How the NDIS can support your child with autism

January 22, 2021

If your child is on the autism spectrum, there is a strong possibility that you could be eligible to receive support through the NDIS. 

As a condition that affects someone from the day they are born, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) falls within the NDIS eligibility criteria as being a permanent and significant disability.

If your child with autism is aged between 0-6 years old, your entry to the NDIS will follow a different path. For children under the age of 7 with an eligible disability, you need to meet with an NDIS early childhood partner and become part of the Early Childhood, Early Intervention (ECEI) scheme.

For carers seeking NDIS funding autism support for children aged 7 or older, this blog will cover everything you need to know about the NDIS and autism funding. 

How much is NDIS funding for autism?

The amount of support your child is eligible to receive for NDIS funding autism services will differ depending on how their disability affects aspects of daily life, including how it affects you as the primary carer and your family.

The best way to ensure your child receives adequate and appropriate NDIS funding for autism supports is to set appropriate goals. Under the NDIS, funding is allocated based on what supports are required to achieve an individuals goals. 

Read our blog post for help setting NDIS goals.

Because autism is a spectrum disorder with varying levels of severity, the types of disability support you are eligible to receive funding for under the NDIS will differ.

Here are some common NDIS funding autism supports which you may be eligible for:

• Physiotherapy to help develop motor skills
• Speech therapy to help with communication 
• Therapeutic aids such as sensory toys 
• Behavioural therapy
• A support worker to assist around the house
• Nutritional therapy

To ensure you receive the appropriate amount of support needed so your child can live a happy and fulfilling life, it’s best to be as detailed as possible when talking about the areas where you need support.

Putting your NDIS funding to work

After going through the process of applying to join the NDIS and receiving approval, the next step is putting your plan into action. Luckily there are a number of NDIS funded supports available to help you make sense of your plan and get the most of your funds.

An important decision you’ll need to make once your plan is approved is how you would like to manage the funds within your plan. As a parent or carer of a child with ASD, managing their plan funds can be a time-consuming process – time that is better spent enjoying life with your family.  

NDIS plan management takes the stress out of the financial management of NDIS plan funds with the support of an experienced Plan Manager. Their job is to pay bills on your behalf, manage your budget and make recommendations to help maximise your plan funds.

This plan management option comes at no additional cost to you – simply request this option and you will receive funding to access a Plan Manager.

Choosing Disability Plan Services to manage your plan is the best of both options as it allows you to remain in control of who you work with but also means you don’t have to worry about the paperwork.

At Disability Plan Services, we are flexible to suit your schedule, we take the time to understand you and know the best way to manage your NDIS funding.  

Non-NDIS funded support for your family

If your child is not eligible for NDIS funded support due to being diagnosed with ASD level 1 severity, there are other supports available to your family.

Government-funded Centrelink payments through Services Australia are means-tested payments for parents or carers who care for children with disabilities. These include Carer Allowance, Carer Payment and the Disability Support Pension. 

In addition to financial supports, discounts and community services are also available to help day-to-day life caring for your child with ASD. 

If you’re unsure about whether your child is eligible for NDIS funding, talk to the team at Disability Plan Services. Our experienced team understand the NDIS and have worked with many clients with ASD to help them access the supports they need. 

As your partners on this journey, it’s important to us that our relationship is built on trust. It’s this trust that our community has in us that means you will always feel a sense of safety and security.

For more information or to get in touch please call us on 1800 312 870.