ndis toolkit

Planning Meeting

Our top tips and resources to guide you on how to prepare for your NDIS meeting

What is a planning meeting?

How do I prepare?

What documents do I need?

How do I write goals?

What is a carer’s statement?

What is plan management?

What is a planning meeting?

An NDIS planning meeting is a meeting that takes place between you (the participant and/or your nominee/rep) and the NDIS representative a few weeks after your application has been approved. It is a very important step in your NDIS journey

Who runs the meeting?

One of the following people will be there to run and manage your meeting:
An Early Childhood Early Intervention Coordinator (ECEI Coordinators) – someone who supports children (under 9 yrs) and their families.

A Local Area Coordinator (LAC) – someone who helps people with disability find and use services and supports.

An NDIA Planner – someone who makes AND approves new plans

Where is the meeting held?

It is up to YOU whether you would like the meeting to be:
– on the phone
– on zoom
– in-person

See our tips on Having an NDIS Planning Meeting by Phone

How long is the meeting?

Usually the meeting runs for 1-2 hours, there is a lot to discuss so it is a good idea to write your questions before hand and have someone attend the meeting with you, if available.

What if I can’t attend the meeting?

If you are not in a position or unavailable to complete your planning conversation over the phone or in-person, contact your ECEI, LAC or Planner and the NDIS will make alternative planning arrangements.

What questions will be asked?

(i) During the meeting you will be asked about your goals and information about you.

For example:
– where you live and who with,
– your current supports (including paid and informal supports such as friends & family)
– what you do day to day
– how your disability impacts your day to day
– what your short and long term goals are
– what supports you need
– how you would like your NDIS plan to be managed

(ii) You will also be asked how you want to manage your plan. To choose Plan Management and Plan Hero, you will need to give the Planner these details:

Plan Hero Pty Ltd trading as Plan Hero
Provider Number: 4050079575
ABN: 43 641 197 659

How do I prepare for the meeting?

Start preparing for your NDIS planning meeting now, the more prepared you go in – the better chance you can have of getting funding for the supports you need.

Here are a list of things you can prepare for the meeting:

Reports or recent assessments from your doctor, carers, therapists (if current)
Carers statement
A journal or log of what you do day to day and how this is impacted by your disability
A list of your goals
A list of supports you need
Questions you want to ask

Top tips on how to prepare

What documents do I need?

Documents/reports that are provided by your current supports can help justify what supports you may need. They can also be used by NDIS to determine if your requests are reasonable & necessary, evidence based and best funded by the NDIS. Reports are helpful if it outlines:

The impact of your disability on your day-to-day life
What supports you need and why
How these supports can help you achieve your goals

If your current supports can provide you with a report/assessment, advise them to keep the language simple (no medical jargon), make sure it’s clear and concise and outlines exactly what disability-related supports are needed, how many sessions are required and the overall cost (where possible).

How do I write goals?

The main aim of your NDIS planning meeting is to understand what goals you would like to achieve and any disability specific barriers that prevent you from pursuing your goals.

How many goals do I need?

You should have some short, medium and long-term goals.

Just know that setting more and bigger goals doesn’t mean the NDIS fund more and bigger funded supports, they do not have to fund these supports or provide funding for the amount you request – however this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t discuss this during your meeting

How do I set goals that will get me the funding I need?

Setting goals can be very hard, especially when you aren’y really sure how to ask for something or how to write it down.

Your goals are important as you will be funded for supports that help you work towards these goals

Whilst having specific goals can help you get supports, it doesn’t allow you for flexibility with in the TYPES of supports you can receive.

Think about what’s most important to you and your child and shape your goals around this, read our list of goal areas

Read ‘what topics should I focus my goals on’ for some ideas

What topics should I focus my goals on?

Think about what’s most important to you and/or your child and shape your goals around this.

Consider all the aspects of your life and what is really important to you, this might be:

– Independence in your daily life such as self-care and moving around
– Finding and keeping a job
– Improving relationships
– Improve communication and managing behaviours
– Learning something new
– Doing more social and recreational activities
– Improving health & wellbeing
– Where you want to live
– Learning to drive
– Building confidence around public transport
– Building your organisations skills and money management

How do I actually write goals?

Think about what is important to you, and how you want to achieve them and link these together.

Example: I want my child to build her social & communication so she can make & maintain friends

Example: I want to be more independent at home so I can build my confidence

Example: I want ‘John’ to learn how to manage his behaviours and understand his emotions so he can express myself better.

CLICK HERE for our top tips on setting goals including NDIS buzz words to use

What is a carer’s statement?

A Carer Statement (sometimes referred to as an Impact Statement) is a written letter by someone who cares for or is involved in the treatment of an individual living with a disability.

The purpose of carer’s statement is to explain how the individual’s disability is impacting their life and the lives of those around them.

It is not compulsory, but can have a beneficial impact of explaining to the NDIS what supports would be helpful, and can strengthen your NDIS application & planning meeting.

How to write a carer’s statement

How will my plan be managed?

During your meeting the NDIS representative will ask you how you would like your NDIS funding to be plan managed. This refers to how your funds will be paid and financially managed.

It is your choice as to how your funds will be. These are your options:

Agency managed (also known as NDIA managed)

The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) manages your NDIS funds.

This means the NDIS will pay registered providers and services on behalf of the participant

Plan Managed

The plan management provider of your choice will assist you in managing your NDIS plan funds, such as Plan Hero.

The plan manager receives the funds from your plan via the NDIA when a claim is made, which is then used to fund the services you receive.

To ask for Plan Hero as your Plan Manager you need to provide this info in your planning meeting:

Plan Hero Pty Ltd trading as Plan Hero
Provider Number: 4050079575
ABN: 43 641 197 659

Self Managed

YOU or your plan nominee manages your NDIS funds.

This means that you (or your plan nominee) will be reimbursed by the NDIS for any funds paid directly for your NDIS support and services.

For more information about plan management CLICK HERE

Other Steps

NDIS application toolkit

The process of applying for funding with the NDIS can feel quite daunting, so we’ve tried to simplify it for you with our three simply steps

Who is eligible to apply?

Who can help me apply?

How to apply?

Go to Toolkit

Using your funds toolkit

Understanding how to use your funds, what supports you can access and how to budget for your supports is incredibly important. Learn how to get the most from your funds

How do I read my plan?

Understanding my NDIS Plan

I have my plan, what next?

Finding Supports

Setting up Service Agreements

Preparing for a plan review

Go to Toolkit

HAVE ANY QUESTIONS?

Get in touch with our expert team

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