Choosing who supports you or someone you love is one of the biggest decisions in an NDIS plan. The funding is yours. The provider works for you. So it is worth taking a little time to pick well.
This is the first post on our blog, so it seemed right to start with the question people ask us most: how do I know a provider is the right one? Here is what we would tell a friend.
1. Start with your goals, not the provider's brochure
Your NDIS plan lists goals. Everything a provider does should connect back to them. Before you compare anyone, write your goals in plain words. Getting to the shops on your own. Staying in your own home as long as possible. Giving your family a proper break each week.
When you talk to a provider, say those goals out loud and listen to how they respond. A good provider asks follow-up questions. A less good one starts listing services.
2. Ask how they match support workers to you
The relationship with your support worker matters more than almost anything else. Ask:
- Will I see the same people, or someone different every time?
- Can I meet a worker before they start?
- What happens if it is not a good fit?
You should be able to say "this is not working" without it becoming a drama. Consistency and the right personality fit are reasonable things to expect.
3. Check for the experience your situation needs
General support is not the same as specialised support. If you or your family member lives with dementia, epilepsy or multiple sclerosis, ask directly what training the workers have and how many people with that condition the provider currently supports. The same goes for palliative care, where the right approach makes an enormous difference to the whole family.
Ask for specifics. "We do a bit of everything" is not an answer.
4. Find out how flexible they really are
Needs change. A good week and a hard week can look very different. Ask how the provider handles:
- A change in hours at short notice
- Support outside business hours, or around the clock if it comes to that
- A worker calling in sick
The answer tells you whether you are dealing with a service built around people or a roster built around the office.
5. Ask what happens when something goes wrong
Every provider should be able to explain, in a sentence or two, how you raise a concern and what they do about it. If they cannot, that is your answer. You always keep the right to take a complaint to the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission as well, and a provider who is confident in their service will tell you that themselves.
6. Notice how you feel after the first conversation
This one is not on any checklist, but it counts. Did they listen? Did you feel rushed? Would you be comfortable with these people in your home? Trust that reaction.
Questions worth asking
Take these to any first meeting:
- How do you get to know a new participant before support starts?
- Who will my regular workers be, and how are they chosen?
- What experience do you have with my specific needs?
- How do you handle changes to my schedule?
- How do I give feedback or make a complaint?
- What does a typical first month look like?
About us
NSW Carer is based in Tamworth and supports people across New South Wales. We were built on four values: honesty, integrity, inclusion and equality. They shape how we hire, how we match workers to participants and how we handle the hard conversations.
Our supports range from daily living and household tasks through to community participation, respite for family carers and specialised care. You can see the full list on our services page.
If you are weighing up providers, we are happy to be one of the conversations. Call us on 1800 300 800 or send us a message. No pressure, no sales pitch, just a straight answer to whatever you want to ask.