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Practice Guide – Early childhood
planning
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Contents
Practice Guide – Early childhood planning ............................................................................... 1
1.
Purpose ...................................................................................................................... 4
2.
To be used by ............................................................................................................. 4
3.
Scope .......................................................................................................................... 4
4.
Pre-planning................................................................................................................ 5
4.1 Overview .................................................................................................................. 5
4.2 Pre-planning tasks ................................................................................................... 5
4.3 Participant details .................................................................................................... 6
4.4 Streaming ................................................................................................................ 6
4.5 Severity Tool ............................................................................................................ 6
4.6 Participant’s disabilities ............................................................................................ 7
4.7 Early childhood planning note pad – optional .......................................................... 8
4.8 Complete the Participant Statement ........................................................................ 8
4.9 Informal, community and mainstream supports ....................................................... 9
4.10 Outcomes and Family Questionnaires ................................................................... 10
4.11 Complete the Risk Assessment ............................................................................. 10
4.12 Guided Planning Questions ................................................................................... 11
4.13 Verify my NDIS Contact ......................................................................................... 11
4.14 Relationships ......................................................................................................... 12
4.15 Bank account details.............................................................................................. 12
4.16 Unable to complete pre-planning ........................................................................... 12
5.
Planning .................................................................................................................... 12
5.1 Overview ................................................................................................................ 12
5.2 Supports in the Capacity Building (CB) budget for participants younger than 7 .... 13
5.3 Supports in the Core budget .................................................................................. 20
5.4 Supports in Capital budget .................................................................................... 25
5.5 Linking goals to supports ....................................................................................... 25
5.6 Review and submit plan for approval ..................................................................... 26
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6.
Finalise and approve plan ......................................................................................... 27
7.
Early childhood planning documents ........................................................................ 28
7.1 Planning document list and purpose ...................................................................... 28
8.
Next steps ................................................................................................................. 29
9.
Appendices ............................................................................................................... 30
9.1 Appendix 1: Example NDIS plan goals .................................................................. 30
9.2 Appendix 2: Guide for calculating early childhood capacity building supports (the
Guide) ............................................................................................................................. 35
9.3 Appendix 3: An alternative method to calculating intensive supports above the
Guide (alternative method) ............................................................................................. 43
The table below provides quick reference calculations to support completing Step 2. ... 44
10. Supporting material ................................................................................................... 49
11. Feedback .................................................................................................................. 51
12. Version control .......................................................................................................... 52
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1. Purpose
The content of this document is OFFICIAL. This Practice Guide will help you prepare and
approve NDIS plans (plans) for participants younger than 7. It will help you develop plans
following the principles of the early childhood approach and wil assist you to complete the
required pre-planning and planning tasks in the NDIS Business System (System).
2. To be used by
Plan developers – early childhood partners, National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA)
planners and plan delegates (delegates).
3. Scope
From 1 July 2023, the age of children supported under the early childhood approach wil
progressively change to include children younger than 9.
Children aged 7 and 8 newly engaging with the NDIS and those who have an access met
decision made from 1 July 2023, wil be supported by an early childhood partner or the NDIA
in non-partner areas.
Children already in the Scheme who turn 7 or 8 before 1 July 2023 wil be supported by a
local area coordination partner. However, if they are in non partnered areas or streamed
intensive or super intensive
they wil be supported by the NDIA.
Children already in the Scheme who turn 7 from 1 July 2023, wil continue to be supported by
an early childhood partner. However, if they are in non partnered areas
they will be
supported by the NDIA.
For further information go to the Age range change page.
For support to develop and approve plans for participants who are 7 or older please refer to
the intranet page on planning including the Practice Guide - Understanding Therapy
Supports.
This Practice Guide wil support you to develop and approve plans for participants younger
than 6, with developmental delay or younger than 7 with disability. It wil guide you on how to
develop a plan with a participant and their family or carers; and determine reasonable and
necessary funded supports. When completing the pre-planning and planning tasks, National
Disability Insurance Agency (Agency) staff including early childhood partners must consider
the best practice principles in early childhood intervention, these are highlighted in Our
Guideline – Early childhood approach. The Agency must be satisfied that the funded
supports in the participant’s plan meet each of the reasonable and necessary criteria outlined
in section 34 of the
National Disability Insurance Agency Act 2013 and the NDIS Rules 2013,
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2014 and 2016. For further information go to Our Guideline – Creating your plan and Our
Guideline – Reasonable and necessary supports.
Note: Most often the child representative wil be the participant’s parent or carer. In this
Practice Guide reference to the participant’s parents, family or carer also includes any other
child representative.
4. Pre-planning
4.1 Overview
Plans for participants younger than 7, are built by gathering information relevant to the
participant and their parent or carer during pre-planning.
When calculating Capacity Building supports for participants younger than 7 refer to
Appendix 2, Guide for calculating early childhood capacity building supports (the Guide).
Note: For support to develop and approve plans for participants who are 7 or older please
refer to the intranet page on planning including the Practice Guide - Understanding Therapy
Supports
Plan preparation
Following an access met decision you are required to make initial contact with the
participant’s parents or carers to commence the plan preparation. You will then create a Plan
Preparation interaction, refer to Interaction templates – Pre-planning.
Pre planning
The pre-planning stage involves gathering information regarding the participant’s daily life,
the family or carers’ goals for the participant, current and potential supports and the
functional impact of the participant’s developmental delay or disability on their daily life.
The participant’s plan should be individualised and directed by the participant’s family or
carers. Plans should respect the role of the participant’s family or other significant people
(informal supports) and strengthen their capacity to support the participant. For further
information refer to our guideline which explains the principles we follow to create a plan.
4.2 Pre-planning tasks
The Early childhood approach booklet (booklet) is an internal resource designed to support
your initial conversations with the family or carer. It explains the early childhood approach,
the role of the early childhood partners and available supports. It also offers a place for
parents and carers to write about their priorities for their child, supports available, goals for
their child, and important next steps.
The booklet includes an opportunity to complete an ecomap, which is an effective method to
understand the current supports in the child’s life. An ecomap is a visual representation of the
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family’s informal and formal supports. The ecomap centres on the family living in the home
together. Informal supports are drawn at the top of the ecomap and formal services are
included below. For further guidance, view this training video on how to complete an ecomap.
The completed booklet should be kept by the family or carers who can share it with
mainstream supports and providers. A scanned copy of the ecomap should be uploaded to
the participant’s record.
Where early connections including early supports, have been provided, the early childhood
partner wil have already gathered information about the participant and their family. Refer to
the participant’s Evidence of developmental delay form, if this is the case.
For children living in statutory out of home care you must confirm with the state or territory
child protection agency who the child representative is and who needs to be involved in the
planning meeting or given the opportunity to contribute. For example: the participant, state or
territory child protection services, foster carer(s), guardian, parent(s), other family members
or provider(s).
Discuss with the relevant case manager the value in foster carers and/or other family
members contributing to the child’s plan where appropriate. Foster carers can provide
information about the day-to-day life of the child. If this is not possible, the case manager
should be encouraged to obtain any information that would be useful in developing the child’s
plan from foster carers and bring this with them to the planning meeting. In these
circumstances it is essential you do not share personal information, such as home address,
on the child’s plan or in other correspondence. It may be appropriate to record the address of
the child protection agency as the child’s home address in the business system. For further
information refer to the Practice Guide – Children living in statutory out of home care.
Note: The Early childhood approach booklet is also suitable to support initial conversations
with families of children who are 7 and 8 and are supported by the early childhood approach.
4.3 Participant details
Participant details can be updated at any stage of the participant pathway. It is important the
participant’s details are kept up-to-date in the System. For further information refer to the
Standard Operating Procedure – Update participant details.
4.4 Streaming
If the participant’s circumstances have changed the participant’s streaming may need to be
updated by a delegate. For further information refer to the Standard Operation Procedure –
Update participant streaming.
4.5 Severity Tool
The severity tool used for all participants younger than 7, is the PEDI-CAT tool. This may
have been administered during early connections or during the planning conversation. You
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A delegate is responsible for updating a participant’s primary and/or secondary disability in
the System. If new information is provided early childhood partners should request that a
disability is added or changed in the participant’s record.
4.7 Early childhood planning note pad – optional
The early childhood planning note pad (planning note pad) is an optional resource designed
to help you document the planning conversation with the family of participants younger than
7. The planning note pad can be used to capture planning notes relating to the participant’s
current supports and functional impact on daily life. The planning note pad also includes a
template to help you document the Core supports - daily timetable and to calculate hours for
Capacity Building supports, intensive Capacity Building supports and Daily Living (capacity
support needs) using the Guide (Appendix 2), and the alternative method (Appendix 3).
You will then summarise the information captured in the planning note pad and include this in
the relevant areas in the System. Al information related to the functional impact of the
participant’s needs and calculations of supports must be documented in the justification
comments (refer to the Standard Operating Procedure – Review and submit plan for approval
for further information). This can also be done directly into the System if you prefer to not use
the planning note pad. You wil also use the planning conversation interaction to document a
summary of your conversation with the family or carer.
4.8 Complete the Participant Statement
The participant statement captures information about the participant’s life, relationships, living
arrangements and plan goals. You may assist the participant’s family or carers’ to prepare
their statement, if required.
The statement should be written in the participant’s family or carer’s own words, and is
recorded on the participant’s plan.
In some cases the participant’s family or carer may have prepared pre-planning documents
that contains information they would like included in the participant statement. The booklet
can be used by the participant’s family or carers to support the preparation of the participant
statement. Where possible you can enter this information directly into the System. For further
information, refer to the Standard Operating Procedure – Complete the participant statement.
Plan goals
When developing a plan for participants younger than 7, goals should be written in the voice
of their family or carer. The goals should represent what the participants’ family or carers
would like their child to pursue during the plan period (ignore any reference in the System to
medium to long term life goals for children younger than 7). If the participant’s family or
carers have identified a longer list of goals, you can group
similar goals together. For
example, group all communication goals together and add them to the System as one in ‘
My
Plan Goal’ so all goals can be captured in the System.
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If families or carers require support with writing goals refer to Appendix 1 - Example NDIS
plan goals. This lists example goals, across the different developmental areas of need that
may be used to guide the planning conversation. The example goals are optional, you can
support the family to further individualise the goals if the family prefer.
The following prompts may help to guide a discussion:
• What activities does your child need assistance with?
• What supports are already in place? Are they working well?
• What are the priorities for your child and your family?
• What would you like your child to be able to do?
• Where is it important for this to happen and who should this happen with?
Recording goals
When each participant goal is recorded in the System, you must select a Goal Type which
best represents a life domain aligning with the NDIS outcomes framework.
When developing a plan for participants younger than 7, the commonly used Goal Types are:
daily life; health and wellbeing; learning, relationships and social and community activities.
My plan goals
The
My plan goals field for each goal should include broad examples related to the relevant
developmental areas of need.
How I will achieve this goal
The
How I wil achieve this goal field for each goal should include examples of functional
outcomes expected to be achieved over the plan duration. These should follow the general
principles of SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, timeframe) goals.
Note: Information recorded in this field print in the goals section of the participant’s plan.
How I wil be supported
Consideration needs to be given to existing and available Informal, Community and
Mainstream supports.
You will discuss with family or carers the ongoing availability and suitability of Informal,
Community and Mainstream supports in assisting the participant to pursue their goal(s). The
discussion should also include supports that the participant is likely to commence over the
duration of the plan (for example, starting school). Record this information in the ‘How wil I
be supported’ section.
Note: Information recorded in this field wil print in the goals section of the participant’s plan.
4.9 Informal, community and mainstream supports
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Your conversations with the participant’s family or carers should include a discussion about
which community and mainstream services or supports wil assist the participant to pursue
their plan goals. For further information refer to Our Guideline – Mainstream and community
supports overview and the Standard Operating Procedure – Record informal, community and
mainstream supports.
4.10 Outcomes and Family Questionnaires
Complete the Outcomes Questionnaire and Family Questionnaire during pre-planning prior to
the Risk Assessment and Guided Planning Questions. Before completing these
questionnaires the question in the Participant School Determination section needs to be
answered. The answer to this question wil determine which questions wil be included in the
Outcomes Questionnaire. For further information refer to the Standard Operating Procedure
– Complete the update the outcomes questionnaire task.
4.11 Complete the Risk Assessment
The risk assessment enables you to identify risks and safeguards in the participant’s life. The
questions explore risks associated with the participant, their family or carers and their support
network. For further information refer to the Standard Operating Procedure – Complete the
risk assessment task.
Compensation
The compensation questions in the risk assessment identify whether the participant has
received, or may be entitled to receive, compensation. If the participant’s child representative
responds
Yes to these questions and it has been identified that the participant may receive
(or has received) compensation, refer to Compensation intranet page for further guidance.
Plan management
The participant’s child representative must be fully informed about the plan management
options, tasks, responsibilities and the risks and benefits associated with each option. This
wil support them to make an informed decision about their plan management preference. For
further information refer to the Standard Operating Procedure – Complete the determine plan
management task.
Plan duration
Early childhood intervention aims to achieve outcomes for participants that result in reduced
Capacity Building budgets and increased transitions (exits) from the Scheme. For participants
younger than 7, a maximum plan duration of 24 months may be recommended. If you are
recommending a plan duration that is longer than 12 months, consider the child’s likely
attendance at, or their transition to an early childhood education setting or school during the
next plan period when determining the funded supports.
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Due to the significant changes in early childhood and the likelihood that many children wil
need their eligibility reassessed, 24 month plans should not be considered for participants
younger than 7 if:
• They are likely to exit the Scheme due to improved functional capacity and require
their eligibility re-assessed at 6 years of age.
• They are a child with developmental delay who has turned 5.
• The Capacity Building supports in their current plan exceed $25,000 per annum.
• There is likely to be a significant change in circumstances or supports.
• There are identified risks to the participant and/or their family or carer.
A plan duration of up to 12 months is likely to be appropriate in any of the circumstances
listed above.
Shorter plan durations under 12 months can be considered, especially if there are any
exceptional circumstances which are likely to impact the participant during the plan period.
For further information go to Our Guideline – Creating your plan, Support tool to determine
CEO-initiated plan reassessment type within 100 days of plan reassessment date and
Standard Operating Procedure – Complete the risk assessment task.
You can also refer to Our Guideline – Creating your plan for information on plan duration for
participants 7 and older.
4.12 Guided Planning Questions
When developing a plan for a participants younger than 7, the Guided Planning Questions
are completed and saved, but not submitted. Do not press ‘submit’ for participants younger
than 7. For further information, refer to Standard operating procedure – Complete the guided
planning questions.
4.13 Verify my NDIS Contact
The NDIS contact provides participants’ families or carers with a consistent point of contact
throughout the stages of the participant pathway.
The NDIS contact details wil appear on the plan as wel as the myplace portal, making
contacting the Agency as easy as possible.
For participants younger than 7 the single point of contact wil be either:
• Early childhood partner – typically this wil be for participants who are streamed as
General, Supported, Intensive or Super Intensive;
or
• An NDIA planner – for participants who don’t have an early childhood partner in
their local area or participants who require the Complex Support Needs pathway.
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To create, update, change and verify a participant’s My NDIS Contact, refer to Standard
Operating Procedure – Add, check or change a My NDIS contact.
4.14 Relationships
The names and contact information of relevant relationships identified by the participant’s
family or carers needs to be recorded; including assigning the participant’s child
representative or guardian.
For information on child representatives, refer to Our Guideline – Child representatives. For
information on how to record child representatives in the System, refer to the Standard
Operating Procedure – Record the child representative request, or for children in statutory
out home care, refer to the Practice Guide – Children living in statutory out of home care and
Standard Operating Procedure – Add the guardian as a contact.
4.15 Bank account details
Bank account details of the listed child representative on the System are required for any
participant where part or all of their NDIS funding is being self-managed.
Refer to the Standard Operating Procedure – Collect and update bank account details for
further information.
4.16 Unable to complete pre-planning
If the participant’s child representatives are unable to engage in pre-planning, you should
explore options to overcome any barriers. For example, alternative meeting venues, times or
engaging other informal, community or mainstream supports to assist them to progress pre-
planning where appropriate.
If there is a reason the participant’s child representative stil cannot participate in pre-
planning, record this in the Interaction template – Pre-planning titled ‘Unable to complete Pre-
Planning’.
If further attempts have been made to progress pre-planning and you have been unable to
contact the participant’s child representative, follow the process in the Standard Operating
Procedure – Unable to contact the participant.
5. Planning
5.1 Overview
The NDIS funded supports are determined in accordance with the reasonable and necessary
decision making criteria, for further information go to Our Guideline – Reasonable and
necessary supports.
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In early childhood, you must also consider the best practice principles in early childhood
intervention, which are highlighted in Our Guideline – Early childhood approach. The Would
we fund it guides explain how we make decisions about commonly requested items. These
guides can be used to support your conversations with families, to explain what the NDIS will
and wil not typically fund. The early childhood approach does not base funding in plans for
participants younger than 7 on typical support package (TSP) generated through the Guided
Planning Questions. Instead refer to the Guide.
Note: For support to develop and approve plans for participants who are 7 or older please
refer to the intranet page on planning including the Practice Guide - Understanding Therapy
Supports
5.2 Supports in the Capacity Building (CB) budget for participants
younger than 7
Funding in the Capacity Building budget in plans for participants younger than 7, is typically
included in the Improved Daily Living Skil s support category. Inclusion of funding in other
Capacity Building support categories, should only be done under exceptional circumstances
and recorded in the justification comments.
The Capacity Building budget wil be determined based on the participant’s number of high
and medium to low areas of need. The areas of need consider current functioning across the
developmental areas: Physical Development, Cognitive Development, Language and
Communication skil s, Emotional Development, Social Development, Self-Care skills, Hearing
and/or Vision. When determining if an area of need is a
high or
medium to low need,
consider the level of effort required over the course of the plan to support the child’s
development. For example, an area of need that may require regular, frequent and sustained
early intervention supports over the duration of the plan is likely to be a high area of need. A
shorter burst of early intervention support followed by occasional reviews is likely to be a
medium to low area of need.
When one area of need is impacting other areas of need it may be identified as high. For
example, a significant language delay may have further impacts on social and emotional
development, language and communication would therefore be considered a high area and
social and emotional development may be considered as medium to low.
To determine the level of ‘Capacity Building Supports for Early childhood supports - Early
childhood professional’ to be included in the plan, apply the Guide to the identified areas of
need. The Guide will typically provide a level of Capacity Building supports that wil allow
participants to pursue their plan goals. The Capacity Building justification for reasonable and
necessary supports wil be recorded in the justification comments.
Funding under Early Childhood Supports – Early Childhood Professional is intended to
provide best practice models of early childhood intervention (ECI) for children younger than
7. ECI is often provided through a key worker who is the main person working alongside the
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family to support the child’s progress. For further information go to Our Guideline – Early
childhood approach.
Intensive level of Capacity Building supports in early childhood
The Guide wil typically provide a level of Capacity Building supports that wil allow
participants younger than 7 and families to pursue their plan goals. In exceptional
circumstances however, an intensive level of Capacity Building support for participants
younger than 7 may be required. The Intensive capacity building supports in early childhood
form (Intensive form) is an internal document for participants younger than 7 which must be
completed for all requests for intensive supports.
A request for an intensive level of Capacity Building support is where the requested level of
Capacity Building support for participants younger than 7 is greater than the ‘severe and
profound’ level in the Guide including funding to support natural settings and/or transition to
school. The request must be considered irrespective of the number of high areas of need
identified. For example, if a provider and parent have requested 180 hours of support (this is
above the severe and profound level on the Guide), the request must be considered by
completing the Intensive form.
Where more than one provider is engaged, the requested level of intensive supports refers to
the sum of requests of all the Capacity Building supports across all the providers.
It is important that you look at both the hours and the rates that form part of the request. This
is because some supports, like group or therapy assistance, are likely to be quoted at a
different rate compared to the individual rate for Early Childhood Supports – Early Childhood
Professional. For example, a recommendation for 150 hours of group therapy for 12 months
at $50 per hour, comes to a total of $7500.00, if this is the total that is recommended for
capacity building supports, this falls within the Guide and would not be considered an
intensive level of support.
When should you complete the Intensive form?
You must complete this form for participants younger than 7 when:
• a family or carer request an intensive level of Capacity Building support
• a provider or health professional recommends an intensive level of Capacity
Building support; and/or
• when you believe an intensive level of Capacity Building support is required.
Do not complete the Intensive form where a parent or carer does not want to access the level
of intensive supports (their request fits within the Guide) requested by a provider, a health
professional/s or the early childhood partner. Instead complete the Interaction template –
Pre-planning – Planning Conversation to record a summary of your conversation with the
family or carer during the planning process.
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Do not complete the Intensive form for supports relating to:
• core supports
• disability-related health supports (for further information on disability-related health
supports go to our guidelines).
• assistive technology, or Capacity Building supports related to assistive technology
• behaviour support plans with restrictive practices.
Note: If you are recommending intensive support for a participant with a degenerative
condition, complete the Intensive form
and contact the ECS Partner Practice team via ECS
Partner inbox.
What to consider when completing the Intensive form
The Intensive form is made up of 9 parts. Parts A to C ask you to record participant details,
any available reports and who is making the request. Parts D to E prompt you to consider the
impact of the participant’s disability on daily life, including mainstream participation, to
determine if intensive supports are needed. If intensive supports are needed, Parts F to G
prompt you to consider provider recommendations and other evidence against the
reasonable and necessary criteria. Part H supports you to make a funding recommendation
informed by the provider quote, if it is reasonable and necessary to do so. Part I supports you
to make a funding recommendation based on an alternative method, where provider
recommendations cannot be used.
The Intensive form wil help you to consider the available evidence relating to a request or the
need for an intensive level of support. It is expected that a request and the evidence be
considered against the principles of the early childhood approach, the principles relating to
plans (NDIS Act 2013 s 31), the reasonable and necessary criteria (NDIS Act 2013 s 34) and
the NDIS (Supports for Participants) Rules 2013. The below documents should also be
considered when reviewing a request:
• Autism CRC early intervention report.
• best practice principles in early childhood intervention which underpins the early
childhood approach.
The evidence can come from multiple sources, including but not limited to:
• parent or carer information (for example information gathered during a planning
conversation, parent or carer’s statement),
• information from childcare, preschool and schools,
• providers and other professionals involved with the child (for example
paediatrician).
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When more than one provider is engaged, consider the information that is available from al
providers to address the questions on the Intensive form. Reference the evidence you have
considered in Part B of the intensive form, stating who reported the information (for example
mother’s name, provider’s name) and the date. This information must be uploaded onto the
System, in Inbound Documents for reports or statements and in the case of conversations,
these are recorded as an Interaction using the Interaction template – Pre-planning – Planning
Conversation.
It is important to remember that provider recommendations wil be considered against the
reasonable and necessary criteria. The NDIS plan includes funding for reasonable and
necessary supports to help the family pursue their child’s goals. It is the family’s choice to
engage with their preferred provider(s) which can include accessing specific programs.
Where provider reports are not available and/or evidence is insufficient to meet the
reasonable and necessary criteria
There wil be instances where the answers to Part D of the intensive form demonstrate that
an intensive level of support is required, however, provider reports are not available (Part F
6.1) or there is insufficient evidence to meet the reasonable and necessary criteria (Part F
6.3). This may occur for participants who are yet to receive their first NDIS plan, participants
who are yet to commence early intervention, or if the professional report does not have the
required information.
When this occurs, funding for a 3 month period of intensive support can be included in a 12
month plan. Funding for the remaining 9 months of the plan is built using a pro rata amount
based on the Guide. You can add 9 hours to the plan on the support item Early Childhood
Supports – Early Childhood Professional to allow for an assessment and report to be
completed. This wil enable the family to begin (or continue) with services whilst obtaining the
required evidence to address Part F 6.2. It is not expected that the report wil include
information on outcomes for this period. Appendix 3 provides examples of how to calculate 3
months of intensive supports within a 12 months plan.
It is important to make every effort to gather the necessary evidence before recommending or
approving a plan (12 months) with a 3 month period of intensive supports. If sufficient
evidence can be obtained and 12 months of intensive funding can be considered it will
negate the need for a participant requested plan reassessment.
When the family has gathered the required evidence, they can ask for a plan reassessment if
their situation and support needs have changed since the plan was approved and the plan no
longer meets the participant’s needs. Any new evidence and recommendations wil be
considered to help decide if we approve the plan reassessment.
This is different to the family requesting a review of the decision. A family can ask for an
internal review if they do not agree with the original decision. For example, if the family are
not satisfied with the original decision to include 3 month period of intensive supports within a
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12 month plan. Supporting the family with information to help them select the right review
may prevent any delays in having the review considered.
For further information on participant requested plan reassessment refer to Our Guideline –
Changing your plans and Our Guideline – Reviewing our decisions or use the Choose the
Right Request Tool.
Calculating funding for a level of intensive supports
When you have determined that intensive supports are likely to be required (Part D) and
have considered the information relating to the child’s mainstream participation (Part E) you
wil need to consider the level of Capacity Building support you recommend funding in the
plan. At Part F (6.1 or 6.3), you have already determined whether in a 12 month plan the
intensive supports wil be funded for a 3 month period or up to the 12 months. The next step
is to determine whether you wil be basing your funding recommendation for intensive
supports, on provider recommendations or you wil be using an alternative method.
When provider report(s) are available and they include recommendations for funded supports
it is important to consider each of the provider recommendations and evaluate them against
the reasonable and necessary criteria (Part G). Based on your evaluation, if there are no
significant reasonable and necessary concerns identified, the provider recommendations may
be used to inform your funding recommendation at Part H.
This can also include making minor adjustments to the provider recommendation to ensure it
meets all the reasonable and necessary criteria. For example, minor adjustments to
represent value for money (NDIS Act 2013 s 34(c)) can include:
• removing recommended hours for provider travel (not including remote MMM6, very
remote MMM7)
• accepting the recommended hours, but applying NDIS rate
• adjusting a 52 week recommendation to 48 weeks (or for 3 months)
• adjusting provider recommendations for report writing to 2-6 hours, to allow for a
progress report to be completed for a plan reassessment.
When using provider recommendations to inform your funding recommendations, do not
include additional funding based on the Guide for the period of the plan that is at an intensive
level.
If provider reports are not available (Part F 6.1), or the provider recommendations are not
likely to meet the reasonable and necessary criteria after any minor adjustments are
considered (Part G), your funding recommendation in the plan wil be based on an alternative
method (Part I). Refer to Appendix 3 to calculate a level of intensive Capacity Building
supports using an alternative method that is not based on a provider recommendation.
However, the alternative method should not be used when the required supports are
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intensive, for shorter bursts of time (for example, sometimes seen in recommendations for
supports for children with physical disabilities) or when the alternative method comes to a
total amount that is greater than the provider’s recommendations. Instead an individualised
approach wil be required, and your recommendation is included at Part I. For further
assistance speak to your team leader or contact the ECS Branch.
Al funding for intensive supports must be entered on the System as a funded support
category ‘Daily Activities’ using the support item Early Childhood Supports – Early Childhood
Professional’. If you are using the provider recommendation to inform your calculations, be
sure to convert any hours that are typically funded at lower rate (for example: therapy
assistant hours, group therapy hours) to the equivalent hours before placing your
recommendation on the support item Early Childhood Supports – Early Childhood
Professional.
The completed Intensive form should be referenced in the justification comments – Capacity
Building in the Review and Submit Draft Plan tab on the System and within the Interaction
‘Early childhood Plan Submitted For Approval’ on the System. The Intensive form should also
be attached in the System in Inbound Documents.
Complete an Interaction for Early childhood – declined supports if you are recommending
less than what was requested by the family or carer. For example, when you have adjusted
the provider quote, or when you are recommending 3 months of intensive supports within a
12 month plan.
Add an alert to the System when 3 months of intensive supports are funded in a 12 month
plan. For example – ‘Funding for a 3 mth period of intensive CB support has been included
within a 12 mth plan for an assessment and report. Contact <partner org> once this is
available. Refer to interaction number <xx>.
Support coordination
Funding for support coordination is generally not included in plans for participants younger
than 7.Support coordination is likely to be considered reasonable and necessary for children
who:
• live in remote and very remote areas and any other non-partner areas
• are supported by NDIA staff due to complexity of planning
https://intranet.ndiastaff.ndia.gov.au/service-delivery/Pages/Planning.aspxas the
National Delivery role does not cover additional implementation support.
There may be other circumstances where the level of support the participant’s family or carer
needs to implement their child’s plan is above what the early childhood partner and service
provider (i.e their key worker) can provide. In these circumstances funding for support
coordination may be required.
For example:
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• The support a participant requires involves significant interface between numerous
services (such as the NDIS, child protection services and health services) and it is
evident that support coordination is required in addition to the support that would be
expected of the partner and the provider.
• It has been recommended by the early childhood partner that increased monitoring
and support is required due to identified risks and/or significant underutilisation of
plans.
• Where a family requires culturally safe coordination of supports that responds to
their cultural identity and language diversity, to support their engagement.
• Where there are barriers to accessing and coordinating supports for the participant
which are related to a parent’s health or disability needs.
• Where a combination of complex support needs has been identified.
When support coordination is being recommended, it is important to consider all the available
evidence to determine whether the support is needed and what level of support may be
reasonable and necessary.
When support coordination is funded in a child’s plan, it is beneficial for early childhood
partners to continue to check in during the plan period to ensure the child and their family are
well supported.
Support coordination may not be required on an ongoing basis and the need for the support
should be reviewed at plan reassessment. The level of support required wil depend on the
child and family’s individual circumstances. This should be clearly outlined and justified within
the system to reflect the barriers and individual support needs for the child and family.
Note: Involvement with child protection alone is not sufficient justification to include support
coordination in a child’s plan. Principles of family centred practice suggest that additional
‘professionals’ involved in a family’s life can have other negative consequences for family
functioning and wellbeing.
For further information refer to the Practice Guide – Children living in statutory out of home
care. Additionally, refer to the Standard Operating Procedure – Include support coordination
in a plan which should be used when considering support coordination funding in a plan for
participants of all ages.
Specialist behaviour support
Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) providers are likely to provide positive behaviour support
as part of Capacity Building supports for early childhood for example, for emotional
regulation. However, if regulated restrictive
practices are identified as being considered or
indicated, they must only be used as part of a behaviour support plan developed by, or under
the direct supervision of, a behaviour support specialist who is recognised as being suitable
by the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. Behavioural support intervention in the
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context of restrictive practices requires funding under the support category Improved
Relationships. The early childhood approach recognises that collaborative and coordinated
teamwork is an essential best practice for ECI therefore the behaviour support specialist can
operate within the key worker model, or any collaborative model, as part of the team around
the child to reduce and eliminate the use of restrictive practices. The ECI sector needs to
embed a clear commitment to the reduction and elimination of restrictive practices as per the
National Framework for Reducing and Eliminating the Use of Restrictive Practices in the
Disability Service Sector.
As a child’s behaviour support needs can be met through early childhood intervention, only in
exceptional circumstances would specialist behavioural intervention support be required
within early childhood intervention and this would usual y be due to an identified restrictive
practice. In cases where there is sufficient evidence to support the need for specialist
behavioural intervention support, plan developers should apply the guidance in the Practice
Guide – Positive behaviour support and behaviours of concern and the Standard Operating
Procedure – Behaviour intervention supports.
Under the NDIS (Restrictive Practices and Behaviour Support) Rules 2018, restrictive
practices are subject to regulation. Restrictive practices can only be used based on an
assessment of behaviour with the appropriate authorisation from the relevant state or territory
and where it is part of a Behaviour Support Plan that has been developed by a registered
behaviour support specialist.
If there is the use of restrictive practices or restrictive practices are indicated or being
considered, you must make a referral for advice to the Technical Advisory Branch (TAB) via
the TAPS. The referral must take place prior to inclusion or exclusion of funding related to
restrictive practice in the participant’s NDIS plan. Refer to the TAB mandatory referrals page
for more information.
5.3 Supports in the Core budget
Core supports assist a participant to manage aspects of their daily living such as self-care
and support to sustain informal support (respite).
There are four Core support categories:
•
Consumables: this may include continence products (generally for participants five
years and older) or for children who, for example, require Disability-related health
supports, Auslan support or low cost AT. For further information refer to Our
Guideline- Continence supports or relevant Would we fund it guide.
•
Daily Activities: this may include assistance with self-care and support to sustain
informal support.
•
Social, Community and Civic Participation: this may include individual and group
based community, social and recreational activity participation.
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•
Transport: this may include in-kind student transport. For further information refer
to the Practice Guide – In-kind.
When recommending Core supports you should ensure the level of support meets the
reasonable and necessary criteria as appropriate to the participant’s circumstances and
capture this information in the justification comments – Core. This involves considering
typical parental responsibility for a young child and the supports available through community
and mainstream services, for example through early childhood and education services. For
plan reassessments, you should also consider how the family’s capacity has built over the
previous plan period and current support needs. Refer to Standard Operating Procedure –
Review and submit plan for approval for example justification comments.
Information detailing the child’s participation in community and mainstream settings and the
times of the day where support above typical parental responsibility is required, needs to be
clearly outlined in the justification comments – Core. You wil need to provide clear
calculation of the amount of hour/s per day and how many day/s per week additional support
is required within the justification comments – Core. It is recommended that this information
is captured in a timetable where there are complex support needs for a child or family. You
may use the timetable template provided in the planning note pad. When using a timetable,
refer to the document with the timetable in your justification comments – Core and attach it to
Inbound documents.
The informal support provided by parents and carers, siblings and other family members is
vitally important to children. Typically the supports provided to children for support with daily
activities and community access is provided by family or carers. Some children also receive
support from mainstream services such as childcare. Where participants younger than 7
require a level of support with daily activities significantly beyond the level usually required for
children of the same age, funded supports in the plan may be required. This support however
is not intended to replace the usual care and supervision provided by family or informal
carers or what is available through community and mainstream services.
Where there are considerations for including support in a plan to assist in sustaining informal
supports an understanding of a participant’s overall support needs is required. This includes
identifying the range of informal supports which are available and what is needed so they can
be sustained.
The following considerations should always be described in the justification comments – Core
when recommending Core funding in a plan under any of the following five scenarios:
Sustaining informal supports (respite) overview
Consider:
• The impact of the participant’s developmental delay or disability on the level of
support required for daily activities. Is support required which is significantly above
what would generally be considered typical family responsibility for children of a
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similar age? If yes, please describe including the times of the day and pressure
points.
• Who are the participant’s informal supports including the primary carer(s)?
• Is there a goal related to the support which is being considered? It is important that
any justification for funding recommendations show how the funding wil support a
plan goal. Are there any changes or fluctuations that may occur during the course of
the plan which wil affect required funding? For example, is an interim period of
funded support required while other supports such as assistive technology or
behavioural management strategies are being put into place or assistive technology
accessed?
Support required with daily routines such as completing personal care
Where a participant requires support with personal care activities significantly beyond what is
usually required for children of the same age, the family may require support so they can
sustain the care they provide to the participant.
A weekly timetable (refer to the planning note pad), can help to evidence the participant and
family routine, highlighting where the pressure points are during the week. Additional points
which should be considered are listed below and can be demonstrated in the weekly
timetable:
• Does the participant have personal care support needs, significantly above similar
age children, for example complex feeding support needs, manual handling?
• What are the tasks that require support, how long do they take and how frequently
is the support required?
• Who is in the family home when the support is required e.g. one parent or carer,
both parents or carers, extended family?
• Are there simultaneous caring demands on parents or carers for other family
members? If yes, describe?
• Are there particular pressure points during the week where support is required?
• Does the support that wil be funded through the Capacity Building budget also
provide support with the participant’s personal care needs? For example, therapy
assistance.
• Are there any changes which are likely to occur during the course of the NDIS plan?
For example, an assistive technology assessment is pending which wil lead to
assistive technology support for manual handling and may result in a reduction in
the need for Core funding.
• Are there any other considerations?
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If support for personal care is required you should demonstrate clear calculations for specific
number of hours to include as a subtotal.
Support required so parents or carers have time to attend to daily tasks
Where a participant’s needs related to their developmental delay or disability is significantly
impacting on the parent or carers’ ability to complete daily tasks (for example, parents or
carers attending to their own appointments) additional points which should be addressed are:
• What are the parent or carers’ daily tasks that are impacted by the participant’s
needs? What are the frequency and duration of these activities?
• Does the participant attend childcare, kindergarten or school? If so, can the
participant’s parents or carers attend to daily tasks during this time?
• If the participant does not attend mainstream activities such as childcare, kinder or
school are they able to? If not, include information noting, support can only be
considered if the barriers relate to the participant’s developmental delay or
disability.
• Can a typical babysitter or mainstream support provide the support? If not, are the
barriers to accessing supports related to the participant’s developmental delay or
disability?
• Can the parent or carer carry out daily tasks whilst another informal support (for
example second parent or carer, grandparent) is caring for the participant?
• Are there any other considerations?
If support is required to support primary carers to attend to daily tasks you should
demonstrate clear calculations for specific number of hours to include as a subtotal.
Support for parents or carers to attend to other responsibilities such as siblings needs
Where a participant’s needs related to their developmental delay or disability is significantly
impacting on parent or carers’ ability to attend to siblings needs (for example, parents or
carers are unable to take a sibling to sporting activities) additional points which should be
addressed are:
• What are the participant’s parent or carers caring responsibilities in addition to
caring for the participant?
• What are the siblings (or other family members) needs or activities that are being
impacted? Please include frequency and duration of activities.
• Is support required to support an event which is not typical of the weekly routine, for
instance, parent or carer attending sibling’s graduation?
• Can the parent or carers attend to the participant’s sibling’s needs whilst the
participant is present (for example, activities at home or community activities which
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parent or carer usually attends with siblings such as sporting games)? If not, what
are the barriers?
• Can informal supports provide the required support? For example, can one primary
carer or extended family member provide support whilst the other is attending to
sibling’s needs?
• Can a typical babysitter or mainstream support provide the support? If not, are the
barriers to accessing supports related to the participant’s developmental delay or
disability?
• Can the sibling’s activity be completed at the time the participant is engaged in
mainstream activity such as childcare, kinder or school?
• Are there other considerations?
If support is required to support primary carers to attend to other caring responsibilities you
should demonstrate clear calculations for specific number of hours to include as a subtotal.
For example, consider whether a sibling’s activity is based on school term rather than every
week of the year.
Support for parents or carers to sustain their caring role by having a break from caring
for the participant
Where a participant’s needs related to their developmental delay or disability is significantly
impacting on the ability to have a break from caring for the participant additional points which
should be addressed are:
• Can support be provided by other informal supports for example extended family or
friends? If not, include the barriers.
• Is the participant able to be cared for by a typical babysitter? If not, what are the
barriers?
• If the support requested is for parents or carers to spend time together or to attend
social events consider the time and frequency parents or carers with a young child
typically spend together without the child. For example, it may be considered typical
for parents or carers to be able to go out without the child up to 4 times per year.
• Are there any other considerations?
If support is required to support parents or carers to have a break from caring for the
participant, you should demonstrate clear calculations for specific number of hours to include
as a subtotal.
Core budget flexibility
There is capacity to make the Core support categories Consumables
, Daily Activities and
Social, Community and Civic Participation flexible. This means that they can be set up so that
funding from one Core category (such as Daily Activities) can be used to purchase supports
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from another Core category (for example Consumables) that have the same fund
management type (such as Agency Managed).
Although Core funds can be set up to be used flexibly, it is important that the participant’s
family and carers understand that the Core funding can only be used to purchase reasonable
and necessary supports in line with the plan’s objectives. In a plan for a participant younger
than 7, typically this flexibility is not required because the funding in each category is
determined at the time of planning based on participant’s needs and goals.
5.4 Supports in Capital budget
Capital supports assist a participant to increase independence and participation in a range of
different environments, such as their home and community. It may be identified through the
planning conversation that assistive technology and/or home modifications are required to
meet the participant’s needs. This information wil need to be captured in the justification
comments – Capital.
Unlike the Core support budget, Capital support categories are
not flexible between assistive
technology and home modifications.
Note: Capital support items must not be added to a plan (even if they are quote required)
unless there is sufficient evidence that the assistive technology meets reasonable and
necessary criteria.
Assistive Technology
Includes equipment for mobility, personal care, communication and recreational inclusion
such as wheelchairs, pressure mattresses, standing frames, bathing and toileting equipment,
personal readers and vision equipment, hearing devices and vehicle modifications. For
further information refer to Our Guidelines – Assistive technology.
Home modifications
Includes interior and exterior home modifications, consultation and project management.
For
further information on including funding for home modifications within a plan, refer to the
Standard Operating Procedure – Include minor home modification supports in plans or
Standard Operating Procedure – Include complex home modification supports in plans.
5.5 Linking goals to supports
When entering funding into a support category in the System, the related goal(s) need to be
selected. This is because a participant can only receive funded supports if the supports wil
assist the participant to pursue the goals included in the participant’s statement, NDIS Act
2013 (s.34 (1) (a)). An important part of successful plan implementation is ensuring the
participant’s family and carers understand the way the plan is intended to support the
participant to pursue the plan goals.
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Justification for Reasonable and Necessary Supports
Justification comments must be recorded before the plan can be submitted for approval. Plan
developers and delegates are responsible for providing adequate and succinct justification
comments. It is best practice to include the following information:
• succinct summary of the child context and impact of disability or developmental
delay
• description of the support and reasons for including it in the plan
• how the proposed support enables the participant to pursue goals
• how the proposed support meets the reasonable and necessary criteria
• any relevant supporting evidence to support the inclusion of proposed supports.
For best practice examples as well as templates of the justification comments, refer to the
Standard Operating Procedure – Review and submit plan for approval.
5.5.2 Supports not recommended
During the planning conversation you may determine that supports requested by the family or
carer:
• would not be funded by the NDIS, or
• would not be considered reasonable and necessary to fund, or
• would be recommended to fund at a level lower than what was requested by the
family or carer.
Where you are not recommending supports be included in the plan, there must be a clear
outline of what supports the family or carer requested, and your reasons for not
recommending those support. If you are recommending a level of support lower than the
level requested by the family or carer, there must also be a clear outline of your reasoning for
this. Supports not recommended should be documented in the Interaction template –
Planning – Early childhood declined supports.
If a request for support was made by the participant’s early childhood provider, however not
requested by the family or carer this should be documented in the Interaction template – Pre-
planning – Planning conversation. A declined supports interaction is not required if the family
or carer has not requested a support.
5.6 Review and submit plan for approval
You wil need to review and progress the draft plan for approval. To progress a plan for
approval refer to the Standard Operating Procedure – Review and submit plan for approval.
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Once the plan is ready for approval complete the interaction to record information for the
delegate to consider prior to approval in Interaction template – Planning – Early childhood
plan submitted for approval.
6. Finalise and approve plan
This task is completed by a delegate and involves determining if the proposed plan meets the
reasonable and necessary criteria under s.34 of the NDIS Act 2013. The delegate will review
and consider information within the System such as:
• Planning conversation interaction
• Participant streaming
• Severity tools (including the PEDI-CAT)
• Participant Statement, including plan goals
• Informal and community/mainstream supports
• Outcomes Questionnaire and Family Questionnaire
• Guided Planning Questions
• Risk assessment, including plan duration
• Plan management
• Relevant inbound documents e.g. assessment reports
• Justification comments are recorded in the Review and submit draft plan tab on the
System.
If the delegate believes the funded supports in the plan may not meet the reasonable and
necessary criteria, they should have a conversation with the plan developer (usually the early
childhood partner). This conversation wil allow the delegate to determine if there is further
information available to assist them to make a reasonable and necessary decision. Refer to
the Standard Operating Procedure – Undertake the plan alignment meeting for further
information.
Following the conversation the delegate may determine that the supports in the plan meets
the reasonable and necessary criteria. If not, they may modify the funded supports and
include a justification and document supports not approved in the Early childhood declined
supports Interaction. The plan, including the plan management decision should then be
finalised. The date the delegate approves the plan is the date the plan comes into effect.
Once a plan is approved, the NDIA must provide a copy of the plan to the participant’s child
representative within seven days of the plan coming into effect. A participant’s approved plan
can be provided in alternate accessible formats. This provision is satisfied by the plan being
sent to the participant’s child representative or by being able to view it in the participant
portal.
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s47E(d) - certain operations of agencies
10. Supporting material
• NDIS Act 2013
• National Framework for Reducing and Eliminating the Use of Restrictive Practices
in the Disability Service Sector
• NDIS (Restrictive Practices and Behaviour Support) Rules 2018
• NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission
• NDIS Rules 2013, 2014 and 2016
• Our Guideline – Early childhood approach
• Our Guideline – Mainstream and community supports overview
• Our Guideline – Creating your plan
• Our Guideline – Reasonable and necessary supports.
• Our Guideline – Reviewing our decisions
• Our Guideline – Changing your plan
• Our Guideline – Assistive technology
• Our Guideline – Child representatives
• Our Guidlines – Continence supports
• Practice Guide – Children living in statutory out of home care
• Practice Guide - Understanding Therapy Supports
• Practice Guide – Positive behaviour support and behaviours of concern
• Practice Guide – Early Childhood – Supports for children who have a permanent
hearing loss (including children who are deaf)
• Choose the Right Request Tool
• Standard Operating Procedure – Add the guardian as a contact
• Standard Operating Procedure – Behaviour intervention supports
• Standard Operating Procedure – Complete the determine plan management task
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• Standard Operating procedure – Complete the guided planning questions
• Standard Operating Procedure – Complete the participant statement
• Standard Operating Procedure - Complete risk assessment
• Standard Operating Procedure – Add, check or change a My NDIS contact
• Standard Operating Procedure – Determine or revoke a child representative
• Standard Operating Procedure – Determine the funded supports in early childhood
• Standard Operating Procedure – Finalise and approve a plan
• Standard Operating Procedure – Include minor home modification supports in plans
• Standard Operating Procedure – Include complex home modification supports in
plans
• Standard Operating Procedure – Record informal, community and mainstream
supports
• Standard Operating Procedure – Manage inbound documents
• Standard Operating Procedure – Review and submit plan for approval
• Standard Operating Procedure – Unable to contact the participant
• Standard Operating Procedure – Update participant details
• Standard Operating Procedure – Update participant streaming
• Standard Operating Procedure – Complete the update the outcomes questionnaire
task
• Standard Operating Procedure – Collect and update bank account details
• Standard Operating Procedure – Include support coordination in a plan
• Standard Operating Procedure – Undertake the plan alignment meeting
• Interaction templates – Pre-planning
• Interaction templates – Planning
• NDIS early childhood booklet
• Evidence of developmental delay form
• Early childhood planning note pad
• Intensive capacity building supports in early childhood form (Intensive form)
• Cerebral Palsy Severity Tool
• Would we fund it
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• Pricing arrangements
• NDIS Support Catalogue rates
• Autism CRC early intervention report
• Best practice principles in early childhood intervention
11. Feedback
If you have any feedback about this Practice Guide please complete the ECS Branch
feedback form.
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9.0
LKM022
Class 2 Approval
APPROVED
2022-07-08
Update SOP and OG links and
remove continence supports
example
Updates to reflect changes in
price guide
9.5
LJ0007
Class 1 Approval
APPROVED
2022-08-09
10.0
FC0007
Class 1 approval
APPROVED
2022-12-20
11.0
LKM022
Class 2- Update to support
APPROVED
2023-02-06
coordination section and other
CI
11.1
IIW664
Class 1 Approval
APPROVED
2023-02-28
12.0
FC0007
Class 1 Approval - Age range APPROVED
2023-05-11
updates
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