Here at Leap in! HQ, we are always working on how we can help you prepare for your NDIS plan meeting or plan reassessment.
We often hear from members that they’re nervous about their NDIS plan meetings. Being prepared and knowing what to expect is a great way to overcome those nerves.
Get plan ready with the tips below.
Start preparing for your NDIS planning meeting early.
This is your chance to really ask yourself some big questions. Where do you want to go in life? What would you like to achieve? What is stopping you or would make life easier? Give yourself time to really think it over.
Start working on capturing your story in the Leap in! app sooner rather than later so that you can feel relaxed and prepared in the lead up to your NDIS Plan meeting. You can add information and come back to it any time – it’s all in the once, safe and convenient place.
Decide on the details for your NDIS plan meeting or plan reassessment.
- What type of meeting would you like: face-to-face or over the phone?
- Where would you like to be for the meeting: in your house, in your Local Area Coordinator’s office or somewhere else?
- If you have a preferred time for the meeting: morning, afternoon or evening?
- Who would you like to be involved in your Plan meeting: a family member, close friend, partner or someone who supports you? It should be someone you know and trust.
- Do you need communication or assistive aids for the meeting?
- Do you need a translator?
Information and documents you need.
Being over-prepared is so much better than being under-prepared. Consider all the documents you might need to help the NDIS understand the impact of your disability and your personal circumstances.
Use this guide below for helpful information to take to your meeting – you may not need all of these or have other ones you’d like to include as well.
1. Leap in! Plan Ready Summary
- View, print or share this summary that you can find on the menu of the My Profile section in the app.
2. Do you have any of the following assessments or reports?
- Diagnosis from specialists
- Home modification assessment
- Medication charts
- Mental health reports
- Care needs assessments
- Occupational therapist and speech pathologist reports
- Neuropsychological assessments
- Incontinence assessments and management plans
- Physical condition/accessibility needs.
3. Your community and mainstream supports
- Current support plan from your service provider/s listing all supports
- List of ‘drop in’ support services
- Quote from provider/s for supports or equipment that you would like covered in your new NDIS Plan (this isn’t compulsory, however can help during your meeting)
- All your unpaid/unfunded supports from family and friends and supports from community groups are included in the Crew section of the Leap in! app.
The Leap in! app can help you organise all these documents in one place. Simply upload all your documents to the Documents section of the app or a relevant section like Health & Wellbeing, and you’ll have easy access to them on your phone, tablet or laptop when you need them at your Plan meeting.
NDIS planning meeting tips
Take a support person.
It’s important that you clearly communicate your needs and the impact of your disability at your NDIS Plan meeting to ensure that you get the right NDIS plan for you.
If you feel more confident and able to clearly communicate your needs, goals and personal details with someone you know and trust by your side, ask that person to go with you.
Spend some time talking together before the meeting so they understand the process and your goals. That way they can help you communicate all the important pieces of information if required.
Ask questions.
You’re in your Plan meeting – now is the time to ask all the questions you might have about your potential NDIS Plan. If you’ve prepared well, you’ll have a list of NDIS planning meeting questions ready to go so nothing is forgotten.
You might think you’ll remember everything, but when you’re under pressure, it’s normal for some things to slip your mind! Being prepared will help you to relax, speak up and get the answers you need.
Be clear on the details.
This is another area where preparation is key. Know the details before your meeting about things like:
-
Your disability and the impact it has on your life
-
Your goals and the supports you need to achieve them
-
Your current supports, how they impact your life and why you need to keep them.
Be as specific as possible so you get exactly what you need from your NDIS plan meeting or reassessment.
The Leap in! app can be a useful tool for keeping this information together and help you prepare for your NDIS plan meeting or plan reassessment. Complete the details on your health and disability, supports, goals and what you’d like to improve in the relevant sections of the app.
Know how you want to manage your NDIS funding.
Research options for managing your funding well before your meeting to avoid the stress of deciding on the spot. Do you want to use a plan manager like Leap in, self-manage, default to the NDIA or use a combination of these?
If you’re unsure exactly what these options mean, read about them on the NDIS webpage Ways to manage your funding.
We’re here to help.
Leap in! has a handy Plan meeting checklist to help make sure you have all the necessary information and documentation ready. Or call us on 1300 05 78 78 to book a free pre-planning phone consultation.
Originally published on 21 November 2019, updated on 5 July 2023.