Article
How to speak NDIS
25 common phrases you need to know
Sometimes the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) can feel like another language – so we’ve decided to treat it like one!
If you’re new to the world of the NDIS, it might feel like a bit of a maze, so it’s important for you to understand the common terms, acronyms and definitions used by the NDIS.
Here’s a guide to help get you fluent in NDIS in no time.
| Regular English | NDIS speak |
|---|---|
| How you check if you are eligible for the NDIS. | Access request form |
| You can make your own decisions about your life and choose when, where and what supports you receive. | Choice and control |
| The ways you are involved in your community. | Community engagement |
| The kinds of support you pay for. | Formal supports |
| The kinds of supports you don’t pay for. For example, things that your family or friends might help you with. | Informal supports |
| NDIA staff who help link you to information and support in the community and make sure it is more welcoming for people with a disability. | Local Area Coordinators |
| Services that provide support to a range of people (not just people with a disability). | Mainstream services |
| A team of people with different skills working together to support someone with disability. | Multidisciplinary team |
| The organisation that runs the NDIS. | National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) |
| An independent agency that aims to improve the quality and safety of NDIS supports and services. Find out more about their role and everything they do. | NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission |
| Someone who can make decisions for a person that needs help with the NDIS, but does not have a parent or guardian to make these decisions. | Nominee |
| Someone who has an NDIS plan and receives funding. | Participant |
| A summary of key things about you like your living arrangement, a list of who is important to you, the supports you need and access, your schedule for the day, and your goals and aspirations. | Participant statement |
| The document that has your goals and what your funding and support is for. This is what your NDIS plan could look like. | Plan |
| A really long list of what everything costs under the NDIS. | Price Guide |
| Someone who is waiting to hear whether they will be covered under the NDIS. | Prospective participant |
| An individual or an organisation that delivers support or a product. | Provider |
| When a person’s mental health issues cause disability. | Psychosocial disability |
| The process you go through if there is a decision in your plan that you think is wrong. | Review of decisions |
| This is something that helps your pursue your goals and live independently. Reasonable is something that is fair. Necessary is something you have to have because of your disability. |
Reasonable and necessary |
| A document that explains what supports you will receive from a provider and how much it will cost. It will also explain what you are responsible for, and what your provider is responsible for. | Service agreement |
| Respite - time you spend outside of your usual living arrangements. | Short-term accommodation |
| The things that help you do your day-to-day activities to be part of the community and reach your goals. | Supports |
| Someone who can help you find mainstream and other disability services. | Support Coordinator |
| The businesses and organisations that provide services to people with disability and represent them. | The Sector |
And the acronyms…
Oh, the acronyms.
There are just so many.
Hopefully, this can provide some clarity:
- NDIS: National Disability Insurance Scheme
- NDIA: National Disability Insurance Agency
- ECEI: Early Childhood Early Intervention
- AAT: Administrative Appeals Tribunal
- DSP: Disability Support Pension
- DSS: Department of Social Services
- LAC: Local Area Coordinators
- FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions
- ILC: Information, Linkages and Capacity Building services
- NDS: the Australian peak body for non-government disability services
- SIL: Supported Independent Living
- SDA: Specialist Disability Accommodation
Need NDIS help?
We love talking about the NDIS ‐ you can give us a call on 1800 112 112 or email us at [email protected].