The planning meeting is the conversation that decides what your NDIS plan will fund for the next year. It usually runs for one to two hours. It happens with a planner from the NDIA, a Local Area Coordinator, or an Early Childhood Partner.
Some people walk out feeling great. Others walk out wishing they had said more. The difference, mostly, is prep.
Here is how to walk in ready.
A week before the meeting
Read your current plan, if you have one. Note the parts that worked and the parts that did not. Were the hours right? Did you use all the funding? Did anything get refused last time?
Write a “typical week” diary for three days. Track the help you needed, the time it took, and the impact on your day. Do not edit it. The real picture matters more than a polished one.
Pull together evidence. Letters from your GP, OT, physio, or psychologist. Reports from your school, employer, or therapist. Anything that shows how your disability affects daily life.
Think about your goals. Goals are the heart of an NDIS plan. They do not have to be huge. “Cook three meals at home each week.” “Get to the gym twice a week with support.” “Catch the bus to work alone by the end of the plan.”
The night before
Put everything in one bag or folder:
- Photo ID
- Your NDIS access letter or the letter inviting you to the meeting
- Your current plan
- Evidence letters and reports
- The “typical week” notes
- A list of your goals
- A list of supports you want funded
- A short list of providers you already use or want to use
If the meeting is over the phone or video, set up a quiet spot, charge your devices, and make sure you have water nearby.
At the meeting
The planner will ask about your daily life, your disability, your supports, and your goals. They will write notes. You will not see your final plan that day. It usually arrives a few weeks later.
A few tips that help in the room:
Tell the whole truth, not just your good days. Many participants understate their support needs because they do not want to seem helpless. The planner needs the full picture to fund the right plan. Talk about the hard days.
Use your goals as a roadmap. When you talk about a support, tie it back to a goal. “I want a support worker for shopping because my goal is to learn to budget and shop independently.” Linking the two makes funding easier to approve.
Take a support person. Bring a family member, advocate, or current provider. Two heads catch more than one.
Ask the planner to repeat anything you do not follow. It is their job to make sure you understand.
Take notes. Or ask your support person to take them. Write down anything you forgot to mention so you can follow up by email.
After the meeting
The NDIA will draft your plan and post or email it to you in a few weeks. When it arrives:
- Read it carefully
- Check that the funding matches what you discussed
- Check the goals are written as agreed
- Check the plan management type is what you asked for
If something is wrong, you can ask for a plan review. The Code of Conduct gives you the right to be heard. Do not stay quiet to be polite.
What to do if your plan feels short
A plan that does not feel right is not the end of the road. You have options:
- Ring the NDIA on 1800 800 110 and ask for a plan review
- Submit a request to change your plan within three months of receiving it
- Get help from an advocate or a support coordinator
- Provide extra evidence if you missed sharing something at the meeting
Plans get adjusted regularly. A first plan is rarely perfect.
A short script for the awkward bit
Stuck on how to talk about your support needs? Try this opening:
> On a good day I can do X. On a hard day, even X is difficult. I need help with Y because Z.
It is direct, specific, and honest. Planners can fund what they understand.
The bottom line
Your planning meeting is not a test. It is a conversation where the more detail you bring, the more accurate your plan will be. Prep makes the conversation easier, and a fair plan helps you get on with life.
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