Anyone who suffers from any type of disability is likely to need some degree of support at some stage in their lifetime. The NDIS is a federal scheme designed to support people who are members of the scheme, intended to help them develop life skills and learning opportunities that can help them lead more independent lives.

What is the NDIS?

The NDIS stands for the National Disability Insurance Scheme, a national network of support providers, who will be accountable to the government and will help deliver a wide range of different services aimed at people who have a disability which is deemed to be permanent and is likely to affect them for most of their lives.

The Australian government estimates there are approximately 4,000,000 people with some type of disability in the country. The scheme is not intended to be a welfare program, but more to provide a level of support that is aimed at being very practical, and at the same time enabling a level of empowerment for anyone who is disabled to be able to lead as fulfilling a life as is possible for them.

What is an NDIS provider?

An NDIS provider is either an individual or an organisation that provides any type of service to someone who has a disability and has been approved by an NDIS commission.

Although the scheme is a national one, it is organised at a state level, and anyone wanting to become a provider must register with the relevant NDIS body in their state and meet their relevant quality and safeguarding standards.

A potential provider needs to submit an online application form, detailing their organisation, structure and all key members of staff. The NDIS commission will then conduct an audit of the organisation and audit their senior members of staff to assess the suitability for acceptance.

The NDIS places significant weight on the suitability of staff and will do extensive background checks on issues such as insolvency, criminal records, bankruptcy, former NDIS providers etc.

Only after the NDIS is satisfied that all executive and senior staff members are suitable and qualified to deliver services will the application be accepted and the organisation or individual permitted to refer to themselves as an NDIS provider.

What services does an NDIS provider deliver?

The term support can be very wide-ranging and open to interpretation, but there are guidelines as to what types of services an NDS provider can deliver. In general, the services need to be aimed at helping the individual increase their sense of independence.

This could include such things as helping with transport to enable the person to access social or family activities, helping them within specific areas that help them to either get a job or to keep a job, mobility aids or help in maintaining a suitable home environment.

The kind of support that is not normally delivered by an NDIS provider relates to services that would normally be offered by another government agency or support that is not related to the individual's disability and how it affects their life.

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