NDIS Practice Standards

The quality and safety benchmarks registered providers must meet.

What it means

The NDIS Practice Standards are the quality and safety benchmarks that registered NDIS providers must meet. They set out what good, safe support looks like, so that people using NDIS services can expect a consistent standard of care and respect.

The Standards cover a range of areas, including participant rights, the way a provider is governed and run, and how services are delivered day to day. For some kinds of supports, there are additional specialist requirements that reflect the higher level of care those services need. Together, the Standards describe the outcomes providers are expected to achieve for the people they support.

In practice

Registered providers are audited against the NDIS Practice Standards by approved quality auditors as part of becoming and staying registered. During an audit, the auditor looks at how the provider works, including its policies, records and the experiences of the people it supports, to check whether it is meeting the Standards.

For you as a participant, the Practice Standards are a sign of what you can expect from a registered provider, such as being treated with dignity, having your choices respected and receiving safe, well-organised support. If a provider is not meeting these expectations, you can raise concerns with the provider directly or with the NDIS Commission. The Standards give both providers and participants a shared understanding of what quality support should look like.

A real example

For example, when Aisha was choosing a new registered provider, she asked how they met the NDIS Practice Standards around participant rights. The provider explained how they involved her in decisions and kept her information private. This gave Aisha confidence that the service would treat her with respect and deliver support safely.

NDIS Practice Standards — FAQs

What are the NDIS Practice Standards?
The NDIS Practice Standards are the quality and safety benchmarks that registered NDIS providers must meet. They cover areas such as participant rights, provider governance, service delivery and, for some supports, specialist requirements. The Standards describe the outcomes providers should achieve, giving participants a clear idea of the quality and safety they can expect from a registered provider.
Which providers have to meet the Standards?
Registered NDIS providers must meet the Practice Standards as part of their registration. They are audited against the Standards by approved quality auditors. Some providers deliver supports that carry additional specialist requirements, and they must meet those too. The Standards help ensure that registered providers deliver support that is safe, respectful and well organised.
How are providers checked against the Standards?
Registered providers are audited by approved quality auditors as part of becoming and staying registered. During an audit, the auditor examines how the provider operates, including its policies, records and the experiences of the people it supports, to check whether it is meeting the Practice Standards. This process helps hold providers accountable for the quality and safety of their services.
What areas do the Standards cover?
The Practice Standards cover areas including participant rights, provider governance and operations, and how services are delivered. For some types of support, there are additional specialist requirements reflecting the higher level of care needed. Together these areas set out what safe, good-quality support should look like and the outcomes providers are expected to achieve for the people they support.
What can I do if a provider is not meeting the Standards?
If you feel a registered provider is not meeting the Practice Standards, you can raise your concerns with the provider directly. If that does not resolve things, or you feel unsafe, you can contact the NDIS Commission, which handles complaints about the quality and safety of supports. You can raise concerns yourself or with the help of someone you trust.

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