All NDIS service providers must meet the standards of the NDIS and provide quality service. But finding a therapist, a home care specialist, a nutritionist, or even a cleaning service that’s right for your NDIS plan can be tricky. Here’s a place to start.
Determine your key criteria
First, jot down a list of practical priorities. This can be things like location, opening hours, meeting times, etc. Consider your accessibility needs, such as whether you can get there by public transport or if there is a car park nearby. When and how often would you need this service, and for how long each time?
You can start narrowing down the options by using the NDIS website’s Provider Finder tool and looking at the registered service providers available near you. Services you need to access often will ideally be closeby, but you might be willing to go further to access services you don’t need daily or weekly.
What makes a good service provider?
Beyond your personal priorities, a good service provider should meet the national guidelines for best practice. A good service provider is usually:
Team oriented and goal focused
This is particularly important for NDIS participants who are looking for early childhood intervention services. A service provider ideally works in partnership with your family and takes into account the unique challenges of you and/or your child’s situation. They should also consider your priorities and work to build on your strengths, assisting you in developing your own networks of support.
Culturally sensitive and inclusive
NDIS service providers should always welcome everyone, regardless of their cultural background, language, or religious beliefs. They should be aware of and accept diversity, and a good service provider should be able to provide services and support that takes the family’s unique character into account. They should also understand and recognise that all individuals deserve to take part in community and family life, and be prepared to offer their services to facilitate that for people who need some extra support.
Builds knowledge and skills
A good service provider should not only build the skills and knowledge of the individual NDIS participant, but also their immediate support network. Especially for young participants of the NDIS, upskilling the families and people that they spend the most time with will have immense benefits on development and positively affect their progress towards their goals.
Qualified and evidence based
An NDIS service provider should provide qualified and committed professionals who have the appropriate expertise. Their strategies should be grounded in research and solid clinical evidence. A good provider should also constantly seek to improve their standards of practice and stay informed of new information and innovation.
Focused on outcomes
The goal of a service provider should be to help you and your family achieve real outcomes that affect your day-to-day life. This means that they should help you identify the skills you need to achieve these outcomes and be prepared to help you develop them. You should also be able to expect that these skills will affect your quality of life positively.
How do I know if a service provider is right for me?
It’s hard to tell from just a name and a website if a provider will be able to give you what you’re looking for. It’s important to check reviews and consider their ratings, but they might not give you the full picture. Sometimes the best one for you is not the one with the highest ratings on google.
The best way to know whether a provider may be right for you is to talk to them. A face to face meeting is ideal so you can take in more information. Don’t be afraid to “interview” your service provider and ask them questions about how they conduct their service. You can also take notes to refer back to. Make sure to remember the name and position of the person you speak to from each provider so you can follow up later.
Don’t be discouraged if you don’t find the perfect service provider straight away. Sometimes, it takes a bit of “shopping around” to find the right one for you. If you realise after some time with a service provider that they aren’t a good fit for your goals and lifestyle, make sure to contact your NDIS planner. They can help you switch to a new provider.
Be wary of potential scams. The NDIS publishes alerts on scams that come to their attention, and it is important to stay informed. Check the latest news on their website.
Above all, keep in mind your long-term goals. Your needs may change as your journey progresses, and so may your priorities. A good service provider for you is ultimately the one that can help you achieve progress on your plan.
If you have any questons, you can contact Elevated Group at any time.
