Working With LACs and NDIA Planners: The Support Coordinator Relationship
How to build a support coordinator LAC relationship the ethical way — neutrality rules, referral flow, reports planners trust, and what 2028 commissioning cha
Who's who: LAC, NDIA planner, and early childhood partner
Why the relationship matters to your practice
The neutrality line LACs and planners cannot cross
How referrals actually flow
How to build the relationship ethically
Reports that make a planner's job easier
Working the reassessment cycle
How this plays out in practice
Common mistakes that damage the relationship
What commissioning changes from 2028
A quarterly cadence you can actually keep
Frequently asked questions
Can an LAC recommend me to a participant?
Not by name. LACs must stay provider-neutral, so they can only offer options — a list of local coordinators, the Provider Finder, or general information — and the participant chooses. The realistic goal is to be one of several names on that list, which you earn through reliability and reputation, not by asking to be singled out.
What's the difference between an LAC and an NDIA planner?
A planner (NDIA delegate) makes the funding decision — approving budgets and the support coordination line and signing off reassessments. An LAC works for a contracted Partners in the Community organisation and is the community-facing link who runs plan development for many participants and check-ins for those without funded coordination. Complex participants are often handled directly by NDIA planners.
How do I get on an LAC's referral list?
Register your interest with the PITC organisations in your region, keep an accurate Provider Finder listing, attend their provider information sessions, and respond fast to every Request for Service. Then deliver exactly what you promise — an LAC keeps listing coordinators whose work reflects well on them.
Will LAC relationships still matter after the 2028 commissioning reform?
Yes, but with a shelf life. Support coordination is slated to move to a commissioned panel from 1 July 2028, replacing the open-market referral model. Keep building these relationships for your pipeline now, but watch the commissioning design consultation in H2 2026 and the Senate inquiry closely, since that is where future eligibility will be set. Verify dates against health.gov.au/securingtheNDIS.
Can I give an LAC a gift to thank them for referrals?
No. Gifts, meals, commissions or reciprocal referral deals are inducements and a conflict of interest under the NDIS Code of Conduct — for you and for them. The only ethical thanks is doing excellent, on-time work that makes the participant's outcome and the LAC's judgement look good.