NDIS Support Coordination in Melbourne & Regional Victoria

Introduction

Navigating the NDIS can feel overwhelming — especially when you’re trying to understand your plan, coordinate supports, and make sure you’re getting the best outcomes.

At Including You, we provide personalised Support Coordination services to help individuals and families confidently implement their NDIS plan, connect with the right providers, and build independence over time.

With a team of 20 full-time Support Coordinators, we offer both Standard (Level 2) and Specialist (Level 3) Support Coordination — and we currently have capacity with no waitlist.

Our goal is simple:
To support you now, and build your confidence to manage your plan in the future.

What We Offer

Including You provides Support Coordination services funded through an NDIS plan. We support individuals and families to coordinate and implement their supports effectively.

Our role includes:

• Engaging service providers for direct supports
• Engaging professionals for assessments and training
• Creating service agreements between participants and providers
• Explaining the NDIS Pricing Guide in clear, practical terms
• Supporting participants and families to problem-solve issues
• Educating participants on their responsibilities under service agreements
• Changing or amending service agreements when required
• Preparing 8-week and 9-month reports for the NDIS
• Supporting plan reviews and preparing for future plans
• Working collaboratively with participants and families
• Helping participants achieve their goals and find the best possible options available

Types of Support Coordination

Support Coordination is delivered at different levels depending on your needs:

We tailor our approach based on your goals, circumstances and plan.

Specialist Knowledge & Experience

Our Support Coordinators bring extensive experience across a wide range of areas, including:

• Early Intervention (0–7 years), working alongside families, key workers and allied health services
• Child Protection across Victoria and Queensland
• Justice system involvement, including sourcing accommodation and working within legal conditions
• Alcohol and other substance use, with a harm minimisation approach
• Strong understanding of the difference between NDIS and Health systems
• Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) experience, supporting participants through unfair decisions
• Mental health services within the NDIS framework
• Trauma-informed support, recognising the impact of untreated trauma
• Working with hospitals and rehabilitation centres to support transitions back home

This breadth of experience allows us to support participants with complex and changing needs.

NDIS Update: Improving Support Coordination for Participants

The NDIA asked for feedback from participants, support coordinators, providers, and the disability sector about the current support coordination model. In response to the consultation, the NDIS has released a paper called Improving support coordination for NDIS participants.

Roles of a Support Coordinator

A Support Coordinator should have four key roles:

1. Help NDIS participants connect to NDIS and other supports
2. Build participant capacity and capability to understand their plan, navigate the NDIS and make their own decisions
3. Broker supports and services in line with participant wishes and their plan budget
4. Monitor plan budgets and support effectiveness.

Support Coordinators will help participants with different things depending on what the individual participant’s goals, needs and circumstances are. This should also consider what has been funded in the participant’s plan.

1.  Helping participants connect to the NDIS and other supports.
A key role of Support Coordinators is to be familiar with the services in their location and connect participants with relevant service providers. This may involve:

• Using local market knowledge to drive quality participant outcomes
• Linking participants to mainstream, community and informal supports
• Developing strong provider networks in the local area (the NDIS is working on ways to support the development of such relationships, particularly in areas where there are service shortages).

The NDIA recommends setting clear expectations about the scope of service and limits of your role as a support coordinator. Where lines become blurred, it may be worth connecting your client to a formal advocate.

2. Build participant capacity

A support coordinator has a critical role to play in building a participant’s capacity and capability to understand their plan, navigate the NDIS and make their own decisions.

Suggestions are provided for supporting participants to make informed decisions including communicating in a way that the participant understands, providing multiple options, discussing any consequences and allowing time to consider and trial options.

Participants say they appreciate when a support coordinator takes time to understand their situation, engages on a regular basis and proactively sources evidence to support plan reviews.

The NDIA is developing a “Support for decision making policy” that seeks to increase opportunities for participants to more actively involved in decisions about their life and improve their capacity to make decisions.

3. Broker supports and services

The third role of support coordinators is to help participants connect with NDIS and other supports as well as explore the right mix of supports based on the goals in the person’s NDIS plan.

This can include:

• Trialling options
• Designing a suitable approach for each individual
• Negotiating service agreements in line with participant’s preferences and their plan.

The NDIA has been working on models to deliver more timely supports and services in rural and remote areas. Testing found that group purchasing models where support workers bundle and pool plan funds can drive better participant outcomes in regional locations.

4. Monitor plan budgets and support effectiveness

Support coordinators provide critical monitoring of NDIS Plan implementation to ensure supports are effective in helping participants achieve their goals.

This can include:

• Regularly monitoring plan progress and with the participant
• Help to prepare for plan reviews (plans are underway to make it easier for support coordinators to report back to the NDIS)
• Helping the participant prepare for unexpected events or interruptions in supports
• Ensuring the participant can access appropriate crisis or emergency supports

Tracking how the participant’s plan is being used and ensuring they receive adequate support throughout the length of their plan.

Local Knowledge Matters

Including You provides Support Coordination services across:

• Melbourne
• Bundoora and surrounding northern suburbs
• Mill Park and nearby areas
• Seymour and regional Victoria

Our local knowledge allows us to:

• Connect you with trusted providers faster
• Navigate service availability
• Provide practical, real-world solutions

Promoting Participant Safety

Support Coordinators have a unique view of what is happening in a participant’s life, due to the high level of trust and knowledge of their changing needs. For this reason, the NDIA asks that support coordinators proactively support the participant to raise concern or issues connected with the safety and quality of supports or services.

What’s next?

The NDIA mentions a raft of measures that it is undertaking to improve the outcomes of support coordination.

• Educating support coordinators on their roles
• Support coordinators registered to delivery group 106 (assistance in coordinating or managing life stages, transitions or supports) or 132 (Specialised support coordination) must undertake additional training in NDIS Practice Standards.
• Non-registered support coordinators can use these standards to better understand expected services standards
• Encouraging and supporting sector-led training
• Developing niche support coordinator services to meet specific participant needs
• Removing the ability for a single provider to offer both support coordination and other supports to an individual participant to reduce potential conflicts of interest.

While some support coordinators had requested automatic access to participant plans, due to privacy considerations, the NDIA will only share a participant’s plan with their consent

Good to Know

• Many respondents asked for the three-level structure of support coordination to be simplified. This will be considered as part of the Annual Pricing Review.
• The review will also consider the experience and skills required to deliver quality support coordination services.
• Support coordinators are expected to follow the NDIS Code of Conduct, regardless of whether they are registered providers or not.
• The sector called for more clarity and consistency on when and how support coordination goes into an NDIS Plan. This is being reviewed.

Information source: Improving support coordination for participants web page and accompanying document also available at the same link.

Choosing the Right Support Coordinator

When choosing a Support Coordinator, consider:

• Experience in the NDIS system
• Ability to communicate clearly
• Flexibility to adapt to your needs
• Local knowledge of providers
• A collaborative and respectful approach

Quick Checklist

Before choosing a provider, ask yourself:

• Do they understand my goals?
• Do I feel comfortable working with them?
• Are they responsive and easy to communicate with?
• Do they know services in my area?
• Can they explain my plan clearly?

FAQs

What does a Support Coordinator do?

They help you understand your plan and connect with the right services.

Is Support Coordination funded by the NDIS?

Yes, if it is included in your plan.

Can I change Support Coordinators?

Yes — you have full choice and control.

Do I need Support Coordination?

Not everyone does, but it can be very helpful.

How often will I meet my coordinator?

This depends on your needs and your plan.

Can you help with complex situations?

Yes — we provide both standard and specialist support coordination.

Conclusion

Support Coordination is about more than just organising services — it’s about helping you get the most out of your NDIS plan and building confidence for the future.

At Including You, we take a personalised, collaborative approach to ensure you feel supported every step of the way.

Get in touch with our team today to learn more about Support Coordination services.