance costs)
- home modifications (e.g. installation of handrails, anti-skid resistant flooring or ramps)
- vehicle modifications (e.g. installation of spinner knobs or left foot accelerators)
- Specialist Disability Accommodation (i.e. housing for people with extreme functional impairment).
Capacity building support – building your skills
Capacity building support enables a participant to build independence and skills, with 9 support categories:
- coordination of supports (e.g. paying for a Support Coordinator)
- improved living arrangements (e.g. assistance for your child to find a suitable rental property)
- increased social and community participation (e.g. access to community or group activities)
- finding and keeping a job (e.g. job interview preparation or school-to-work transitions)
- improved relationships (e.g. social skills development or behavioural support planning)
- improved health and wellbeing (e.g. use of an exercise physiologist to increase physical activity)
- improved daily living (e.g. assessments and sessions with a therapist)
- improved life choices (e.g. training to self-manage your Plan)
- improved learning (e.g. assistance to access and retain study or training).
Managing your NDIS funding
There are 4 ways you can manage the funding for your child’s supports:
- Self-management – you are provided with funding and you decide on the supports that will help you achieve your goals.
- Plan-managed funding – your plan provides for a plan manager who pays your providers for you, helps you keep track of funds and takes care of financial reporting for you.
- NDIA-managed funding - The National Disability Insurance Agency pays providers on your behalf.
- Partial management of your plan – you choose to manage certain parts of your plan, for example your Capital Supports, and the NDIA manages the rest.