Blog

The NDIS is all about choice and control, giving participants the flexibility to choose the supports and services that will help them to reach their goals. For parents and carers of children and young people with disability, it is your role to act on their behalf, choosing services and providers to meet the unique needs of your child and your family.

But where do you start when choosing a child disability service provider to meet those needs? In this short article we explore some of the practical ways to help find the right child disability service provider (registered or non-registered NDIS providers). It’s important to:

• Ask lots of questions of any potential child disability service provider
• Meet face to face if possible
• Understand their vision for children with disability

Asking the right questions is crucial. Below is a simple checklist to go through with any potential child disability service provider so that you can understand more about them and whether they are a good fit for your child and your family.

• Where can support be accessed? For example at home, at school, at childcare or in community groups.
• How will you work with my family to support my child?
• What experience and qualifications do your staff have?
• Do you have a wait period before support can commence?
• What can I do if I have any concerns about the support provided?
• What will the frequency of support be?
• How long will each session / shift be?

As well as these general questions, you should also ask specific questions relating to your child’s and your family’s needs. It can be difficult to know where to start when choosing a child disability service provider. Using this checklist will open up a conversation for you to get a better understanding of a service provider to get the best outcomes for your child and your family.