During your planning meeting At the start of the planning meeting, your
planner will introduce themselves and outline what you will talk about in the meeting.
They will ask lots of detailed questions about
your current supports, living situation, activities and relationships, as well as your goals and
aspirations. This is why it’s important to prepare this information before your meeting so you don’t forget anything.
Together you will turn your goals into a set of actions and develop steps you need to take to achieve them. Based on the information
you provide the planner will work with you to develop your Participant Statement.
If you don’t know what goals you have for the future, that’s okay. Your first plan focuses on
what you need right now and gives you some time to think about your longer-term needs and goals.
During the meeting you’ll discuss how the
National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) will be able to tell if your plan is working and how
to measure your progress. Your planner will go over the different plan management options
with you and ask how you would like to manage your funding.
Finally, you will both agree on review dates for your plan. Most plans will be reviewed after 12 months but in some cases this may be sooner.
Once your planner has all the information they need, they will write a plan of supports for
you. The plan will then be sent to the NDIA for
approval. Your planner should tell you when you can expect to receive your plan and what will happen next.
Generally, once approved, you will receive a
paper copy of your plan in the mail, along with a letter with an activation code to link your
myGov account to the NDIS Portal to manage your supports.
Once your first plan is finalised (within seven days of receiving your plan) you will be
contacted by a NDIA representative to discuss how to put it into action.
Keep in mind that whilst the planner will work with you in putting the best plan forward to
support you in reaching your goals, the decision of what type of supports and how much
funding you will receive in your actual plan lies with the NDIA.
There are professionals who can help you set
your first NDIS plan, such as plan managers and support coordinators. You’ll find them in the Advisors directory section on page 149.
Six things to bring to your planning meeting: 1. Someone to support you
2. Information about your life, needs and personal circumstances 3. Your short and long-term goals
4. Specialist reports and therapy assessments 5. Quotes from service providers for aids and equipment
6. Questions to ask your planner
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