The NDIS Guide for Parents and Carers
A warm, plain-English NDIS guide for parents and carers: applying on someone's behalf, planning meetings, managing supports and looking after yourself.
When you support someone else's NDIS journey, a lot lands on your shoulders — the paperwork, the meetings, the decisions, and the worry that you might miss something. This guide walks you through the whole picture in plain language, from applying on someone's behalf to managing supports and caring for yourself. Take it one section at a time; there is no need to absorb it all today.
What changes when you're the person beside them
Applying and acting on their behalf
Planning meetings and reassessments
Choosing and managing the supports
Looking after yourself and planning ahead
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to be a nominee to help someone with their NDIS?
No. Most carers help informally — collecting reports, joining meetings and organising supports — without any formal role. A nominee or child representative is only needed when someone cannot manage certain NDIS dealings themselves and a recognised decision-maker is required.
Can I attend my adult child's planning meeting?
Yes, if they want you there. An adult participant can invite anyone they trust — a family member, friend, advocate or support coordinator — to a planning meeting or reassessment. The participant remains at the centre, and their views guide the plan.
What's the difference between the three budgets?
Core covers everyday supports and activities, Capacity Building funds skills and independence like therapy and coordination, and Capital covers equipment, assistive technology and home or vehicle modifications. Most flexibility sits within Core; the others are more specific.
Where do I get free help to navigate the NDIS?
Local Area Coordinators and Early Childhood partners help families for free, and independent advocates can support you at meetings. Support coordinators, when funded in a plan, help connect and manage supports. Start with your LAC or the person's Early Childhood partner.
Is family care counted against a person's funding?
Family help is valued as an informal support and is not there to penalise you. The agency does consider what support is reasonably available, but it also weighs whether that care is sustainable. Our informal supports guide explains this balance in detail.