28 of the most common NDIS terms explained in plain English. Bookmark this page for plan reviews and meetings with your support coordinator.
ADL — Activities of Daily Living
The everyday tasks of personal care and household life — showering, dressing, cooking, cleaning. Supports for ADL are usually funded under Core Supports.
AT — Assistive Technology
Equipment that helps you do things more independently — wheelchairs, communication devices, home modifications. Funded from the Capital budget.
Behaviour Support Plan (BSP)
A documented plan for managing behaviours of concern. Developed by a registered behaviour support practitioner.
Capacity Building
The NDIS budget that funds skill-building — therapy, capacity training, support coordination, employment supports. Goal-based, not flexible across categories.
Core Supports
The most flexible NDIS budget — funds daily activities, social participation, consumables and transport. Mostly fungible across these four categories.
LAC — Local Area Coordinator
Helps participants apply for the NDIS and use their plan. Provided by NDIA partners.
NDIA — National Disability Insurance Agency
The government body that runs the NDIS — assesses eligibility, approves plans, pays providers.
NDIS Commission
NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. The regulator. Registers providers, audits Practice Standards, handles complaints. Phone 1800 035 544.
Plan Manager
A separate provider that holds your NDIS funding and pays your other providers. Plan-managed participants can use both registered and unregistered providers.
SDA — Specialist Disability Accommodation
Purpose-built housing funded under the NDIS for participants with extreme functional impairment or very high support needs.
SIL — Supported Independent Living
NDIS funding for staff to support participants in shared (or sometimes individual) accommodation.
STA — Short-Term Accommodation
NDIS-funded respite care, usually 1-14 days at a time. Includes accommodation, food and support.
Support Coordinator
A person who helps you understand and use your plan — finding providers, managing budgets, navigating issues. Funded under Capacity Building.
Worker Screening
NDIS Worker Screening Clearance — a national check every NDIS worker delivering risk-assessed roles must hold. Renewed every 5 years.
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