Child Representative application

Become the person who acts for a child under 18 in their NDIS matters.

Who fills it in

A parent, or a person with parental responsibility for the child (a child can have more than one representative).

When you’d use it

When a child under 18 is a participant and an adult needs to make decisions and deal with the NDIA on their behalf.

How to submit it

If you have parental responsibility, you’re usually recognised as the child representative. If you don’t, contact the NDIS on 1800 800 110 and they’ll send you a form to complete — one for each person applying.

What the Child Representative application is

A Child Representative application lets an adult be recognised to act for a child under 18 who is an NDIS participant. A child representative makes decisions and deals with the NDIA on the child's behalf, from creating and managing the plan to using funding and communicating with the agency.

Because young children cannot manage their own NDIS matters, the child representative role makes sure a trusted adult can act for them. A child can have more than one representative, so responsibilities can be shared between people who care for the child.

What it does

Being a child representative gives you authority to act for the child across their NDIS journey. That includes taking part in planning, making decisions about supports, and handling day-to-day dealings with the NDIA.

The role carries responsibility. Decisions must be made in the child's best interests, and as the child grows and is able to share their own views, those views should be taken into account. It is about acting for the child, not simply instead of them.

Who needs to use it

It is for a parent or a person who has parental responsibility for a child under 18. Parental responsibility includes a parent, a person named in a parenting order, or a legal guardian.

If you have parental responsibility, you are usually recognised as a child representative automatically, so you may not need to apply. The application is mainly for people who do not have parental responsibility but still need to act for the child.

When and how to use it

Use the process when you need to be recognised to act for a child and are not automatically recognised. If you have parental responsibility, recognition usually happens without a separate form. If you do not, you contact the NDIS on 1800 800 110 and they will send you a form to complete.

Each person applying to be a child representative completes their own form, so if two people want to be recognised, each submits one. Once recognised, you can begin acting for the child, always keeping their best interests and, over time, their own views at the centre of your decisions.

About the Child Representative application

What does a child representative do?
A child representative acts for a child under 18 who is an NDIS participant. They make decisions and deal with the NDIA on the child's behalf, including taking part in planning, managing the plan and using funding. Decisions must be made in the child's best interests, and the child's own views are considered as they grow older.
Am I automatically a child representative?
If you have parental responsibility for the child, you are usually recognised as a child representative automatically, so you may not need to apply. If you do not have parental responsibility, you will need to contact the NDIS on 1800 800 110, and they will send you a form to complete so you can be recognised.
Who has parental responsibility?
Parental responsibility includes a parent of the child, a person named in a parenting order, or a person who is the child's legal guardian. If you fall into one of these categories, you generally have parental responsibility and are usually recognised as a child representative automatically for NDIS purposes.
Can a child have more than one representative?
Yes. A child can have more than one child representative, so responsibilities can be shared between people who care for the child. Each person who wants to be recognised completes their own application form. This allows, for example, two parents or carers to both act for the child in their NDIS matters.
How do I apply to become a child representative?
If you do not have parental responsibility, contact the NDIS on 1800 800 110 and they will send you a form. Complete one form per applicant, so each person seeking recognition submits their own. Once recognised, you can act for the child, keeping their best interests, and increasingly their own views, at the centre of decisions.

Explore more NDIS resources

Official NDIS sources

Novida is an independent directory, not the NDIA. We explain each form in plain English and link you to the official copy — always download and submit the current version from the official website, as forms are updated from time to time.