Submission to the consultation on NDIS Support Coordination and Connection reform
The Australian Government is proposing changes to how NDIS participants receive help to organise and connect with the services they need.
Under the proposal, support coordination would no longer be funded in individual NDIS plans from 1 July 2028. Instead, eligible participants would use a new Support Coordination and Connection service.
The Australian Autism Alliance supports better service quality and clearer standards. But the changes must protect the trusted relationships, choices and practical help that many Autistic people rely on.
Here is a short summary of the Alliance’s key recommendations, expanded and evidenced within the formal submission:
- Assess the support needed to stay well and safe. Do not wait for someone’s supports to fail before deciding they need coordination. Consider the help they already receive, including from family.
- Keep trusted relationships. Protect effective relationships with existing support coordinators wherever possible. People should have a real choice of worker and provider.
- Provide skilled and flexible support. Workers must understand autism and different communication and support needs. Support should change when a person’s circumstances change.
- Make other pathways work first. Do not remove effective coordination until the replacement service is available and has started providing the help needed.
- Prevent gaps during the changeover. Plan each person’s move to the new service, provide a supported handover and make sure essential coordination continues.
- Check quality and fix problems. Involve Autistic people in designing the service. Track failed referrals, loss of trusted workers and gaps in support, and act when problems appear.
The Alliance also calls for increased and accountable services to be available in regional and remote areas, with clear responsibilities and accessible ways to raise concerns.
Download the Alliance’s full submission to learn more about our recommendations for the coordination of Supports that works for all Autistic individuals, the autism community and those who support us.
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