When you have an NDIS plan you’ll find yourself surrounded by a bunch of different people, from inside and outside the NDIS, so we thought we’d do a bit of an NDIS identikit for you!
NDIS Participant – if you have an NDIS plan, you’re one of these. A participant is someone who as been granted access to the NDIS and receives funds for their disability-related support needs.
Support Coordinator – this person helps you to understand and implement your NDIS plan. Some of what they’ll help you do is find supports – mainstream and disability – and help you understand how the NDIS and other government services work together.
Plan Manager – your plan manager is like your own personal NDIS bookkeeper – they take care of all your funding and pay your providers for you. They can help with budgeting too.
NDIS Planner – this is the person at the NDIS who has the final say on the funding you receive for your disability supports. You may never meet or speak to them, (and we’re pretty sure they don’t actually look like this) often you will deal with the LAC (below).
Local Area Coordinator – often called the LAC, this is the person you will mostly likely deal with when building and reviewing your plan. They are also supposed to help you link with supports and understand your plan if you don’t have a Support Coordinator.
Provider – someone who provides paid support for you. These can be therapy supports like an Occupational Therapists, or the support workers who help you with personal care, at home and in the community.
Informal Supports – family, friends and community connections who help you out.
