When we think about the role of a Support Coordinator, we can go straight to of the basic responsibilities listed by the NDIS, such as:
Helping participants understand their NDIS plan
Coordinating supports and services
Connecting participants with the right providers
Establishing and maintaining support systems
Coaching and refining processes
Reporting to the NDIA
Promoting independence and capacity building
Providing crisis support when necessary
Acting in the participant’s best interest
While that is straightforward and good coordinators have this covered, you may not know that the NDIS have additional expectations of support coordinators. With registration looming the middle of next year, these links will help provide an overview.
For those just starting out as coordinators: you can gather more information from these handy links:
Why is this knowledge important?
While keeping the NDIS satisfied that you know your job as a support coordinator all these principles, legislation and directions help you to:
Educate your customers: Having the essentials and being able to break it down for NDIS participants and or their representatives, you are ensuring clarity and understanding of the supports and services that are applicable. You will also have the tools to keep them up to date on the many upcoming changes to NDIS legislation.
Identify responsibility – Understanding where responsibilities lie in delivering specific services or supports, ensuring accountability across all the providers your customers may have.
Connection – You will have the ability to link your customers with the right systems, including mainstream and community supports, to meet their needs.
Ensuring Compliance – You can safeguard your customers from support providers and ensure that they are working within the legislative framework, protecting participants rights and shielding them from malpractice.
Detect Unethical practices – keeping watch on providers that prioritise money and their own business interests over participants needs.
Identifying and address conflicts of interest – both real and perceived, so that your customer is not disadvantaged.
Recognising risks – be able to understand risks associated with your customers and how to report them to the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.
Further to these, as a provider of supports, you will be expected to do the following:
Ensure Informed Consent: It is a fundamental right to all participants; their nominated representative or guardian are given informed consent for all services provided. This means offered clear communication about the services, the costs and make sure that they understand how these services align with their funding.
Claim only approved services: The services you or any other provider deliver must be funded in a participant’s plan. Claims should be made against the correct line items and categories. Errors can lead to financial penalties, including reversal of payments.
Compliance with NDIS Guidelines: As stated above your need to keep updated with the changes from the NDIS and make sure that all providers who work with your customer, comply. Offering expert advice on things such as animal therapy that is not provided by an Occupational therapist should happen sooner rather than later.
Communication and working together: If there are uncertainties about services or claims, it is good practice to clarify, research and assist participants to understand. Providing clear and proactive communication avoids errors, delays and non-compliance issues.
Knowledge acquired is like gold to a Support Coordinator because it not only enhances the participant's experience but also empowers them to navigate their supports with confidence, promoting greater independence and wellbeing. This was the original intent of the Support Coordination funding. It was always designed to be time limited in participants plans.
As the NDIS changes keep ringing in it is the dedication to ongoing education and good practice will be vital in ensuring that participants receive the highest standard of support.
We wish you well, as always
The Lama Care Team
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