Applying for NDIS funding for a child with autism

July 5, 2021

If your child is on the autism spectrum and they are approaching the age of 7, then you may be eligible to apply for NDIS funding.

Regardless of any funding you may currently receive, such as the Early Childhood Early Intervention (ECEI) scheme, once your child reaches the age of 7 then they may be eligible for funding under the national NDIS program. 

Understanding and applying for NDIS and autism funding can seem a little daunting at first. In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about applying for NDIS funding autism.

What is the NDIS? 

If you’re new to the NDIS, then you probably have a lot of questions about what the NDIS actually is and how it works. The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is Australia’s first nationwide scheme that provides funding to eligible Australians between the age of 7 and 65 who have a permanent and significant disability.

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

The NDIS funds reasonable and necessary supports to assist individuals with a disability to:

• Pursue their goals, objectives and aspirations
• Increase their independence
• Increase social and community participation
• Develop capacity to actively take part in their community

What supports can children with autism receive? 

There are three types of supports that your child may be eligible for under the NDIS, including NDIS capacity building supports, core supports and capital supports. 

Core supports are designed to develop fundamental life skills and help with participation in daily activities. Capacity building supports focus on building independence and skills needed to pursue goals and capital supports are for large expenses such as modifications to your home or vehicle. Read more about the different types of NDIS supports here in our blog. 

Because autism is a spectrum disorder with varying levels of severity, the types of disability support your child is eligible to receive will differ.

Here are some common NDIS funding autism supports which your child 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

How to apply for NDIS funding

1. Check your child’s eligibility

Before completing an NDIS funding application, you need to first assess your eligibility. To check if your child is eligible, visit the NDIS website.

1. Make an access request

You can call the NDIA to make an access request over the phone or you can complete the access request form on paper.

Within your access request you will be asked a series of questions about your child’s disability. Your family doctor and other health professional may also be required to submit evidence of your child’s disability and how it impacts their life. 

To make your access request, call the NDIA on 1800 800 110 or speak to the team at Disability Plan Services for some guidance. 

1. Attend a planning meeting

If your access request is approved, your next step will be to meet with a local NDIA coordinator for a planning meeting. This is an important part in creating their first NDIS plan. This plan outlines their individual goals and describes the types of funding you will receive. 

Learn more about preparing for an NDIS planning meeting in this blog. 

Managing your NDIS plan

At your planning meeting, you will also need to make a decision about how your child’s NDIS funds are managed going forward. There are four options for how to handle the administration of the NDIS funding your child receives: self managed, agency managed, plan managed and a mix of two.  

If you’re new to the NDIS, managing your own plan funds can be overwhelming and time consuming. One way to combat this is to request the NDIS plan management option. NDIS plan management takes the stress out of the financial management of your plan funds with the support of an experienced Plan Manager. Their job is to pay bills on your behalf, manage your child’s assigned budget and make recommendations to help maximise their plan funds. 

This plan management option comes at no additional cost to you. When you request plan management at your planning meeting or plan review, additional funds are provided to you for this service.

At Disability Plan Services, our experienced team of NDIS Plan Managers are passionate about getting to know you and your family so that you can make the most out of their plan funds. 

To contact the team at Disability Plan Services for help applying for NDIS funding autism, or to chat about your NDIS plan management options, get in touch with us by calling 1800 312 870 or email info@disabilityplanservices.com.au.