10 to 18 Supporting Children and Young People

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is a national framework designed to support people living with disability and their families by ensuring they have access to the services they require. Under the scheme Koorana provides quality, specialised support to children, young people and their families throughout the Inner West, South West and Southern areas of Sydney.

Step by Step Process:

Step 1

If your child is 10 years or older and they have a development delay or disability they may be eligible for the NDIS. To check if your child is eligible, review the NDIS eligibility checklist.

Step 2

If you think your child could be eligible for NDIS, then call the NDIS on 1800 800 110 to talk about your child’s suitability for the NDIS and ask for an “Access Request Form”.

They will ask you a range of questions to assess if your child is able to get the NDIS.

Step 3

If your child is eligible for the NDIS then you will meet with an NDIA planner or a Local Area Co-ordinator (LAC) to talk about the things you want to do to achieve your goals, the supports you already have and what else you may need.

Step 4

Once your plan is approved you can talk to your planner about the services that you need and choose the providers to deliver those services to help you and your child meet their goals.    

Scroll down to see the services that Koorana can provide for your child.

The NDIS gives individuals and families a greater choice and control over the services that they choose. It provides a framework for an inclusive community with more effective support services that are specifically designed for the needs of each individual and their family.

What services will I receive funding for through the scheme?

The funding is allocated to pay for support services you may require because of your child’s disability. This includes things like a support worker to help you access the community, assistance with your child’s transition to school, and therapy or speech pathology sessions for your child. 

The funding cannot be used to pay for things like rent and food or other everyday living costs that you would have to pay whether you had a disability or not.

What budget will I be allocated to spend on services for my child?

Planners employed by the NDIA will assess your child’s needs and determine an allocation of funds for you to access the support your child and family requires.

How much will Koorana’s support services cost?

Koorana’s charges will be in accordance with the fee schedule set by the NDIA.

When will I receive funding?

You will start to receive funding once you have completed your Plan with the NDIA and it has been approved. Until then, your organisation will continue to receive funding for you under the current funding systems.

Do I have to manage my own funds?

You have the freedom to decide whether you wish to manage your own plan and the funding you receive.

Alternatively, you can ask the NDIA to designate a support person to help you manage your Plan or you can nominate another person to help you manage your Plan (called a Plan Nominee).

Please note that if you are managing your own Plan, you will need to make sure the payments are made to the support services in your Plan, that you are being correctly billed and that you pay organisations, staff and other costs after they have provided the services to you. The NDIA will send you monthly statements to help you manage your bills and supports correctly.

Koorana can offer case management assistance.

Will the funding be put directly into my bank account or will it be given to organisations for me?

If you choose to have your Plan managed for you or require support to manage the money, then organisations will be given the money for your support from the NDIA. If you decide to manage your funding to pay for services yourself you will need to have a separate bank account that is only for the NDIS funding. The NDIA will deposit the money into this new account and you will be required to pay this to organisations for the support services they provide to you.

What services can Koorana offer families in the planning stage?

Koorana can provide you with information about the types of supports you have been receiving and what these are called under the NDIS.

We can also help you to prepare for your planning meeting with the NDIA if you would like us to.

I already receive services from Koorana. How will the NDIS affect the services I receive?

Once you are part of the NDIS you will be allocated a budget to spend on services. You can then choose to purchase services from Koorana using this funding. You may decide to purchase services that are similar to those that your child currently receives, or you may like to consider some of our other services. We are more than happy to have a chat about the options available to your family.

What if my child is not eligible for the NDIS?

Koorana is happy to talk to you about other funding options that are available to support your child and your family.

To find out more contact Koorana Child & Family Services on 1300 566 726, or contact us here.

Koorana Child & Family Services