A support coordinator is another person you might have contact with as part of your work with young people and the NDIS.
The support coordinator’s role includes:
-
Connection: assisting the young person to develop knowledge, experience and connections with the community and broader systems of support.
-
Support Design: working with participant to understand plan funding and its purpose. The Support Coordinator will understand the young person’s confidence and skills and help them work out what they want from services. They will obtain support services to meet the young person’s goals.
-
Establish Supports: assisting the young person to identify and think about support options and link them to additional supports, such as professionals or other family and friends. Where practical the support coordinator will create an action plan to assist the young person to put their plan in place.
For example, if a young person needs physiotherapy, a support coordinator would be the one to get in touch with the young person’s physiotherapist of choice to enrol them. -
Crisis: Assisting the young person during times of crisis and developing capacity and resilience in the participant's network.
-
Coach: Coaching the young person through challenges that come up. They help the young person prepare for the review of their plan and report on the progress of their goals.
The role of a support coordinator is unique and distinct from other allied health professionals such as speech pathologists, General Practitioners and psychologists.
Your role in a young person’s NDIS application process is related to your profession.
However, while some young people who are accessing the NDIS will have a support coordinator, others will not. In these cases, you should refer the young person to their LAC, who will be able to assist them in a similar way.