Who can access the NDIS?
The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is Australia’s national scheme for funding reasonable and necessary supports for children with disability or developmental delay and adults with disability. NDIS support helps people work towards individual goals and gives them choice about the support they need to live the life they want.
If your child has disability, developmental delay or developmental concerns, the NDIS helps you and your child get services and supports in your community. It might also provide funding for supports like therapies or items like wheelchairs or communication devices.
There are 2 main pathways to NDIS support. One is for children younger than 7 years, and the other is for children 7 years and older. On both pathways, an NDIS representative will talk with you about your child’s and family’s needs and your child’s goals. They’ll help you make an NDIS access request if this is what you need.
What happens when your child makes an NDIS access request
When you make an NDIS access request for your child, you’ll get a reply within 21 days. This might be:
- a letter telling you whether your child has been granted access to the NDIS
- a letter or phone call asking for more information about your application.
Why a child’s NDIS access request might be unsuccessful
If a child’s NDIS access request is unsuccessful, it might be for one or more of the following reasons:
- Your child is best supported through the NDIS early childhood approach.
- Your child’s disability isn’t permanent or likely to be permanent.
- Your child’s disability doesn’t significantly affect their ability to do everyday things like dressing themselves, talking or walking.
- You haven’t provided enough evidence that your child’s condition has a significant effect on everyday life.
- Your child doesn’t meet NDIS residency requirements.
- The supports your child needs are best funded through mainstream or community services.
Your child might have had support through the NDIS early childhood approach but doesn’t need NDIS support anymore. In this situation, your child might be able to get other non-NDIS supports. An NDIS representative can give you information about these supports and help you find and use them.
What to do if your child’s NDIS access request is unsuccessful
If your access request has been unsuccessful and you want to keep trying to access the NDIS for your child, there are 2 options you can consider:
- Make a new NDIS access request.
- Ask for an internal review of the decision on your child’s NDIS access request.
Making a new NDIS access request
You might make a new NDIS access request in the following circumstances:
- You have new evidence about the effects of your child’s disability or developmental delay on everyday life.
- Your child’s situation changes – for example, your child gets a new diagnosis, their condition changes, or a new therapist has evidence about the effects of your child’s disability.
Requesting an internal review
You might request an internal review if you disagree with NDIA’s decision on your child’s access request.