What does a support coordinator do?

A support coordinator works directly with a participant, or their parent or carer, to assist them to use the funding for needed disability specific supports, and work towards achieving the goals that are written in their N.D.I.S. plan.

In Tasmania some of the areas that a support coordinator can work alongside a participant, or their parent or carer, include:

understanding the N.D.I.S. and its processes;

– investigating and accessing common and main stream community services and supports to meet needs;

– negotiating service agreements;

– assisting the emergence of new and needed services where these services are not available;

– developing solutions that build capacity for services to support people with complex needs;

– developing a budget from an N.D.I.S. plan and breaking down the items of support and the hours expected;

– linking to supports that meet a participant’s needs, and checking these supports are working effectively to achieve the participant’s goals;

– helping collect evidence of goal progress and preparing for N.D.I.S. planning meetings;

– helping to access the N.D.I.S. portal through a MyGov account;

– strengthening the participant’s or responsible person’s capacity to:

◊ use mainstream services and supports;

◊ manage N.D.I.S. funded services and supports;

◊ overcome barriers to inclusion;

◊ negotiate service agreements;

◊ make decisions about the services and supports received;

◊ change or end service agreements.

Not everyone is allocated a support coordinator by the N.D.I.S. Support coordination is funded based on the conversations that occur when an N.D.I.S. plan is being developed. It is generally funded when someone will need regular assistance with their plan funding to work toward achieving their goals.

Support coordination is more likely to be provided in the first plan, or during times when a Participant may experience major transitions, for example, utilising disability specialist services for the first time, leaving school and entering the workforce, or moving from home to an independent living situation.

Support Coordination is funded under what the N.D.I.S. terms a “capacity building” support. This means that there is an expectation that coordinators are helping participants to better understand their plan, and potentially reduce the need for support coordination in the future.