Your First NDIS Support Coordination Meeting: A Practical Checklist
Know what to bring, what to discuss and which questions can help you start a productive relationship with your NDIS support coordinator.
8/2/20264 min read
Starting with a new support coordinator can feel like a big step, especially when your NDIS plan contains unfamiliar budgets, service categories or provider choices. Your first meeting should help you understand how you will work together and what will happen next.
This practical checklist explains what to prepare, what you can expect and which questions may help you decide whether the relationship feels right for you.
What does a support coordinator help with?
An NDIS support coordinator helps a participant understand and use the supports in their plan. Depending on the participant's goals, situation and funded level of support coordination, this can include connecting with providers, community and mainstream services, building confidence to manage supports, and helping different services work together.
The participant remains in control. A support coordinator can explain options and help put arrangements in place, but decisions about goals, providers and supports belong to the participant.
The NDIS currently describes three levels: support connection, support coordination and specialist support coordination. The level available to you depends on what is funded in your plan.
What to bring to your first meeting
You do not need to arrive with everything perfectly organised. Bring what you have, and ask the coordinator to explain anything that is unclear.
A useful starting pack may include:
Your current NDIS plan or the parts you are comfortable sharing
A list of your goals and current priorities
Contact details for existing providers, therapists or important community services
Any recent reports that are relevant to implementing your plan
Notes about supports that are working well and areas where you need more help
Information about communication, accessibility, cultural or language preferences
A list of urgent tasks, upcoming appointments or service gaps
The contact details of a family member, nominee or trusted person you want involved
You choose what personal information to share. Ask why information is needed, how it will be used and who may receive it before giving consent.
What should happen during the meeting?
The first meeting is a chance to learn about each other and agree on a practical way of working. The conversation should focus on your priorities rather than becoming a sales presentation.
You may discuss:
Your goals, daily life and the supports you already use
Which parts of your plan need to be implemented first
Provider or community connections you want help finding
Risks, service gaps or changes that need attention
How you prefer to communicate and make decisions
Who can receive information with your consent
How progress, plan use and next actions will be recorded
The service agreement, fees, cancellation terms and complaint process
The NDIA's current provider guidance says a support coordinator should work with the participant during the first meeting to create a service agreement. Take time to read it. Ask for the agreement in a format and language you understand.
Questions to ask a support coordinator
Good questions help you understand whether the coordinator has the capacity, experience and working style you need.
Consider asking:
Who will be my main contact, and how quickly do you usually respond?
How will you help me understand my plan and funding?
Do you have experience with goals or support needs similar to mine?
How do you identify and compare suitable providers?
How do you manage actual or potential conflicts of interest?
How will you include me in decisions and record my consent?
How often will we review priorities and progress?
What work is billable, including calls, emails, travel and report writing?
How will I know how much support-coordination funding has been used?
What happens if my usual coordinator is unavailable?
How can I give feedback or make a complaint?
What notice is required if I want to change coordinators?
Clear answers are a good sign. You should not feel pressured to sign immediately or to use another service simply because it is connected to the same organisation.
Review the service agreement carefully
A service agreement records what you and the provider have agreed. According to the NDIS, it can cover the supports being provided, prices and other costs, responsibilities, cancellation rules, how disagreements will be managed, and how the agreement can be changed or ended.
Before agreeing, check that you understand:
The service and level of support being provided
Hourly rates and any other charges
How travel, reports, phone calls and emails are billed
The expected frequency of contact
Cancellation and notice periods
Privacy, information-sharing and consent arrangements
How to pause, change or end the service
Where to raise a concern or complaint
Ask for a copy of the completed agreement. If you need time or help to understand it, say so.
Agree on the first three actions
A useful meeting ends with clear next steps. Instead of creating a long list with no priority, agree on the first three actions, who is responsible for each one and when you will review progress.
For example:
The participant will confirm which providers may receive relevant information.
The coordinator will identify two suitable daily-living providers by an agreed date.
Both will meet again to compare options and update the action plan.
This makes the relationship easier to evaluate and keeps attention on the participant's goals.
What if the coordinator does not feel right for you?
You can ask more questions, request changes to how you work together or take time before proceeding. The NDIS says participants can change support coordinators, provided they follow any notice periods in their service agreement.
If you decide to change, ask about a clear handover so important reports, provider contacts, risks and unfinished actions are not lost. Information should only be shared with your permission.
Support coordination in Melbourne's west
Link Support Services provides NDIS support coordination for participants who want practical help understanding their plan, connecting with services and organising supports around their goals.
Learn more about NDIS support coordination in Melbourne, explore our NDIS support services, or contact Link Support Services.
To discuss your circumstances, call 0433 266 438 or email services@linksupportservices.com.au.
Official information
This article provides general information current at publication. It is not legal, financial or individual NDIS plan advice. Check current official NDIS guidance and discuss your circumstances with your my NDIS contact or relevant professional.
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